Exotic leather isn’t something to be afraid of, many exotic leathers are from conservation minded operations sanctioned by the government. Dreadnought Leather’s Alligator Midwallet shows how elegance can be crafted using high quality leather, technique and presentation.
(if you want to see all the features and how many cards and cash it can hold, please watch the video)
If you live in the southeastern United States, Florida in particular, then you’re familiar with alligators and you’re also familiar that you you’ve just got to live with them and be careful. In the past we’ve not shown many exotic leather wallets, but today is a little different. Today, we have a custom made alligator bifold wallet from Dreadnought Leather.
The wallet came to us from Dreadnought Leather out of Youngstown, Ohio. More often than not, exotic leather in a wallet is just a pattern stamped into cow hide. This is not an alligator pattern stamped into cow hide, it is real alligator and the color is a Testa Moro. On the interior, we have cow hide leather, a Buttero veg tanned leather in taupe and it is split very nicely to provide functionality you need from a wallet interior, without adding a lot of extra bulk. Edge finishing is well done with paint applied on all edges. If you’re looking for something more traditional, take a look at the Bellroy Hide & Seek wallet.
From a feature perspective, the Dreadnought Business Class Midwallet is sewn, in this case since I had it custom made, with a beautiful orange thread and with the combination of colors and textures makes this and beautiful looking wallet. On the interior on the left hand side, we have two card slots in addition to two others on the opposite side. Both sides have capacity of cards and cash folded once. If you’ve wondered if we still need to carry cash, then you’ll want to read why.
As you saw the wallet easily handled five cards, as well as US currency, Euros 20 and lower. Yen won’t fit unless you fold it twice as well as the larger Euro 50 and 100 notes. Reasonable carry could be four cards with the owner, Wyatt indicating it can hold up to eight cards.
From a quality perspective, the wallet is designed and manufactured in the United States. The alligator also comes from the United States. It is hand stitched with multiple layers of leather and the sewing provides great reinforcement for the termination points, where leather overlaps, which can stress the leather. The exterior is a tail cut from an alligator hide, and it provides wonderful texture.
It’s important to note that harvesting of exotic hides, when managed correctly doesn’t destroy wildlife. Alligator is an example of wildlife management and conservation. Approached the same as deer, mule deer, moose or even bear hunting. When left unchecked, these animal populations begin to damage themselves, and all the exotics that Wyatt at Dreadnought Leather uses comes with a tag on them, meaning they were licensed to be hunted which means it’s following the conservation plan as outlined by the government. The interior lining leather is a Dollaro leather from the Conceria Walpier tannery. It’s the same quality leather used in the card slots, but with an embossed texture,
Creation of these wallets takes extensive amounts of time, effort, and thought. Both feel just a little high to me, but the quality and cost value determination rest with the consumer and the maker. In the end, if you find value in what’s being offered, you’ll pay what’s asked. That’s basic economics.
From a usability perspective, as with any well made product, it will take time to break in, but the patina will be amazing. Measurements show 4 x 3.5 by 0.38” and it weighs 44 grams. My perception is you begin to understand what the pinnacle of wallet making looks like, when you have something like this in your hands. Construction is done all by hand; cut, glue, punched, sewn, burnished, painted, the flourishes, all that’s done by hand. And the craft is a constant exercise for those makers who know they’ve never learned everything and they’re always new things to learn. It’s a never ending process to make and improve product creation and Wyatt is no different with Dreadnought Leather, and especially with this particular wallet.
Now onto the final score. For quality a 5, price a 2, features a 3, usability a 4 and perception a 5. That gives us a great score of 4 out of 5.
Made from real alligator hide and buttero leather, this hand made beauty is custom made and one of a kind well worth the investment.
