Mutton Leg
 

Can this be repaired and look like it should? Would it cost more than it's worth? Anyone had experience with this? Would need to do both ends.

Several of our members are wizards at exactly what you need done.

Repair will most likely exceed what its worth but its nearly useless otherwise and why not preserve a piece of history.

Matthew Hanson, a member here fixed one up for me. It was worth every dime.

Ryan

Kevin McCormack, another member here in MD, has done several for me over the years. Excellent work. But, I cannot say for sure if he still does repairs. It's been some time since he did one for me.

Thanks for the kind words, Stan, but I retired from the case repair business almost 2 years ago now.

Any good boot or saddle repair shop should be able to handle it. But it's really not that hard to do it yourself; I've worked on a few of them. The hardest part is reaching inside to do what you need to do but it's not impossible. Some folks will open the seam to get inside and then restitch it but I've never had to do that. Get yourself one of these and go for it...

https://i.imgur.com/dPv4ge2m.jpg

Thanks Phil; How did you get the revite out? with a drill?

It's been a while, but I think I drilled it out.

X-cut the rivet head down to the shaft with a Dremel tool metal cutoff wheel, then use a pair of nippers under the loop to shear the head off. That way, you don't enlarge the rivet shaft hole through the case to a too-large diameter. Too large a shaft hole diameter and the replacement split rivet tail(s) will never spread enough to give a tight fit securing the handle, which is what you want. Loose rivets allow the handle to "work" back and forth, enlarging the holes and eventually allowing the split tails to pull through the case wall, putting you back where you started.

Years ago, I took one to the local shoemaker. He had a sewing machine with a long arm and He had plenty of leather to make a new loop. He did it while I waited. Shoe repair shops seem to have gone the way of the buggy shop.