The Incredible Shrinking Checkbook Cover

[Gosut]

Made this checkbook cover a little over a year ago. 8/9 oz outside with 3/4oz inside pockets, dyed with vinegaroon, finished with Mop N Glow. Leather is relatively inexpensive, My skill level doesn't justify the high quality stuff. Outer cover had started cracking; inner pockets didn't. Today noticed the 8/9 oz leather is shrinking, more pronounced where the pockets don't provide support. It's to the point that the bend portion is noticeably narrower and the corners of the pockets are peaking out from the outer leather.

I carry the checkbook in my back pocket. It's in the Southern US and subject to sweat and heat.

What can I do to prevent this with future checkbook covers? 

[AlZilla]

On 2/20/2025 at 10:08 PM, Gosut said:

Made this checkbook cover a little over a year ago. 8/9 oz outside with 3/4oz inside pockets, dyed with vinegaroon, finished with Mop N Glow. Leather is relatively inexpensive, My skill level doesn't justify the high quality stuff. Outer cover had started cracking; inner pockets didn't. Today noticed the 8/9 oz leather is shrinking, more pronounced where the pockets don't provide support. It's to the point that the bend portion is noticeably narrower and the corners of the pockets are peaking out from the outer leather.

I carry the checkbook in my back pocket. It's in the Southern US and subject to sweat and heat.

What can I do to prevent this with future checkbook covers? 

I wonder if neatsfoot oil would restore it? That stuff really soaks in there.

[Beehive]

Buy better leather. 

 

I've found an Old Timer knife in a sheath on the tin roof of a shed. Looked like kids had been playing up there. I couldn't estimate the age of the sheath. But it was a USA made knife. The leather had almost turned black on the side exposed to the Texas sun. It experienced temps as low as 25°F up to 110°F and that's just the air temp. The tin it sat on, probably reached temps of 130°F to 160°F. 

 

It didn't shrink. Are you sure what you used is real leather? Nowadays it can be difficult to tell. 

Edited February 22 by Beehive

[Gosut]

3 hours ago, Beehive said:

It didn't shrink. Are you sure what you used is real leather? Nowadays it can be difficult to tell. 

Yes. It was veg tan. Got two checkbook covers out of it. First I dyed using Fiebing's ProDye and sealed with Resolene (tm). That one was a gift for a woman, who keeps it in her purse. Don't know if it had any shrinking.

[Gosut]

5 hours ago, AlZilla said:

I wonder if neatsfoot oil would restore it? That stuff really soaks in there.

I put a light coat over the cracks. Interestingly, got rub off. One section about as big as the tip of my index finger showed resistance, which is what had for everything but the cracks. Could put some on the inside of the fold and see.

Just now, Gosut said:

I put a light coat over the cracks. Interestingly, got rub off. One section about as big as the tip of my index finger showed resistance, which is what had for everything but the cracks. Could put some on the inside of the fold and see.

Should add that I suspect the finish rubbed off in my back pocket, but don't know.

[Gosut]

Update:

Had a chance to see the checkbook cover made as a gift. No shrinking or cracking. Wife pointed out that it had been carried in a purse and not a back pocket.

[DanC]

Leather is leather and can be creased, bent, cased, molded, formed, etc.

Your pocket is doing one (+) of the above, especially if it is thick leather as it can compress.

Consider it "gently worn"  😊