Inkleaf Leather Covers

[sarahfar]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/mikefarha/IMG_0380-1_zpsbf78e232.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/mikefarha/IMG_0381_zps8dbbace8.jpg

 

I wanted to do a kind of mini-review of the InkLeaf cover above. They make a lot of hand sewn leather items including covers and cases. The quality is outstanding....

* The hand sewn stitching is excellent. Its sturdy and well made. This particular one is for a Moleskine large Notebook, it appears to me, they are more than

willing to make anything a person wants.

* The leather is sturdy yet not industrial, its a great look and functional.

* The finish is spectacular. This one is a custom finish Burnt Tobacco. There's tremendous movement in terms of finish, just outstanding. If you like well made

beautiful leather, dye, and stitch work, you'll like their work.

* Price is not cheap, it isn't even moderate, but it is fair for the work, quality and craftsmanship in this product. These are artists and craftsman/woman, of the first order.

The value is truly there.

 

While my pics don't do it justice, take a look at their site, the work gets my highest applause.

All the best,

Mike

[PJohnP]

I have an Inkleaf leather cover for Field Notes sized books, and I can say that I haven't seen as high a quality in any other such covers, indeed, I've seen far lower quality in others.

 

No, Inkleaf products are not cheaply priced, but this is clearly one of those cases where "you get what you pay for in quality".

 

Very Strongly Recommended.

 

 

 

 

John P.

[amberleadavis]

Very nice! Can you link to the website?

[PJohnP]

Very nice! Can you link to the website?

 

Here's the Inkleaf Leather site.

 

 

 

John P.

[amberleadavis]

Wow. Stunning workmanship.

[PJohnP]

Wow. Stunning workmanship.

 

 

Yup.

 

I have several leather covers in the Field Notes size, but I get the strongest best response to the Inkleaf cover when people see it. The other covers are good, without question, but the Inkleaf cover is the one that people would like me to leave for them !

 

 

 

John P.

 

 

P.S. I'm not about to start down the road of naming other makers where it could be misconstrued as negative commentary.

[da vinci]

To the OP

 

Could you post a pic woth a notebook in the cover? Like what i see so far but would be great to get a picture of the full package so to speak.

 

TIA

[dapv]

If anyone would like to share some thoughts (and pics) about the version that has a pen holder, that would be much appreciated. I keep looking at them, but I think they maybe just a bit too large with the pen holder.

[sarahfar]

Me too. I love their work. I love the Burnt Tobacco, don't know if would use it enough, if I come to the conclusion I will, I will definitely get one. If you see the work first hand, as I said in the beginning, their work really justifies the price. They aren't making much when you see the quality and all the hand work.

[Bogie]

Hi everyone. For those who don't know, my wife and I make all of these covers. We're appreciative of the kind comments about our work. If you have any questions about specific products, techniques or materials, please let me know.

[amberleadavis]

Thank you for sharing. I liked the bison covers especially. Great work!

[RPB]

Agreed! Awesome covers these are

[Joe in Seattle]

I like mine, too! The more stains, scratches, and abrasions it picks up – the better it looks. It also keeps the notebook inside perfectly pristine. Highly recommended.

[dapv]

Which do you have, and do you have any pics? Thx.

I like mine, too! The more stains, scratches, and abrasions it picks up – the better it looks. It also keeps the notebook inside perfectly pristine. Highly recommended.

[Colors]

I have one of those for my ecosystem pocket notebook that I use at work and the leather is a wonderful color and looks great! My only disappointment; it didn't have the nice leather smell : (

 

Fortunately, I was able to get one when they first started making them and the prices were more reasonable. Don't think I would purchase one now at the price point; especially since there are a lot more leather journal covers available now days. Case in point; just purchased a passport Midori to try; cheaper; although, I feel that is overpriced also.

[dapv]

I'm also an Ecosystem Notebook fan, and I understand your point about increasing prices. But, and nothing against Midori, I don't see how Midori is comparable to Inkleaf. A swatch of leather with an elastic versus hand-sewn high quality artisan work. Just my two cents. No affiliation with either company other than I could enjoy both.

[Colors]

I'm also an Ecosystem Notebook fan, and I understand your point about increasing prices. But, and nothing against Midori, I don't see how Midori is comparable to Inkleaf. A swatch of leather with an elastic versus hand-sewn high quality artisan work. Just my two cents. No affiliation with either company other than I could enjoy both.

 

Yes, I understand your point and I agree with you and don't think they are comparable either since they both function differently. I do like them both; for different reasons. BTW, I put the ecosystem in the Inkleaf cover because it was the only pocket journal I had at the time. I think that the point I was trying to make, is that, while Inkleaf is a nice journal cover, I can't see spending >$70 for a cover for a pocket journal.

[Bogie]

If I can shed a little light on the prices, even I agree they're too high. Not for the product sold or for the amount of labor and materials that goes into them, but for what most people would consider reasonable given the nature of the product, certainly. If I were a customer rather than a maker, I don't think I personally would save up my money for one. That said however, there are an awful lot of steps which going into making a single cover. It is pretty hardcore craftsmanship. There are less expensive options available though which are still very good quality just not with the same level of hand work.

 

In fact, since our current hand tooled, hand dyed, hand stitched lineup has proven so difficult to make a living at, we're going to be introducing a less expensive line of products soon made of Horween Chromexcel. They'll still be hand stitched, but the leather comes to us already dyed and we're planning on leaving the edges unburnished (virtually all makers edges are like this) which will drastically cut down on the time it takes to make them and hence will lower the price that we can offer them at. I can easily say our prices will be very competitive with similar products out there.

 

All that said, we're going to continue to offer the veg tan products as well.

[Colors]

If I can shed a little light on the prices, even I agree they're too high. Not for the product sold or for the amount of labor and materials that goes into them, but for what most people would consider reasonable given the nature of the product, certainly. If I were a customer rather than a maker, I don't think I personally would save up my money for one. That said however, there are an awful lot of steps which going into making a single cover. It is pretty hardcore craftsmanship. There are less expensive options available though which are still very good quality just not with the same level of hand work.

 

In fact, since our current hand tooled, hand dyed, hand stitched lineup has proven so difficult to make a living at, we're going to be introducing a less expensive line of products soon made of Horween Chromexcel. They'll still be hand stitched, but the leather comes to us already dyed and we're planning on leaving the edges unburnished (virtually all makers edges are like this) which will drastically cut down on the time it takes to make them and hence will lower the price that we can offer them at. I can easily say our prices will be very competitive with similar products out there.

 

All that said, we're going to continue to offer the veg tan products as well.

 

 

Fair enough and thanks for the update, I will definitely check out the new covers when you guys have them ready.

[PJohnP]

Value's one of those odd concepts, varying widely from person to person.

 

I purchased my Inkleaf Field Notes cover with a cash gift from a friend who emphatically told me to "spend it on something wild, nothing you'd get for yourself otherwise". That's just what I did.

 

Funny thing. The cover was exactly what I'd been looking for over a fair period of time, dead-on point for my desires. I have other covers sitting unused now, perfectly good covers, each in their own way, but the Inkleaf cover is the one I carry.

 

It's just starting to age a bit, but still has a wonderful leather scent about it, and without exception, gathers intense compliments when others see me using it. It's traveled around the world with me, and is available to my hand daily. I always enjoy taking the cover out and writing in the books within, every time.

 

That would seem to be the definition of a good value for me.

 

 

 

John P.