Thanks, that's what I use for my main wallet. I'm looking for something even slimmer just for my work pass, coffee loyalty card, and sometimes a car parking ticket. Most days I don't bring my wallet to work, but I hate wearing my work pass on a neck lanyard so I want something simple and pocket friendly.
I’ve used the Carl Friedrik Hatton for a number of years now. You might be able to squeeze in an air tag in the middle pocket. I like the fact you get a life time warranty with Carl Friedrik. However their prices have sky rocketed. It was £45 when I bought mine, it’s an eye watering £85 now.
https://www.carlfriedrik.com/int/pro...her-cardholder
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For that use I have one of these:
https://www.paulsmith.com/uk/black-a...it-card-holder
But you mentioned an AirTag and that wouldn't fit ...
With another month almost over, it’s time to post my review of this month’s carry and decide on my May wallet.
This month I’ve been carrying the Craft & Lore Port Wallet, which as you can see, is a simple, leather card wallet, hand-made in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, just over the border from Washington State. I have several of their wallets but have only carried this one intermittently. I enjoyed doing so this month and there are only a couple of cons to mention.
I bought the Port Wallet in one of my favourite leathers; natural coloured, Horween Chromexcel. Craft & Lore offer their range in many different leathers and occasionally have limited runs in special colours and premium leathers such as Shell Cordovan. Mine cost $70 plus shipping from Idaho. I remember postage being reasonable and delivery to Edinburgh was very fast.
The design is delightfully simple, they describe it as original, true but it’s not unique. One piece of leather is spiralled around itself two and a half times and stitched along the bottom and the side to close the wallet. The saddle stitching is done by hand, resilient, reinforced and I believe uses waxed tiger thread. It’s not the most elegant in the world but it’s going to last for ages.
The spiral provides four pockets or slots, two on the front, one at the rear and a larger central one. They recommend using the outer pockets for frequently used cards and folded cash, with the central pocket for infrequently used cards.
The capacity is not vast, the wallet is properly minimalist, at only 10cm tall and 6cm wide. I carry a couple of folded notes and 5 cards. In the lower front pocket go my notes, in the upper front is a loyalty card, I have my debit card in the rear slot and carry a credit card, a Tile tracker and another loyalty card in the main pocket. They say the Port can carry 8 - 10 cards. While I’m sure you could do that, it would take time for the leather to stretch to accommodate such a load and once it had done so, if you ever reduced the contents you’d have loose leather.
The Chromexcel is fantastic. It has great colour, pull-up and smell when new. It’s prone to scratches and scuffing but that adds to its wabi. It’s incredibly tactile and smooth, and can take the place of a worry stone, as you can easily flip it around in the palm of your hand. It is small enough to carry it in any pocket you want. I appreciate the lack of branding, being limited to the embossed woodman’s axe.
There are a few cons.
The cards in the side pockets are somewhat exposed. I noticed my Morrison’s card in the front pocket had begun to delaminate, as it scuffed up against the penknife I keep in the same pocket. That may be more a reflection of the quality of the card but it happened.
I had to glue down the bottom right hand corner of the leather which had become bent upwards from wear in my pocket. I’ve seen videos of them making the wallet, and they only hammer down the outside of the stitching. It was a minor annoyance, quickly resolved by the application of a smear of Pritt Stick.
There’s no place for coins, except your pockets. ☺ You have to fold your notes if you want to carry cash and some people don’t like having theirs on display. You could place notes in the central pocket but that would exacerbate the main issue I have with this wallet which is extracting cards from the main pocket. Even with only two cards and a tracker (which is 1.5 cards wide) it’s not easy to grab cards for extraction. I found squeezing the sides of the wallet to widen the opening was the best method. If you had more cards in there, it would be even tougher.
Nonetheless, overall I really like it and enjoyed carrying it. The Port Wallet is by far and away Craft & Lore’s best seller and I can see why.
Next month will be a change to an all metal wallet, the Scudo Switch, which fellow member NigeG very kindly brought back from the USA.
I have much the same design of wallet, made by corrigia, a strap maker that I have used quite a few times. It is a great design, I would not want to use any other now.
Sent from my Nokia 1.4 using Tapatalk
I've never liked a large wallet. Too much bulk in one's pocket.
In lockdown I started looking at some leatherwork crafting channels on YouTube.
This is a design I came up with and enjoy making far family and friends. Holds 3 cards and a couple of folded notes which is all I need.
