wasn't there someone that was selling parts for a toolbox like a Gerstner? I have ordered everything that Lee Valley sells, and all of them were rejected by my daughter. And to be perfectly honest, I have yet to find a handle worthy of the piece.
everyone's google search results are different, and I don't actually see anything useful there. While drafting this reply, I realized that the search terms, "handle leather luggage" should work better than "leather luggage handle." At least that search doesn't give me 10e6 returns for leather purses.
I found
this one It's certainly not cheap though.
I really like the look of this one. I found it doing a handle search just like you about a year ago. I plan on this style on a project and will most likely make it myself. As soon as I find the right leather and time.
Jim
Hartman Luggage has a nice handle. These were very expensive luggage. Not in demand used and I buy them for a buck or so and take the handle and other usable leather parts. Look at Goodwill and thrifts or online for used ones. I buy them at garage sales they used finest quality leather. Here is a Kennedy handle that held up well
vintage handle on old tool chest
that is a neat handle and I really like the hardware, but if I had to make one myself, I wouldn't get done. The project it's going on is years old at this point, I really want to get it done.
I have thought about going to goodwill or thrifts. I know they are expensive new, but at this point if I don't stumble onto something I'm just going to go crazy and buy one
Make the handle out of wood. I would laminate several 1/8" thick pieces with the grain going right angles to each layer. Use brass post binders to attach the leather.
Alternate walnut and maple would make an interesting lamination.
Woodsmith #44 did a wooden briefcase they used a handle that could be leather covered easily see sources for where the handle came from