Minimalist Spring Money Clip / Wallet

This money clip wallet combines the necessary pockets for ID cards and credit cards with the ease of a spring money clip to hold cash securely.  There are no extra pockets in the middle of the wallet to add bulk.  It can be used comfortably in a front or back pocket.

Leather Capsa

We received an e-mail asking if we could make a "capsa."  Basically, a leather cylindar with a fixed bottom and removeable lid with a strap on it.  After much googeling, we found a picture or two, and we were on our way.  The Capsa was to hold first aid tools used in Roman-era reinactments.  It is sometimes refered to as a "bandage box."  Apparently its design is largely hypothetical.  We made this one according to the measurements the customer requested, including making the strap the proper length for the hight of the recepient.  This was built from 8 oz leather.  The sewing was all done with waxed linen thread.  The strap is adjustable without using any metal parts.  And, of course, all the sewing was done by hand.

Women's Red Long Wallet

This beautiful red wallet was ordered to match the red tote bag shown earlier on the blog.  Each piece is hand cut and the wallet is completely hand-sewn.  The card pockets are each actual pockets!  Enjoy the details, down to the zipper tab!

Red Tote Bag with Plaid Lining

This beautiful tote bag was ordered to celebrate a very important birthday.  The rich red color was chosen to symbolize joy, life, and happiness.

Notice the detailed hand stitching attaching the handle to the bag.

Each and every stitch in the leather was sewn by hand.  The handles are made around

a solid round core of leather, giving them shape and strength.

Tote bags are nice because they hold a lot.  But they are even nicer with a lining that can be closed for a margin of safety and privacy.  This rich black and white plaid suiting material

looks so good with the red bag.

 We are proud to be made in the USA!  And to ship around the world!

The finished tote bag!



Two Toned Leather Bible / Book Covers

The inspiration for this design came from a treasured schedule planner that Ryu has used for years.  The customer wanted a Bible cover for herself and her significant other.  She had a smaller Bible and song book that she needed covers for as well.  These were designed for Japanese books.  Thus, the "front" of the book is at the "back."  Of course they can be made to fit English books as well!



His and hers!  The covers have the same binding color and closing belt colors, but have different colors on the main pieces of the cover to fit different tastes and personalities!



The Three Piece Set!  A full-sized Bible, a song book and a smaller Bible.  The matching covers link three important books of differing size and shape.

Each Bible/Book cover has deep inner pockets so the book's original cover fits securely and tightly.

All hand dyed, hand sewn and custom measured and designed for the specific Bibles and books!

Size:  YOUR Bible / Book

Leather Bible Cover with Belt Closure

This Bible Cover is made of cow hide, dyed per the customer's request.  The natural leather color of the belt and the inside of the pockets contrasts nicely with the slightly darker tan color of the cover.  This cover was made to fit a Japanese Bible - where the "end" of the book is the "beginning."  (So this picture may look backwards to English readers!)  Bible covers can be made in this style to fit any sized Bible or special book.  And, of course, will be made to fit the language of the book as well!

The cover is entirely hand sewn using a sinew type of thread.

Size:  Made to fit YOUR Bible or book

Elkskin Bible Cover

Elkskin is a bit thicker than deerskin.  And it is so so soft!  The outside leather of this Bible Cover is elkskin and the deep pockets (for the cover of the Bible) are made of strong cowhide, giving great support to the soft elkskin.  The thong for closure is made of deerskin.

This cover was custom ordered for a Japanese Bible.  Japanese is read from top to bottom and from right to left.  Thus Genesis is found at the "back" of the Bible.  And the closure is opposite from what it would be on and English language Bible.

Size:  Made to fit YOUR Bible

President's Business-Card Case

A whole box of business-cards always intimidates me!  I have no idea how I'll get rid of all of them.  In Japan, however, business-cards are a MUST for business.  Business-cards are exchanged each time you meet a new business associate.  You take a card from your attractive business-card case, close the case, lay your business card on the case, and extend the case and card to the new person using both hands.  The business card must be facing so the person receiving it can read it.  You then formally put the associate's card into your card case.  Never into a back pocket!  Throw in a formal bow and a "yoroshiku onegaitashimasu" and you have a new business contact.

This Business-Card Case not only holds a pile of business-cards, there are also slots on the flap to store cards you've received from others.  Business-Card Cases are kept neat and tidy and reflect respect.

Slim Business-Card Case

For business men and women who need to have a few Business-Cards handy and a place to keep those they get from others, this Slim Business-Card Case is the answer!  The main side has two pockets.  The outer pocket is notched to allow easy removal of business cards.  The pocket behind it is a great place to put those business cards received.  The pocket on the opposite side is nice and deep, and could be used for business receipts or other work-related information.  The design could be adapted to have two credit-card pockets on the closing flap side for business credit/debit cards.

This is a simple case which will hold about 15 business cards. The black and brown contrast is striking and the neutral thread adds a bit of a decorative touch. The colors were chosen to match the customer's bag. 

Money Clip / Card Case

This Money Clip/Card Case came to use from a customer who simply wore it out!  We had the privilege of remaking it, foregoing the use of vinyl, cardboard, etc. that we found in the original.  This "remake" is 100% cowhide!  The customer probably won't need this one replaced for years and years and years!

