Hi Folks
I picked up a writing slope from an antiques fair, however the writing surface is paper glued to the compartment lid and it is tearing and breaking along the fold line. It should be possible to replace it with leather , but does anyone know where to find some that would be thin enough for the job?

Thanks for the help

David

Here's a place that we buy leather from in California. Perhaps they can help you.
http://www.hidehouse.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=contact

Thanks for that, I'll drop them and email and see if they can help

David

My husband, who has done a lot of leather work over the years, thinks that vegetable tanned cowhide might work for a writing surface... but ask the people at The Hide House what they think would be best.

There is a seller on eBay over here in the UK that is selling skivers especially for writing slopes, I found it the other day when I was looking for some for the one I'm restoring too! I have already bought some velvet for mine but I am wondering whether it's a bad idea because as soon as any ink is dropped...it's ruined!

So try this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Writing-slope-leathe...1QQcmdZViewItem and hopefully that will be what you are looking for!

"vegetable tanned cowhide "

This is the type of tanning used on leather which one would put a design into by stamping and or carving...like belts, billfolds, and cute little book marks ( photo to follow someday ).... it is wet with water before this decoration is impressed on it.. then dried... and the person making the article is responsible for putting a finish on it... otherwise hand oils, dirt, light cause it to darken unevenly and with almost no way to clean it... putting a finish on it can evenly darken it so that there is little change over the next twenty years.... only neutral shoe polish being needed about once a year or so...
The other factor is the hardness of the surface... finding a nicely already finished leather with a hard surface may be better for being behind the paper when using any type of pen... although a real fountain pen would certainly be better than a ball point...