According to my 10-year experience, the quality of a hand-crafted wallet is determined by the quality of raw materials which directly affect the appearance of such products. I recommend buying a men’s wallet made of natural raw animal skin or leather. Believe me, this is the best choice. Raw leather is the oldest material with which a man learned to work with – it is soft, durable and aesthetically pleasing. Artificial leather for wallets will bring nothing but disappointment.
Different types of natural leather for wallets
Below I will share my thoughts on picking the best natural leather types used for crafting wallets. There are several types of leather you may buy to craft a wallet or purse:
- matte leather (crust);
- patent leather;
- classic – fine cowhide leather that is 0.5 – 0.8 mm thick;
Crust leather type maximizes the natural look of this material. Over time it rubs off, becomes darker and smoother. Take into account mechanical damage: scratches on this leather type are visible, but they can be easily eliminated. This leather type for wallets is chosen by 70% of our customers.
Patent leather type offers an additional coating (lacquer) to natural protective properties for saving it from external influences. It may have scratches but the end-product looks extra charming.
Fine cowhide leather is a classic choice. Such leather type looks very elegant but it is good only for crafting thin wallets for credit cards.
My top 3 leather types for wallets
After reviewing all these features and types, I picked a few brands that produce leather ready for crafting wallets:
- REED Leather HIDES is 100% cowhide type that is about 0.8 – 1 mm thick;
- Craft Real Leather Hide is made of lambskins (thickness: 0.6-0.8 mm);
- Black Leather Hide is another lambskin type that is up to 0.8 mm thick;
Instead of summing up, I’d like to share how I work with leather when crafting wallets.
If you do not like leather bricks as wallets, it is recommended to take the piece not thicker than 1.5 mm (up to 2 mm on the front part). The thinner and softer the leather, the more convenient it is to cut it with a roller knife, as an ordinary knife causes longitudinal force during cutting and in such a way it tightens and deforms the leather.
With proper diligence, you can also cut with a well-sharpened kitchen knife, the main thing is to make sure that the leather piece does not crawl out when you apply the ruler.
What types of leather for wallet do you use for your projects? I’d like to learn your opinion. Updates and new reviews get notifications, so, please, subscribe to this website.
Choosing the best leather hide is essential when creating a wallet. If you don’t choose the absolute best leather for your wallet, you will find that over time it will deteriorate and will end up being unusable. I would recommend getting the Black Leather Hide.
This is a nice list of leather for wallets. I prefer something with a nice antique finish and is not too thick. Chrome leather in particular is nice, which is what I used to make my last wallet. Lots of good suppliers to get materials from! Go with what suits your style.
Hello, thanks for sharing your experience!