I find saddle stitching particularly satisfying.
Sent from my SM-A202F using Tapatalk
No prior skills.
I have bought several tools, but they're not very expensive.
I do find it incredibly satisfying.
Not sure about a TZ version!
Sent from my SM-A202F using TZ-UK mobile app
Hocuspocus - very nice work. Congratulations.
I've been tempted to build my own, Popov Leather used to make kits where "all" you needed to do was sand and glue pre-cut leather pieces and then saddle stitch them together. If you're of a certain age, you'll remember the Generation Game where contestants were asked to replicate a skill they had been shown by an expert, with usually disastrous results, despite the expert making it look really easy. That would be me, I'd stitch my fingers to the leather and then glue all the pockets shut. :)
Great work on the wallet.
I very briefly thought about having a crack too, but I soon saw why smaller makers charge what they do - sheet leather costs a heck of a lot more than I anticipated! I did manage to snaffle an old handbag that I intended to repurpose into a wallet, but have yet to do so. I need to just try it and get a move on!
I have recently changed my card pocked for the all weather version.
It is a whisker larger but in time when it softens up with use I think it will be smaller.
The internal pockets are more flexible and there is a 3rd one for the key. I have cut the key loop out and have put two cards in that pocket. Then my other 3 cards can go in the pocket next to it meaning the 5 cards are now all stacked together minimising thinkness.
In the other pocket I have a knife, AirTag and cash which I hope will end up moulding the wallet to their shape.
The zip is stiffer than the card pocket but I don't find that an issue.
Last edited by Montello; 28th April 2023 at 11:57.
I didn't save the breakdown, but you can go cheap or sky high on the leather itself if you're not fussed about it being faux, or if it's not veg tanned etc. The tools again you can buy cheap online or buy quality for more, with good deals sometimes coming up on second hand tools.
It was a case, once again, of me pricing myself out of it by attempting the 'buy once buy right' approach. Really what I should've done, and need to do, is just try it with the old handbag I have and some el cheapo tools. Nothing to lose by doing that.
I've used a Swanfield from Cark Friedrik for about 4 years now. Every time I've tried something different, I quickly come back to it. Slim, front pocket friendly, has that rich leather smell and looks better now after 4 years of wear then it did new IMO. https://www.carlfriedrik.com/int/pro...?colour=cognac
A few days back they launched a collab with Secrid which looks excellent too. Pricey at £125, but I suspect it'll be worth it. Tempted to give it a go and see how it holds up against the Swanfield. My only gripe is the lever looks a bit plasticky. https://www.carlfriedrik.com/int/pag...-carl-friedrik
Last edited by M1011; 28th April 2023 at 17:50.
M1011, thanks for showing those Carl Friedriks wallet the Swanfield is a nice looker.
Yes the Secrid tie in is pricey though, being "just" a leather sleeve over a standard Secrid box wallet. Although I do like the external money slot, which is good option. The internal plastic money folding sleeve is not the best part of an ordinary Secrid.
Don't worry about the card mechanism, it works really well and feels good in hand. Secrid are excellent wallets, and cheaper under their own label. Definitely worth a try. You could get two for the price of one CF wallet.
Three members reporting issues with Secrid wallets in this thread, and at least two have lost cards as a result.
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...d-wallet-issue
There's a repair but it seems far from ideal in something marketed as 'Cardprotector'.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
Nope, traditional leather wallet in my back pocket works fine. A bit bulky? Yep, but i think people just think I’ve got an ass like a bag of lump hammers.
I'm still using these classic Troves which have just seen their sixth birthday. Meet my needs, still going strong and nothing falls out. If it ain't broke, etc.
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...=1#post4319054
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
I also saw the Secrid complaints thread. I've not experienced any of the issues mentioned in over five years of off and on use with mine.
After reading this thread I bought a Bellroy Note Sleeve Wallet.
Theres a lot of Bellroy stuff ex display at good prices on ebay so worth seeing how I like it.
I think if the wallet is to small theres a good chance of losing it,this seems a good middle ground.
Though mostly cashless nowadays there are still places that are cash ownly so I wanted a section for notes.
I thought folding UK money woulod become a pain so decided after this video to make my choice.
