Wallets

[Bruce Wayne]

I bought this wallet about a month ago. I firmly believe that it will be the last wallet I will ever have to buy, & I am only 26.

 

[Edward]

Great thread idea!

I'd love a vintage wallet, but I like to keep my change in it. Most vintage wallets (if any) don't have this property. (I also know that in many countries, change is never kept in the wallet, but loose in the pocket etc)

My current wallets are all modern, though in a loosely vintage style. I stopped keeping change in them a lnog time ago: with so much of our sterling currency in coins, a wallet becomes overstuffed very quickly, and also coins can place terrible wear and tear on a wallet in my experience.


Up until about three years ago, I carried two wallets, both on chains attached to my belt, typically both in back pockets. Around the time I started to get more seriously into vintage, I decided that these weren't really 'me' any more.... I also got fed up of carrying two. The original idea was cards in one, cash in the other, still have something if either is lost. In practice, though, that got to be a bit of a burden, so I cut back to one. My main concession to modernity is to ensure that the wallet has enough space for all the cards I need to carry (debit, credit, supermarket loyalty card, library card, driving licence.... I haven't driven for over a decade, but as photo ID with my address on it, the driving licence can be handy to have around). Most of my wallets have a small coin pocket - I use that for any small photos I might want to carry, or stamps, not coins. I have two main leather wallets, one black, one brown. Ideally I would switch between the two as best fits my outfit, though in practice I tend to end up carrying one for months...

When abroad, I prefer to carry two wallets - one for 'local' currencies and only the bits I strictly need out and about with me.

For those that carry breast pocket wallets, what do you use in the hot summer days when you don't wear a coat?

In China last year, I picked this up:

It's rare indeed that I go anywhere without some kind of a jacket, but it gets hot enough out there in May that there's no choice sometimes. I don't like carrying a wallet in my trews - back pocket isn't secure, front pocket often uncomfortable - so I wanted something small and neat that would slip in a shirt pocket. All it needed to carry was a couple of payment cards, my travel card for the Beijing Metro, and paper money. It does all this with aplomb, and it has something of a vintage style to it as well, IMO. I could have lived without the fake D&G logo (they had them with every designer brand going stamped on them, but none plain!). I've used this one a lot at home too on a night out where I don't need to carry much. My only wish is that I could replace the clip with something much stronger.... I don't expect much for three quid, actually got far more than I anticipated for that.... but if someone were to produce a wallet of exactly this design with a high-quality clip in it, I would definitely jump on it. It's not quite big enough to carry everything I need every day, but it's definitely become a favourite for times when I can do without all the regular bumph.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"I just cary my cards in a chrome "Card Case" and I have a coin purse I cary in my satchel?, it prevents any unseemly bulges in a gentleman's trousers, and you don't "jingle"""

 

[1961MJS]

Mine is the size of a file cabinet. I am pretty sure it is made to hold a passport, but it works great for everyday use. I just measured it at 5.5"x4.25"

Hi

I carry a backpack to work, and put my non-credit cards in baseball card collecting pages in a notebook. Since you don't add pages very often you can use a folder effectively for this too. I have 5 pages of cards, membership and business cards. I also only have one real credit card, if you have 10 credit cards, just the postage is about $5.00 a month, and I pay my one online. Unfortunately, I still have enough crap in my wallet that I carry a (gasp) cordura one with velcro.

Later

 

[TSWebster]

http://www.braithwaitewallets.com/wallets/7-raptured

I've been carrying a 'Raptured' from Braithewaite wallets for nearly 2 years on a daily basis in my breast pocket mostly but also occasionally in the front pocket of my jeans. It still looks great and has held up very well to usage, although the embossing on the leather has faded a bit but I guess that it to be expected. In fact I'm about to order another wallet from them for keeping all my odds and ends in my bag together the 'Vagabond' model which while looking to big for carrying daily looks great for holding all the stuff I find I need at least weekly and so must lug around.

 

[Lou]

Satchels and Braithwaite Wallets!

