Black Chromexcel

Made from Horween Chromexcel Leather, drum-dyed black. Chromexcel is a storied leather favored by American boot makers for its durability and feel. Standard Chromexcel keeps a natural core, which is what gives it that pull-up effect — the color lightening wherever the leather is bent or stressed. This one is struck through: dyed all the way down, no lighter core underneath, so scuffs and scratches blend in instead of standing out. This leather grips and conforms to the picks, holding them secure. Saddle-stitched with waxed Riza Tiger thread.

Horween is one of the finest tanneries in the world, and just a couple miles straight south of my apartment in Chicago.

Built around big, heavy flat-picks — Bluechip, Token, Tone Slab, Wegen, Golden Gate, real tortoiseshell — the triangle picks that cost real money and vanish the second you set them down. Eight of them slid into their own slots and stay put. The flap folds over a skived tongue and tucks closed — no snaps, no magnets, nothing metal to gouge a pick or instrument. About 3¼ inches square: slim enough for a gig-bag pocket, a jacket, or the accessory pouch of a hard case.

Cut from 4–5 oz full-grain leather and saddle-stitched entirely by hand — two needles, one stitch at a time. If a stitch ever gets nicked, the seam holds instead of unraveling the way machine stitching does. The tongue is skived down to make it easy to slide through the closure. Made in batches of 5 or so, after work, in my Chicago apartment. No two exactly alike.

Horween Chromexcel is a low-maintenance leather that gets better with handling. It's a heavily oiled and waxed leather, so when it's new it can "bloom" — a waxy haze that wipes right off. Wipe it down with a dry or barely-damp rag as needed — skip soap and harsh cleaners. As it ages you can work in some neutral leather conditioner like Venetian Leather Balm, but wait until it needs it.

Chromexcel is fairly soft, so it can dent relatively easily, but you'll find the dents and scratches rub out with little effort.

Avoid long soaks and direct heat, but this is a resilient leather and doesn't need to be babied.