Thanks very much again to Paul for this twentieth instalment of his wonderful guest post series.
You can find all of the 'Filohax' posts here.
To mollycoddle or not to mollycoddle...
I have always been against mollycoddling binders, I love the patina that builds with use over time. And when I got my Kid leather Filofax Grosvenor 9 months ago, I initially just carried it in my backpack, along with everything else. However, before long I started to notice damage to the spine leather, where it meets the metal opener, so I wrapped it in a simple cloth to mitigate against further damage. It didn't really help that much and I noticed further damage.
Then while on holiday recently, browsing through a vintage and retro boutique, I spotted an old suede slip case - a typical 1950's unisex case for carrying all of the bits and bobs needed back in the analogue era (an era I would happily return to!).
For two British Pounds it was a no-brainer - I didn't even measure it - and it's turned into my Grosvenor's saviour. It looks too big for the job, but as it's not gusseted the bulk of the Grosvenor fills it out with room to spare for packs of inserts, pens etc.
I think I could throw the laden case on the ground and the Grosvenor would be fine.
Looking back through catalogues featuring the Grosvenor, it makes sense that it came new with its own felt carry case. You can see a photo of one of these protective felt pouches in Guest Post - Dust Bags by gmax
How do any Kid leather binder owners get around damage to this quite soft leather?
I have crocheted some pouches of different sizes for personal and A5 compact and also a slightly larger one for A5 with a clasp (my classic croc is big compared to my heritage A5!). I hate the way scratches appear on the coloured leather but I’m overly prissy about keeping them pristine. I have a Deco personal in ivory that I bought when they first came out. I kept it absolutely perfect until a couple of years ago when I got blue biro ink on the closing clasp, I was absolutely gutted. But these things are meant to be used and have wear and tear, so I wish I could lighten up a little!!
ReplyDeletePS - I love your pouch, it’s very classy, better than odds and ends of wool …I’d probably crochet a protective pouch for the protective pouch 😜
ReplyDeleteI have a well-patinated secondhand P5KL Pocket, but it doesn't yet seem to have any significant damage to the leather. Stitching failed in one place, that I have repaired, but the leather is fine. Admittedly, I have also conditioned the leather very generously. The leather on yours looks a bit 'dry'.
ReplyDeleteBy nature I've never been a mollycoddler - my Filofax has always been a tool for running my life rather than an ornament - but this has made me think. As I've moved towards more valuable (both financially and sentimentally) binders, I've started to think more about their 'everyday welfare'.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the move from A5 to Personal now means I have less need of a large backpack on certain days, and that cover looks pretty cool. I think it would possibly also hold a pen and pencil as well, getting round my pen loop issues.
Finally - yes, the 1950s please!