Popov Leather Coin wallet natural - 3 months patina

Just after Christmas last year (2021), this little coin wallet arrived at my doorstep and it's been in heavy use since. I have multiple products from Popov Leather, in particular their notebook covers. This is my first wallet from them.

Unfortunately I do not have any pictures from when it first arrived. Though it was not much different from the natural leather they've shown on their site. It started out as a very even, almost dull leather at first. I did not actually use it much after about a week or two after I got it.

Wallet
The design is very simple. It's a coin wallet with a snap closure. It fits quite some coins and the snap closure closes well, no need to worry about it opening too easily.

The wallet also features a quick access slot in the back, which is a great addition. Popov Leather is known for their handmade items, though from what I know, they do use die cutting machines to cut out their designs. From there, they hand stitch and put the wallet together. The stitching has always impressed me about their products. Thick threads with even spacing and well sewn. Just one thing that can be better, which is prevalent with all of Popov Leather's products in my opinion, is that the burnishing could be better.

Leather
This was my first Horween Chromexcel item. My initial impression was that the leather smelled very much like chemicals which is expected. The smell wears off after a few weeks and starts to smell more like how its Dublin counterpart does. The leather compared to my English Tan feels very waxy and oily. The surface is also much smoother and though there's grain visible, the waxy feel predominates giving it a very smooth texture. Popov Leather has a great page about their leathers and the differences.

After extensive use for three months, the leather has gotten much more soft and supple. I started using the wallet so much that at one point I had 5 cards in the back. The leather picks up scuffs very easily and it has darkened. Noticeably it has gained a much deeper tone to the leather, compared to the more dull appearance it first had. After using the back slot for a while with many cards, the leather has started to stretch out. This is a known thing with Horween leather. One single card would still fit snugly with mine, but much looser than it previously was.

Final thoughts
It is a great wallet, but obviously limiting in its use. It is still part of my EDC, but I am gravitating towards bigger wallets most of the time. The main issue I have is that the wallet itself is not tall enough to house any cash without folding it twice. This is something that could easily be accommodated by placing the snap button higher up, allowing more vertical space. The burnishing of the edges can also be done better, but it is known that Horween Chromexcel don't burnish well. Other than that, it is large enough to house all of my loose change and is aging very beautifully. It's great to have this little wallet always in my jacket pocket or bag.

Popov Leather: https://www.popovleather.com/
Coin Wallet: https://www.popovleather.com/collections/leather-wallets/products/slim-wallet-natural

 

Originally posted on March 25th 2022

 

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