“Grasp the sides and business cards pop out”
The abrAsus Thin Business Card Case \4200
The exchange of business cards is something that takes place when people make each other’s acquaintance for the first time.
As this determines the first impression it is pretty important.
But once in a while it happens that, just as you go to exchange business cards, you put your hand in the pocket where you always keep your card case to pull it out, and it’s not there!
Ah, that’s right, didn’t you put it in the pocket of your bag, you think, but despite rummaging through your bag, it’s not there either.
In the meantime the other person, already slightly tendering one of their own business cards, is watching you intently while they wait.
Once this happens you are on the back foot from the outset and it is obvious that the other person will take the initiative for shaping the conversation to follow.
In short, to exchange business cards, extracting a business card and entering the ‘business card exchange stance’ as quickly as possible is extremely important.
For this reason, it is a matter of course that a card case should always be put in the same pocket and the next step, the task of extracting a card, is also sought to be done speedily.
Even if you can pull out a business card and enter the ‘business card exchange stance’ just 0.1 second before the other party, the feeling of composure is entirely different.
There is no doubt, ‘waiting’ is better than ‘keeping someone waiting’.
Useful for such speedy business card exchanges is this “Thin Business Card Case” by abrAsus.
While it seems like the deliberate use of the word ‘thin’ in the product name, this is extremely thin.
Rather than a business card case, this is as thin as a commuter pass cover.
This lack of resemblance to a business card case is not all.
Differing from the usual bi-fold business card cases, this is a pocket type.
Moreover, while with an ordinary card case, to make it easy to get business cards in and out the opening is along the length of the rectangle shape, on this, the opening is along one of the short sides.
If you only looked this far you might think that it looks hard to use.
However, this is actually easy to use.
To retrieve a business card you have inserted inside, this is what you do.
Firstly, hold this business card case in your left hand.
At this point, making sure the opening of the card case is facing upwards, grasp it.
This ‘grasp’ is important.
Then, make this grasp an even stronger grasp and tightly squeeze it.
The card case is made of thick leather so the impression is that it is quite solid.
Contrary to the expectation that by tightly squeezing it you will crush it completely, a neat break appears.
The opening of this business card case is like the shape of duck’s beak, that is to say that it opens forming a nice diamond shape.
That is not all; move your attention to underneath the card case and the bottom has the appearance of being pushed upwards.
Put a business card inside and then try the previous operation again.
There it is.
The moment you squeeze it, the business cards are made to stick out about 1cm from inside.
From here all you need to do is take one out.
If you look really closely at the card case, a crease has been made beforehand in the cover so that when it is squeezed, it will open like a duck’s beak.
Furthermore, only in the aforementioned part underneath, that pushes up the business cards, is soft leather used.
It is extremely subtle but to make it easy to grasp the case is ever so slightly made in the shape of a trapezium.
At first glance it seems to be a simple pocket but, as a matter of fact, it has been crafted with fine workmanship.
Apparently a patent is being taken out on this design.
The matter of concern is how many business cards can be stored.
According to the official website, and as might be expected in connection to the pursuit of thinness, it is in the order of 15 cards.
Incidentally, in a trial with my business cards in the order of 12-13 cards seemed just right.
However, perhaps if it is not an occasion such as a party or an exhibition or the like, for everyday business around 10 business cards would probably be sufficient.
One more point of concern is what to do with the business cards that you receive.
As for this, there is no choice but to put them in the same pocket.
So then, when you squeeze the case, the business card of a person you exchanged business cards with a short time ago could also poke out.
Supposing that even if you can speedily enter the business card exchange stance, it will be meaningless if you proffer the business card of someone else.
There is a method to get around this.
On only one side of the card cover the ‘abrAsus’ brand is inscribed.
Using this as a reference point, differentiation is made easy by putting your own business cards in front and those received at the back.
This grasp to open construction is just like a change wallet I had when I was a child.
Using the same principle, these days there are also portable ashtrays and so on available.
The business card (case) this time has been constructed completely differently but as this means of grasping uses only one hand it is extremely convenient.
If you use this card case it seems it will be possible to enter the business card exchange stance that 0.1 second faster.
Copyright (C) ２００３ Tadashi Tsuchihashi，All rights reserved.
