Climb mountains. Build stuff.
I wrote those words down in 2020 as part of a to-do list for the next few years.
The mountains part came first. With the New Hampshire 4000' peaks and Maine's Katahdin not far, there was tons to explore.
With climbing underway, it was now time to start building.
Heavy machinery began showing up at my door. Screen printing equipment. Thick hides of leather and rolls of waxed canvas. Knives, mallets and dies. McGranahan Ink & Leather was born and I got to work.
We rented a workshop in the center of town and the kids pushed industrial leather sewing machines all the way. I told them it would be a good workout.
I started making custom old school patches and found a natural niche with golf courses and ski mountains. After awhile, I looked at my inventory of leather and canvas and thought- "I can make more than just patches".
So I taught myself how to build my own products from scratch. Golf headcovers came first. Then in February of 2023 I made myself a type of leather money clip out of the thickest, toughest Wickett & Craig skirting leather that I had in the shop.
I wanted a wallet that I could comfortably carry in my pocket everywhere- hiking, fishing, skiing, even running. That didn't exist, so I pulled the shutters, burnt the midnight oil and made it happen. I cut away and threw overboard everything that wasn't needed in a wallet- including the stitching and all four corners.
It looked mean, felt awesome in my hand, and felt like nothing in my pocket. This original design was the birth (berth?) of the Capt. Snappy wallets that you can purchase today.
They'll carry everything you need, comfortably- and look great doing it. They are at home in the boardroom or at a bonfire. On a packy run or a trail run.
Our products don't spit off an assembly line. They stumble out of the workshop with a few battle scars and reeking of Alice in Chains.
They'e ready for your life's adventures- take 'em on some good ones.