Thanks for all the info Tom, it seems you are a mine of information!

I'm new to both the leather and the metal side of things so it's a very steep learning curve for me here. The help is very much appreciated.

I've got neither the tools nor the skill to make these things myself, thankfully one of the members on here has offered to make a sample for me. I think the design will work, not sure exactly on how to attach it yet though.

The leather of the bag is quite heavy nubuck, and the handle is actually going to loop back so it's doubled as it goes through this metal piece. Plan b if I can't get these metal parts was to slot cut the bag face like you suggested and just use stitching. I imagine the solution will be doing the same but with the screws giving the main support.

I seem to be waffling with no real point here... My head is spinning from all the options :)