When not wearing a jacket, I used to carry my wallet in a small satchel. I've fallen out of the habit, but should get back to it.

http://www.braithwaitewallets.com/wallets/7-raptured

Very nice wallets.

 

[lord_nimula]

Wallet

Black sailcloth billfold that fits in the front pocket of a pair of pants (or a coat pocket). I also like that it forces me to carry less.

http://www.all-ett.com/productdetails.asp?prodID=15

--Kevin

 

[JanSolo]

5 oz. veg tanned horsebutt....but not a jacket!

Still enough leather in it to justify a thread in "Outerwear" section . This is my custom made wallet. Beautifully crafted from thick and dense vegetable tanned Horween horsebutt. All exterior and interior panels are horsehide which I think is quite remarkable. I was able to customize almost every detail on this wallet and still it only took a couple of days to get it ready.

It was made by Scott Willis from Utah. He simply makes beautiful stuff using all grades of high quality leather mostly supplied by Horween, Chicago. He favors horsehide, especially veg tanned skins for multiple reasons. He is making wallets, belt, all sorts of bags, ranging from small handbags to big messenger bags. His double layer, saddle stitched horsehide belts are fantastic as well.
The quality of workmanship is outstanding and his products are very fairly priced. (70 Dollars shipped to Germany)

Here are the wallet specs:

- Horsebutt for all panels
- Standard billfold, coin compartment, 4 card slots, 1 hidden utility slot
- Wallet saddle stitched using heavy duty olive/wheat thread
- Leather surface-dyed using Fiebing's mid brown/chestnut (The leather is originally light tan in colour)
- Cut edges dyed, waxed and polished
- Hidden press stud for the coin pouch
- Wallet closed via latch and silver concho

Here's a link to his photobucket album:
http://s248.photobucket.com/home/unlucky62

Email: s_willis@rocketmail.com

 

[Bustercat]

Looks swell!

And that looks like one of those wallets that will look better and better the more it gets used and beat up. I'd be very happy too if I was you.

 

[nicholasb]

Looks very nice Jan. That is a proper wallet.

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

Nice.

I like the color and the thread/stitching alot!

 

[OneEyeMan]

Great wallet Jan.:eusa_clap
I want to see it after a couple of years of resting against your butt!lol
Unless you're a front pocket wallet guy!
It's gonna take a beautiful patina.
Lenny

 

[Navin323i]

Very nice, Jan! Actually, Henk ("Hankh") posted up some of Scott's work I believe about a week or two back (his belts) and Henk messaged me a link to some of Scott's good work...

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=168954

 

[JanSolo]

Yes, it was Henk who PMed me Scott's details. After I've checked out his photobucket album I just had to get one of his wallets. It's incredible what this man can do.

 

[PoohBang]

why do you call it "horse butt" and not shell cordovan?

 

[JanSolo]

why do you call it "horse butt" and not shell cordovan?

Because the wallet is made from the hide that spreads across the horse's butt. That can be quite a large piece of leather.
Cordovan is not made from the top layers of the skin but from a rather small but very dense and strong piece of connective tissue that is located just between skin and muscle. This is called "Fascia" in Latin.
Every muscle needs a certain amount of connective tissue to move freely under the skin. At some horse breed's croup or butt the connecting tissue is thick enough and therefore suitable to be made into cordovan. Strange stuff and the better, lighter coloured shells (caramel, whisky, cognac) cost a fortune, whereas black and oxblood remain affordable. Cordovan doesn't have a grain side...what you see is always the flesh side. But it's so heavily polished and finished (Horween calls it "smeared") that nobody notices.

Hope that helps.

 

[DJS Press]

Mind sharing how much that beauty set you back?

 

[JoeNiblick]

Great wallet! I wish I had known about his last year when I wanted a custom book cover made... Ended up with an OK result, but his stuff looks even better!

 

[JanSolo]

Mind sharing how much that beauty set you back?

70 dollars shipped to Germany. So I guess 62 to 65 for domestic customers.

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

OMG! You stole it!!!


And people pay $480 for a redmoon. Ok they get a zipper and a leather walletchain, but thats not $410

I gave $180 for mine and that hurt.