Broken In × Leatherius Woodman – a leather stamping study of objects that get better with use

From the Practice Log – an ongoing series of stamping studies on real-world logos.

A September study. Volume I-C.

BROKEN IN is a small collection about objects that improve with use. Leather keeps a record – every scuff and pocket-polish stays – so we let each stamp say out loud what the material already believes.

First, the luggage tags. We set SCUFFS ARE SOUVENIRS in one long line and opened the sentence with a scuff mark drawn where a quotation mark would go – the wear gets the first word. A tag that forgives the baggage handler in advance.

Broken In collection: the SCUFFS ARE SOUVENIRS luggage-tag die study.

The black tag carries the words in gold.

Broken In collection: SCUFFS ARE SOUVENIRS stamped in gold on a black leather luggage tag.

Forest green and a honeyed russet take the blind press. Looks great when stamped onto the leather.

Broken In collection: SCUFFS ARE SOUVENIRS blind-stamped on a forest-green leather luggage tag.

Broken In collection: SCUFFS ARE SOUVENIRS blind-stamped on an Indian Summer leather luggage tag.

Next, the keychains. An old key with its bow worn perfectly featureless, and WORN SMOOTH arched over it – everything a key loses in a pocket, this one has already lost. The fob just gets there first.

Broken In collection: the WORN SMOOTH keychain die study.

Pressed blind into black and into golden tan. It looks genuinely beautiful.

Broken In collection: WORN SMOOTH blind-stamped on a black leather keychain.

Broken In collection: WORN SMOOTH blind-stamped on an Arizona leather keychain.

Then, the dopp kits. A small half-risen sun over a horizon line, and DAILY REGARDLESS beneath it – the kit gets opened every morning, whatever the day has planned. We pressed it low in the corner of a honeyed russet bag over dark espresso.

Broken In collection: the DAILY REGARDLESS Dopp-kit die study.

Broken In collection: DAILY REGARDLESS blind-stamped on one Indian Summer and Dark Espresso leather Dopp kit.

After that, the catchall tray. EMPTY YOUR POCKETS arched over a scatter of the day's cargo – key and coin, pick and pocketknife – so each evening the real things land on their own portraits.

Broken In collection: the EMPTY YOUR POCKETS catchall-tray die study.

Looks absolutely gorgeous when stamped onto the leather.

Broken In collection: EMPTY YOUR POCKETS blind-stamped on an Arizona leather catchall tray.

And finally, the journals. One scribbled word crossed out, and FIRST DRAFTS ONLY beneath it, pressed small in the lower corner – a standing permission to write the bad version first. The good version has to start somewhere. On navy and on deep wine.

Broken In collection: the FIRST DRAFTS ONLY journal die study.

Broken In collection: FIRST DRAFTS ONLY blind-stamped on a Blueberry leather journal.

Broken In collection: FIRST DRAFTS ONLY blind-stamped on a Sangria leather journal.

We made this out of love. Leatherius Woodman is on a mission to create and share artifacts of beauty, craft and love – this study is one of them, and we hope the feeling is mutual. Every image is a render – how we prototype before cutting a die.

If you'd like anything here made real, or changed – say hello through our contact page.