# Repairing old luggage

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairing-old-luggage/739280>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 3, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairing-old-luggage/739280 "2015-12-03T02:13:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mithril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mithril/32/3517_2.png) [@Mithril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithril)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairing-old-luggage/739280/1 "2015-12-03T02:13:33Z")

</div>

I just bought this super cool, vintage travel bar for a future epic road trip. Unfortunately, the elastic that holds everything in place is old and stretched out, or even ripped. This will not do for my gin-swilling friend and me.

If I take the black shell out of the metal case, I don’t think that it will go back in the same way. Does anybody have an idea for replacing the elastic without access to the backside of the attachment points?

[http://s22.postimg.org/xpcyvb1w1/image1.jpg](http://postimage.org/)

[http://s22.postimg.org/h2vem88y9/image2.jpg](http://postimage.org/)

[http://s22.postimg.org/x2e25s501/image3.jpg](http://postimage.org/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairing-old-luggage/739280/2 "2015-12-03T02:44:27Z")

</div>

If you can manage to _carefully_ cut or drill out the rivets, you should be able to replace the elastic and fasten it with [blind rivets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivet#Blind_rivets) of appropriate size.  
Somewhat uglier method: cut the elastic, but leave an inch or so on both sides of the attachment points; then sew new elastic onto the stumps.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mithril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mithril/32/3517_2.png) [@Mithril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithril)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairing-old-luggage/739280/3 "2015-12-04T14:36:50Z")

</div>

That is perfect! I grabbed my Dremel tool and can grind/drill out the old rivets, and found a co-worker with a riveting tool. Thanks, **Idnotus**!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairing-old-luggage/739280/4 "2015-12-04T16:02:08Z")

</div>

> [@Mithril](#):
>
> That is perfect! I grabbed my Dremel tool and can grind/drill out the old rivets, and found a co-worker with a riveting tool. Thanks, **Idnotus**!

Since your friend is familiar with pop rivets (or any kind, really) you should ask him about “backup washers” or using small fender washers to spread the load over a larger area of the elastic straps. This will help prevent the rivets from pulling through the new elastic strips.