The Wallet Shoppe
The Speidel Money Clip is a fun riff on a classic minimalist approach that makes a great gift.
The Bulldog Clip Money Clip
Wallets have always been one of those signifiers, like an expensive watch or pen. The type of wallet you carry says something about who you are. A classic billfold in aged leather says one thing, a long biker wallet with a chain says another.
There’s a certain type of person that reacts to that by pushing back the other way. Instead of getting a classic high-quality leather wallet that says “I’m a man of wealth and taste”, they go to the other extreme and hold a minimal number of cards and bills held together with a plain rubber band or one of those classic bulldog clips:
Make no mistake though, that’s a carefully-crafted statement of who they are just as much as the businessman with his high-end money clip. They’re sending a message that they aren’t buying into the whole consumerist culture, that they like simplicity, or that they are far too focussed on their mission in life to be bothered with fashionable accessories.
It’s a fun option though. The simple bulldog clip grabs cards and cash alike in a strong grip. So what’s an innovative company to do?
The “Bill Binder” Speidel Money Clip
Enter Speidel. This clip is a fun riff on the classic model. Speidel have taken the humble bulldog clip as inspiration and gone on to create this little beauty.
The main body is high-grade stainless steel, so it’s a robust clip with some heft to it. Speidel lists it at 2.95 × 1.57 inches, about the size of a large office bulldog clip, and 0.1 lb.
You can then pick the look of the highlight panels on the paddles where your fingers squeeze (not coincidentally, that helps your grip too): brushed satin, a deep brown leather, a carbon fiber pattern or textured rubber.
So How Does It Work?
The snap closure works very much like the bulldog clip it’s based on. The arms fold back as they do on a standard clip, and squeezing them opens the mouth of the clip itself so you can insert or remove your cards and cash. The paddles on the ends of the arms (which are decked out in the materials above, say rich leather) are much more comfortable to operate than a traditional bulldog clip.
Just like a traditional clip though, the arms and paddles then fold forward to create a flat profile that’s great for front pocket carry, while also gripping the cards and cash at a second point, giving a little more security than a traditional single-point money clip.
Speidel claims the two-point grip and self-adjusting spring will hold anything from a single bill to 75 notes! Not many people carry that many notes anymore, but a few cards and a few notes makes sense. Cards are thicker than notes, of course, but you can fit quite a few in before it starts to show the strain.
Owner RICKY THRUST liked the sturdy grip and bill-and-card capacity. John Bowen wanted larger wings to hold his bills and cards.
As regular readers know, we don’t recommend carrying too many cards anyway, so the capacity should be more than you’ll need.
The Verdict
This is a beautiful and clever design that would make a great birthday or other special event gift idea. Speidel offers engraving on the back plate, which makes it a personal gift. If you’re interested in a money clip with a card case built in, take a look at the Tumi Money Clip Card Case for a more traditional leather approach. Verdict: we love it!
