I love motorcycles. I've owned a bunch in my lifetime. One of my favorites was a 1973 Norton Commando 850, with the original paint, in all its 50 year old glory. Looking at the tank one day, marveling at the coach lines that were hand pulled, I realized what made them so perfect... they weren't. Some parts of the lines were thinner, some thicker. You could see the brush marks... it was beautiful!

That's when it hit me - it was "perfectly imperfect".

Every handmade item has flaws. They may only be visible to the creator, but everyone who picks that item up knows it was made by human hands.

While we may strive for perfection in every project, being human means there will always be tiny flaws.  Character, if you will.

This is partly what draws me to leather as a creative medium.

Leather has “character”.  Every piece of full grain leather will have its own character that makes it unique.  Sometimes, the character is what draws us to a piece of leather. That could be a scratch that came from barbed wire when the animal was alive, or a brand, or even fatty wrinkles that are part of the natural texture.

Like handmade items, the medium of leather has character.

I work hard to make every project something I’m proud of. Unless it’s a major mistake, I try not to sweat the small stuff.  That’s what makes this piece unique.  It’s what makes it perfectly imperfect.

I have been carrying a traditional harness leather wallet for about three months.  It’s   absolutely wonderful, but I keep reading about how shell cordovan is “the best” for wallets.  Being a sucker for good leather, I had to pick some up.

This week’s highlight project is a bifold wallet, made from shell cordovan.  Shell cordovan is a very expensive type of leather that comes from the rump of horses.  That’s the really simplified version.  It’s one of the most luxurious leathers you can use for wallets and small leather goods, but because it comes in very small pieces, and takes six to twelve months to produce, it carries a premium price tag. 

This particular piece of shell cordovan is from a tannery in Japan. I chose this tannery because I had heard it was some of the best in the world, and because of my Japanese background (for those who don’t know, my grandmother is Japanese, which makes me one-quarter Japanese). The tannery is Shinki-Hikaku, and they specialize in horse leathers made in an artisan fashion. No corners cut, no expense spared. It embodies the spirit of the craftsman, and that resonates with me.

Upon receiving the shell, I immediately recognized it was a special piece of leather, it had a quality that was simply above any leather I had used before. It’s dense, with a very uniform grain that makes it easy to cut and skive. The surface has a mild pull up effect from the fats and oils used to make shell cordovan leather. It’s almost indescribable how luxurious this leather feels. Upon completion, I showed it to my wife and her first words were “Oh wow, this is beautiful, and it’s so soft”. It is very soft to the touch, yet has a firm temper. Perfect for wallets, or shoes.

Here are a couple shots of it being built.  I have it sitting on a marble cutting board, because it’s easier to skive the edges down against a smooth, solid surface.

 And of course, the finished product.  Perfectly imperfect.  As it should be.

Until next time!

Mike