3 pocket version best suited for carrying 2-5 cards + a few folded bills
5 pocket version best suited for carrying 4-7 cards + a few folded bills
Super slim design is perfect for front pocket carry
Construction
Hand sewn using the saddle stitch method
All edges are finely creased and polished to a smooth finish
Middle pocket lined with leather
I employ both burnishing and hand painting in my work. I will choose a suitable edge treatment depending on the leathers chosen. If you’d like a specific edge treatment, please add your request to the order notes.
Materials
World-class French, Italian, or Japanese leathers (according to above selection)
Polyester thread for superior abrasion resistance
Water-based glue is used to glue edges and lining. After edge burnishing or painting is complete, a paraffin beeswax blend is applied. Reinforcement is used with Chèvre Crispé, Sherpa, Python, or Sharkskin to prevent stretch and reduce bulk.
Dimensions
Height: 7.85cm (3.09″)
Length 10.5cm (4.13″)
Thickness (at edge) ~0.36cm (.14″)
3 pocket and 5 pocket wallets are identical in height, length and thickness (at the edge). Thickness may vary slightly depending on leathers chosen.
Examples
Smooth black and red with red thread.
Petrolio Pueblo, orange Buttero, and orange thread.
Black Saffiano and black thread.
Wallet shown first shown empty followed by with 6 cards + 2 bills.
Additional information
Weight
35 g
Dimensions
10.5 × 7.8 × 1 cm
How it's made
Here’s how I make our minimalist wallet.
Here are the hand tools I’ll be using to make the wallet.
First, I cut out all the pieces.
I’m using two of my favorite leathers, Pueblo from Badalassi Carlo and Buttero from Conceria Walpier. They’re two of the most famous leathers in the leathercraft world. A lot of the world’s best leather comes from a cluster of tanneries in Tuscany, these two included.
I’m using the ‘nazionale’ color for Pueblo and orange for Buttero. Blue and orange is quite easy on the eyes.
I use a die for the 2 ‘T-slots’ to save some time. The other pieces are hand cut. Quality-wise it doesn’t matter much how the pieces are cut initially.
Next I remove some material from the slots, which reduces a little unneeded bulk and helps so that the slots’ shape don’t show through.
Next, I crease and burnish the card pockets. Creasing is is decorative, and burnishing is a process of using friction to create a smooth, glassy edge that protects it from fraying. Only vegetable tanned leather will burnish properly.
Next, the smaller T-slot is glued to the top of the of body.
Few card holders utilize the design I’m employing. It does takes more work to glue and sew the extra material at the top, but it offers several advantages. 1. The middle pocket will be lined with leather 2. The top of the wallet is stronger 3. The edges are all one thickness, making it very sleek and streamlined.
The next T-slot can be immediately glued on.
Next, this pocket is prepared for stitching.
The pocket is sewn on and the stitching is flatten with flat-faced pliers.
The next card pocket is then glued on.
The top of the body is trimmed flush. Most handmade goods skip trimming which lead to poor finishing (if done at all) and crooked stitching lines.
Everything needs to be perfectly even for proper edge finishing and straight lines of stitching to take place.
Next, the stitching holes are made.
The tops are saddle stitched and the top is creased and burnished.
The two halves are now ready to be glued together. First I rough up the interior edges for better adhesion. Then the halves are carefully aligned.
As you can see, the top is lined up just right, but the other edges aren’t even. The wallet is made oversize for this reason. I now will take about 2 mm off the side and bottom and take the whole wallet to its final size.
The wallet has been trimmed and the stitching holes made. The dimensions have been carefully thought out so all the stitches are the same size and the card slots are not pierced.
Wallet is saddle stitched. Almost done here. Saddle stitching takes a lot of time, but other forms of sewing cannot compare in aesthetic or strength.
Sewing has been finished. Next the edges will be rounded, creased, and burnished.
Listed capacities are a rough guide to help you choose a suitable wallet. If no wallet suits your desired carry, I’d be happy to discuss making a custom wallet for you. If you need further recommendations, feel free to contact me.
Note: Cards and cash compete for space in many of the wallet designs, so carrying at or near capacity for both cards and cash simultaneously won’t be possible.
Its like a little work of art. Excellent craftmanship and attention to detail. Very clean work. Coupled with great customer service and fast shipping makes for a great buy. I will definitely place more orders in the future.
A
Anonymous
Fantastic, My Go-To Wallet!
Silas has done it again, fantastic quality on both my cardholders. The Sharkskin and Saffiano leathers are great choices and cannot be beat! Thank you Silas :).
M
Michelle C.
The Perfect Gift
I bought this wallet for my boyfriend’s birthday gift. He loved to have a little bit of red in it so I asked Silas if he could do a customization for me and he delivered! The wallet came a few days early which was perfect! (I am purchasing from the US btw). My boyfriend loved the wallet and kept showing it off to his friends and family. Thank you so much!
A
Anonymous
Sharkskin Minimalist Wallet
I am totally blown away by the quality and craftsmanship that went into this wallet. Silas was fantastic to work with as he helped me find the right configuration for my wallet.
I highly recommend purchasing one of his wallets!
T
Tom Lee
Better than expected
Finally got my green shell wallet today through the post. Great stuff! Getting another burgundy one. Thanks Silas.
Tom
First, I cut out all the pieces.
