When you think of a joint, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the movable connection between bones in our body, responsible for coordinated movement, right? As our craftsman Norihiko recently learned in a conversation, bags can have a joint too.
That bags also have a joint was explained by a scientist friend who examined Norihiko's bags. When looking at the handmade leather bags, he immediately noticed the characteristic connection between the shoulder bag and its strap. He called this connection a joint. Much like in the human body, the joint of a bag needs to be durable and supple to allow smooth movement while carrying. Norihiko had already noticed this long before he became a craftsman.
In his youth, he carried his British shoulder bags until they "broke". But "broke" does not mean the entire bag fell apart — usually only very specific parts such as the strap, the connection, or the loop became unusable. In today's mass-produced bags, these components can no longer be replaced or repaired, so the bag is often thrown away after only a short period of use. Driven by the idea of finding a sustainable solution, Norihiko designed his first bags with a replaceable strap. He stitches the buckle attachment by hand, which makes it not only easier to replace but also more beautiful.
For example, the traditional bag form Game Bag (see image on the left) features a characteristic leather loop that is firmly stitched to the bag. This loop gives the strap maximum freedom of movement while minimising material fatigue. If the area does eventually show signs of wear after intensive use, Norihiko can repair or fully replace the individual parts.
先日、科学者の友人が私の鞄を見てその特徴と長所を看破して言った言葉「関節」というのが妙に気に入ったものですからタイトルに使ってみましたが、具体的にいえば肩掛け鞄におけるストラップと本体の接合部分のことです。
私は若い頃からイギリスの肩掛け鞄が好きで、それこそ壊れるまで使ったものです。壊れると言っても肩掛け鞄には必ず傷む部分があって、本体がダメになるということはなかなかあるものではありません。補修が必要になるのはストラップの布帛そのもの、接合部、そして鞄のフラップを止める部分がある場合はその部分の革です。
経験を踏まえ、私の鞄ではストラップは交換を前提とし、フラップを止める部分の革も簡単に新しいものと付け替えることができるようにリベットなどは使わず手縫いで取り付けています。
さて本題のJoint部分ですが、伝統的な鞄であるCartridge BagやGame Bagでは可動域が大きく傷みにくい構造になっています。Cartridge Bag Type IはDリング、そしてCartridge Bag TypeIIとGame Bagでは革で本体を挟み込んだ耳に、革のストラップを繋げています。これは非常に自由度が高く、また素材特性的にも消耗の少ない形です。さらに言えばCartridge Bag TypeIIのように耳が長い場合、耳そのものにも柔軟性がありますから、接合部への負担はさらに少ないのです。
長く使うことを踏まえた本当によく考え抜かれたデザインであると思います。
