While most things featured here at Secret Forts only get better with age, there does arise the eventual occasion for mending, darning and upgrading. Picked up at a flea market some years ago, this selvedge HBT tote has always been a favorite of mine for its simplicity. And as most things do as a result of constant use, it began falling apart. This is where it helps to have friends who practice a craft, know what they’re doing and do it exceptionally well (*that would be Chris and Lindsay at Stanley & Sons) and who don’t mind being asked a favor of that when put up against meeting production deadlines and other more pressing business, understandably drops to somewhere near the bottom of the “to-do” list. Well worth the wait. What’s old is new again.

I had asked Chris to replace the carry handles, add the exterior and interior pockets and basically just make it awesomer. Mission accomplished.
An enormous thanks to good pals Chris and Lindsay at Stanley & Sons for humoring my requests. And oh yeah, Stanley & Sons is now on Instagram. You know what to do…

then

now


then



now


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now (interior)