THE SHORT VERSION: This is my first shell cordovan wallet and I’m very happy with the beautiful minimalist bifold I received from Silas. He is an awesome leather artisan and I’m very impressed with the quality of his work and his attention to detail.
SHIPPING/BOX: After being shipped from Taiwan, I was provided a tracking number and the wallet arrived to California in about a week. It arrived in a black outer box sealed with a custom LEATHERBOUND sticker. Even the edges of the box were neatly sealed with strips of clear tape for more security on its voyage here. Upon opening the outer box (Ok, I ripped it open), an inner black gift box housed a custom gray pouch emblazoned with the LEATHERBOUND name. The pull strings on the pouch were of a soft silky material and were adorned with two wooden beads to cinch the pouch shut. I’m impressed already.
WALLET: The outer cordovan shell is blue in color and is from Leder Ogawa (Google them as it’s an interesting read). It is a smooth leather with an even dye. If I had to describe the blue, it would be like a combination of a navy and an electric blue. It may depend on the lighting on which hue you see. In terms of feel, honestly, as this is my first shell cordovan wallet, I wouldn’t be able to tell from feeling it that is comes from a horse. I’m sure with time it will break in nicely and will develop a nice patina. Both sides of the outer wallet has very detailed white stitching which is nice and tight. It appears that there was some beveling done so the stitching lays flatter into the leather. When searching for shell cordovan wallets, I compared the details of stitching to that of Silas’, and when doing so, you’ll notice the premium quality of Silas’ work. The outer edges of the wallet are treated to a smooth glass like finish joining the different layers of leather perfectly. Another way to describe it like running your fingers on a smooth piece of lacquered wood.
The inner wallet is a natural brown color from Badalassi Carlo, which is an Italian veg tan leather. When seeing the color online, I felt that it was a perfect color combination for the Leder Ogawa blue. The inner leather has a slightly rougher feel to it. It’s still smooth, but I only say slightly rougher when you’re comparing it to the outer shell cordovan. Again, the white stitching for the inner wallet is well done, including where the stitching meets in the corners. It’s hard to describe but the individual stitching has almost an angled pattern to it, which I love.
The card pockets are nicely done with nice trim detail (beveling) on the edges of the pockets. This is a detail that I rarely found when I was browsing other shell cordovan wallets. It’s a subtle detail that is noticed and greatly appreciated.
Within one of the pockets was a black LEATHERBOUND heavy stock business card with the writing in an elegant gold foil. On the back, Silas hand wrote a personal message thanking me for my purchase. I much prefer this thoughtful gesture than other online purchases I’ve made that only included a printed receipt of my order.
Overall, I’m very impressed with the quality of leather and the workmanship. I have no doubt that this wallet will last me a long time and I plan on using it as my every day carry to develop a nice patina. Admittedly, I haven’t used it yet because I still want to enjoy the newness and that leather smell. ☺
HOW I FOUND LEATHERBOUND: I was searching for cordovan wallets for a few weeks and I didn’t want to spend too much for my first one. I compared wallets on many different sites focusing mostly on a handmade option from a non chain store. Interestingly, I came across LEATHBOUND.INK on Reddit of all places. I saw his work and when visiting his website, I liked how I could see detailed pictures of his craftsmanship and I probably watched his Youtube videos several dozen times.
My current or soon to be former every day carry wallet is an epi leather bifold from a luxury brand store. As it was a gift from my fiancée, I didn’t want to wear down the leather too much so I wanted to find an alternative. My wallet before that was a handmade Horween Chomexcel three slot wallet that started to develop a nice patina in the four years I used it. That wallet though was too thick because of the type of leather and so this shell cordovan is a perfect blend of elegance, pocketabilty (I’m sure that’s a real word), durability, and patina potential. To me, this wallet is versatile enough to go casually with jeans or dressed up in slacks. I’m looking forward to using this wallet after I get a few more new leather sniffs in. Thanks again Silas!
