Posts related to card case

We see leather everywhere, in all different types of clothing and accessories. The downside is, most of it is probably not of good quality. But right now I want to focus on accessories, and there are 2 main accessories that I think are worth investing a little more than you typically would: wallets and belts.

Before we get there, let’s briefly talk about leather and why you should opt for higher quality/grade leather. What that means to you is opting for full or top grain leather. Those two are the best quality leathers your money can buy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s expensive.

Shy away from genuine leather because it’s are typically made from scrap leather that has been bonded and refinished to appear to look like top or full grain leather. That also means it doesn’t have the strength and durability that full or top grain leather provides. If you are unsure on the grade of leather you’re buying, just ask.

Wallets are often an accessory that we pay the least attention to. An afterthought, if you will. But they shouldn’t be. They’re the gatekeepers to very important information; our identification, and our financial means. That means we should care about the wallet that it’s placed in.

Morgan Timmann, the owner and craftsman behind Full Grain Creations sent me the Lexington card wallet to review. I stumbled upon Morgan’s work through his Instagram account, and because I was extremely interested in the the details that he adds to his pieces. After reaching out to him, he graciously agreed to let me review a wallet.

First Impressions

With clothing, cars, people, or food, first impressions are everything. Wallets are no different, especially if you care about quality. My first impression of the Lexington ranks amongst the highest with any other clothing item I’ve ever bought. This wallet is gorgeous. It’s very supple to the touch, and the exact type of unique details I look for in an accessory.

The beautiful details of the Lexington.

Functionality

I’m of the mindset that normal bi-fold wallets are overkill on a day-to-day basis. You shouldn’t need to carry that much stuff in your pocket. I carry 5 cards including my drivers license. This is why card cases are so attractive, and this Lexington is no different.

The Lexington with my cards inserted.

Most card cases that you see have slots on both sides, with a center slot for cash. This Lexington only has slots on one side with a center slot. At first, before having this in hand, I wasn’t sure how I’d like this. But after adding in my cards to try it out, I realized that based on this particular design, it saves me fractions of seconds of having to make the decision of; which side is the card I’m trying to use on. Small detail, but that’s good design.

Backside of the Lexington

The Lexington is also slimmer than my current No. 3 wallet from Ezra Arthur. This means it’ll sit more flat in my pocket, which is a huge win. The less I feel the wallet in my pocket, the better.

Side-by-side of my Ezra Arthur and the Lexington

The Details

The star of the show with the Lexington is the stitching. There’s a multi-colored hand-stitching around the wallet that is absolutely perfect. I’ve never before seen this type of stitching, and was very impressed.

You won’t find this tri-color stitching anywhere else.

“Each wallet is meticulously hand sewn using red, white and blue French linen thread. The French thread, from Sajou, is not only of supreme quality, but allows me to pay homage to the county that helped contribute to the success of the American Revolution, from which the wallet derives it’s name.” – Morgan Timmann

As mentioned from my first impression, the leather is super soft to the touch. And one of the cool things about using this sort of high quality leather, is that over time it will develop a great looking patina, which mean it’ll age gracefully and look better down the road. You can’t say that about many clothing items you buy.

Also highly visible is Full Grain Creations stamped logo. If there’s one gripe I have with this product, it’s the size of the logo. But my personal preference for any clothing item/accessory is either no logo, or very small logo. But this is by no means a deal killer for me, and helps that it’s a good looking logo overall!

Final Thoughts

As you can see, I love this Lexington wallet. And if aesthetics and craftsmanship matter to you, you would also love this highly. In case it wasn’t obvious, I highly recommend it. The pricing of the Lexington isn’t cheap, at $125. Yet when you compare it to the pricing of a luxury brand, it would be considered cheap with much much more care and attention placed on it. I’d choose the Lexington every time. Full Grain Creations does offer a lesser priced alternative, which is the Saratoga wallet, at $60. While it will have the same high quality leather, you miss out on the unique tri-colored stitching.

I can say with confidence that I will be ordering a wallet from Full Grain Creations very soon. Head over to the website and check out the different leather goods offered, and order one yourself! If not only to have a great item, but to support great craftsmanship. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Photo by @jdhancock on Flickr

The holidays are approaching very quickly, and there’s a good chance that someone is thinking about gift ideas for you. We thought it would be a good idea to throw some ideas your way. If you’re anything like us, you’d prefer people not buy you clothes other than maybe a significant other. So our list full of non-clothing items, but still full of good style.