I've been using my Secrid wallet since I got it in November 2016 after seeing it in this thread. I've not had any issues with it in that time. Today I got a potential replacement for it, the Peak Design Mobile Wallet. I got it at the same time as getting a Peak Design Everyday Case. The wallet is MagSafe compatible but is extra strong when used with the PD wallet.
The wallet holds 7 cards and is also a kickstand. I'll report back on my findings.
https://www.peakdesign.com/collectio...39475540230221
I also discovered two more or less brand new Trove Cash Wraps in a drawer. I backed it via Kickstarter and was sent two for some reason. At the time I stuck with the Secrid wallet but these are very good too.
https://www.trove.cc/products/trove-...-leather-brown
The universal adoption of Apple Pay has put me off any of the mag safe style wallets. Looks like it'd interfere, never be quite sure what card you're touching with (physical or virtual) unless you remove the wallet everytime. That's an assumption on my part though, will be interesting to see if your experience is different (if you use Apple Pay of course).
Any new wallets you guys are using?
I-Clip AirTag wallet has been solid for me
I got this one recently.
Very nice leather.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Yes indeed, and I'm using it at the moment, haven failed to stick to my resolution to carry one waller per month this year. Since I last posted, the Crazy Horse leather has developed a really nice dark brown sheen and shine.
It's such a practical and nice looking wallet.
I have had a Trove for several years now. The elastic is now stretched and the cards fall out of the wallet.
I am not going to replace it, as I use Apple Pay for everything. The £100 limit means I never need to carry any physical cards any more.
https://saddlebackleather.com/leathe...-holder-sleeve
Had one of these for probably 10+ years (bought when the iPad mini launched as had a matching case). Got a lovely patina now, would replace with another but unlikely given the warranty is 100yrs & nothing is worn at all - can’t imagine a Mulberry one looking as good after so many years in a pocket.
Fits a mix of cards & notes, folded into 1/3s. Cash not really used these days apart from tipping waiting staff, or at the local kebab van.
Tempted with another purely for the RFID protection layer, but not been scammed so far without it & I am rarely on public transport, so would hope I’d notice someone loitering near my groin with a terminal lol.
Still need to carry cards in my opinion as impromptu lunches or evening meals are often over the watch / phone limit.
I just fold the cash up into thirds and slide between the cards. All the same compartment, but keeps it simple.
Odd thread comes slightly away occasionally but a pass with a lighter and all sorted. When it was new they sent me a replacement due to this, my father has it and still going as strong as mine.
I’ll let you know about the warranty shortly…
I’ve had the front pocket card holder for around 12 years and the front thin leather card holder has recently torn. (I notice the design has been strengthened since I bought mine.)
I’ve no issue paying for a new one but I suppose, if I don’t ask I’ll never know.
Excellent wallets and leather.
Thanks, be good to know what they say.
I think out of all 18 pages of this thread, their Slim Leather Card Wallet is my fave: https://saddlebackleather.com/leather-wallet-card
I'll be getting this when I need to replace my current wallet, which isn't too disimilar but has a metal magnetic arm to hold notes in at the back which bulks it out a little.
Is buying direct the best choice or is there an alternative (UK) seller to help us avoid import/duty fees?
I Apple Pay everything , never use my wallet which is in my wife’s bag
Luckily my wife was in the car a couple of weeks ago when I used the Birmingham toll road as that doesn’t take phone payments for whatever reason
100 year warranty, haha. All a gimmick. Not saying the customer service won’t be great.
Just like Eastpak’s 30 year warranty. My rucksack has torn after 29 years and I want a new one. Go and look at the reviews.
You do realise the warranty is usually related to manufacturing defect rather than wear and tear.
Always happy to help.
Have you an your wife got a Porsche by the way? Of course I know the answer and so does everybody on the forum, as you ram it down the throat post after post.
Should I sell both Porches and buy one? Tell anyone who listens, and those that don't, to buy a Porsche. I even know how much petrol you used in your Porsche last week. Fascinating.
Not sure you have mentioned your Porsches today, but the day it still young.
A bit of advice. Nobody cares about you humblebrags and you are a bit of a Porsche bore. I'll stick to my mood hoovering as you claim.
Sent from my SM-X200 using Tapatalk
Having used a Cardamon wallet for the last few years, I've just moved to a Mulberry card holder (birthday present).
Train pass (RFID) on one side, work pass on the other, credit card (in an RFID sleeve) in the middle. Have yet to have to take out a card.
Also now using a McLear Ringpay which is largely brilliant.