Choosing an Italian leather key case: the keys you carry and how you carry them
Hello, this is Uno.
The keys we carry every day can get lost inside a bag or jostle against other things in a pocket. When choosing a key case, it helps to think beyond its appearance and ask what kinds of keys you carry, and what you carry alongside them.
Bluno’s haruto is a four-hook key case combining vegetable-tanned Italian leather and tin. Using this key case as an example, I have put together a few things to check before making your choice.
How many keys? Check their shape and thickness, too
Inside haruto are four key hooks. They keep your everyday keys—for your home, workplace or bicycle—together in one place. First, lay out the keys you actually carry and count them.
Even a single key fits differently depending on whether it is thin or thick. It is also worth checking the length of your keys, the size of any key rings, and whether you use something bulky like a smart key. Rather than assuming that four hooks will accommodate any four keys, please choose with the shape of your own keys in mind.
If you are unsure, please contact us with a photo or the dimensions of your keys. We would be happy to help you work out whether it will suit the things you carry each day.
If you have fewer than four keys, there is no need to fill every hook. Thinking about whether you might need to add more keys later can also help you choose. If you have many keys, separating those you need every day from those you use only occasionally may help lighten what you carry.
Room for cards and a little cash, too
haruto has space for cards on either side of the central key compartment. Banknotes can also be tucked behind the keys. As well as holding just your keys, it can keep the essentials together when you head out nearby.
For example, keeping your usual card with your keys means fewer things to transfer when you change bags. The overall thickness will depend on how many cards you put inside and how you fold your banknotes, though. If you prefer to keep it slim, it helps to decide what you will carry before using it.
Think about where you will carry it
The case measures approximately 10cm wide, 6.5cm high and 1.5cm thick. If you want to put it in a small bag or pocket, compare these dimensions with your current key case. Both its outer dimensions and its thickness once filled with keys and cards affect everyday ease of use.
Some people want quick access to their keys; others want to protect the things around them inside a bag. We each have different priorities. Imagining where you will keep your key case each day can help you find the right shape for you.
Please pay particular attention to the dimensions if you carry a car smart key or a large key ring. Photos alone cannot easily show how thick the case will be with your keys inside, so if you have any concerns, asking us before purchasing is the surest approach. Even a case you love the look of may be difficult to keep using if it feels cramped every time you take your keys out.
Living with leather and tin for years to come
The Italian leather used for haruto has a soft feel from the start. Because a key case is handled frequently, the leather gradually develops a sheen and a deeper color. We hope you will also enjoy the wrinkles and variations in shade as part of each piece’s individual character.
We cast the tin parts ourselves at Bluno. If you notice loose stitching or a problem with the fittings over time, please get in touch through our repairs page. We want this to be an everyday tool you can feel comfortable using long after you buy it.
Check these three things before choosing: how many keys you have, whether you will carry cards, and where you will keep the case. This makes it easier to find one that suits your daily routine. You can also see its shape on the haruto online shop page, with photos, colors and details.
Available colors are brown, greige, green, blue and black. Since you will use it every day, it can be enjoyable to choose not only by the color you like now, but also by how it will look after years of use. Please also take a look at how each color ages.