The Original

The New One!!!

Perhaps we should call it the Million Dollar Money Clip?

Long Wallet

The story began with a friend who had a checkbook cover/wallet (see below) that needed to be redesigned to fit his needs.  He never used the checkbook feature.  The credit card pockets were too tight to fit cards into.  He never used the zippered compartment, and the long pockets were not long enough to fit US bills.  But...he liked idea and the color of the old cover.

This is the inside of the old cover.

So, we took the old cover home, measured, redesigned, made a pattern and ... made it!  This wallet (see below) has pockets for 14 credit cards. Windowed pockets for two ID cards. Four long pockets for US bills and receipts! A checkbook would fit fine as well!

The wallet, to accommodate so many credit card pockets and to keep the wallet from becoming heavy and bulky, uses special fabric in unseen places!  The visible portions are all leather and all hand-sewn.  The leather was dyed to match the old cover.

This is the inside of the new wallet!

And, even with the changes, the new wallet weighs less than the old cover!

The top one is the checkbook cover.  The bottom one is the new, redesigned wallet!



Camera Wrap

Japan is a wrapping nation.  Wrapping - with the "w."  The furoshiki, a simple square piece of soft fabric, is still used to wrap anything of any size.  When Japanese store clerks wrap a gift you've bought, they place the box diagonally on the wrapping paper and proceed to do magic - often using only one or two pieces of tape to finish the whole project. 

In keeping with the "joy of wrapping," we were asked to create a wrap for a camera, out of leather.  A wrap a little unique and with a lot of style.  Here it is!  This is made of cow-hide.  It is hand stitched around the edge for decoration.  This wrap is the perfect size for a small digital camera.  Leather, concho, and color options are available. 

See how it's WRAPPED!



How is it done???

Place the camera wrap, suede side up on a flat surface.

Put the camera in the center of the wrap.

Fold the left side of the camera wrap over the front of the camera,

leaving the camera strap out if you like.

Fold the right side snugly over the left side.

Fold the bottom of the camera wrap up.

Fold the top of the camera wrap down, like an envelope.

Wrap the thong snugly around the encased camera.

Tuck the beaded end of the thong under and through

one of the thong loops to secure it.

And this is our version of the leather camera wrap!

Size:  Fits a small digital camera.



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R. I. Leather - Facebook

Belt, Belt Bag, and Key Strap Set

This matching set is made up of a Slim Fashion Belt, Belt Bag, and Key Strap.  The Belt Bag and Key Strap have snap closures to make attachment to the belt easy.  The clip hook on the Key Strap holds your key ring securely between drives.  Colors, buckles, conchos and belt width will be decided by each individual customer.

Walking Stick Straps

Right after Christmas we had a fun and very special order.  A friend was given three walking sticks for a Christmas present.  Home-made walking sticks.  Polished to a beautiful shine with a lot of love!  At the top of each stick, a hole had been drilled for a strap.  Our friend asked if we could make braided straps for each of the sticks.  A different color for each.  As we looked at those beautiful sticks we knew we wanted a design that would compliment the natural beauty of the wood.  We also wanted straps that would be strong, yet gentle on both the hands and the wood. 


The straps are made using three different braids.  A simple three strand braid passed through the hole of the sticks.  Then the six ends of the braid were woven together in a six strand round braid.  Finally the braided straps were finished with a turkish knot and wrapped in sinew.  Strong, gentle, and beautiful.

Special Orders are always welcome!

Men's Bifold Wallet with Coin Pocket

This beautiful wallet was made for a customer in Japan - where men's wallets usually have a coin pocket.  The wallet is patterned after the President's Wallet.  ALL of this wallet is made of leather - no fabric was used at all.  The outer leather and the leather for the coin pocket are made of cow hide, while the inner pieces are made of calf-skin.  There is a divider in the bill's section and three slots for credit cards inside the wallet.  Under the credit card panel is a horizontal hidden pocket and behind the coin case is a vertical hidden pocket.  The leather for this wallet was dyed dark brown.  The coin pocket has a snap closure.

You can see the various stages of the wallet being made here:  How It's Made

Men's Wallet with Coin Case

This week Ryu built a new wallet. The pattern is based on the President's Wallet but has a twist. Most men's wallets in Japan have a place for coins as well as bills and credit cards. So, this will be the Japanese version of the President's Wallet! 

At the end of the first day the pattern was finished:

By 8:00 the next morning, the leather had been dyed and all of the pieces cut:

After using a groover (what a name!) to indent a line near the edge of the leather,

Ryu used a short handled hammer and tool like a fork

to punch measured holes into the leather along the indented line.

He threaded a needle on each end of the thread and began sewing -

making figure "8's" through the seam.

About 8 total hours into building the wallet,

Ryu is hand sewing the final seam around the edge of the wallet.

The sewing is done, but the wallet is far from finished. Ryu will spend hours smoothing down and finishing the edges before sending it to the customer in Japan.

The wallet is finished! The last step was to burn in the label:

 R. I. Leather
Made in USA

Perfect!