Care · August 4, 2026 · 4 min read
How to care for a wood inlay wallet
Five minutes of maintenance a year is all it takes. Here's the routine, plus the two things that genuinely damage wood.
Wood is more durable than people expect and more sensitive to two specific things than they realize.
Everyday use
Carry it. Sit on it. The finish is built for pocket life and small scuffs buff out on their own with handling. You don't need to baby it.
The once-a-year routine
Wipe the faces with a barely damp cloth, let it dry completely, then rub in a small amount of a food-safe wood oil or wax with a soft cloth. Buff off the excess. That's the whole job — under five minutes.
What actually harms it
Soaking. A rain shower is fine; a washing machine is not. If it gets truly wet, blot it and let it air dry slowly at room temperature, away from heat.
Heat. A dashboard in August or a radiator overnight will dry the wood and can open a seam. Keep it out of direct sustained heat.
Aging is not damage
Cherry will darken. Padauk will mellow from orange toward brown. Maple will warm slightly. That shift is the wood doing what wood does, and most people end up preferring the wallet at year three.
Describe it. We draw it in wood.
Type any scene and watch it take shape as a real hardwood inlay design.
Open the design studio