On Atlas's Thread about preferred writing surfaces (What writing surface do you prefer?) Bishop brought up an idea I had been considering also.

This would be a leather mat, in my case, 9.5"x12" to accommodate single sheet writing. Some of us agree that full-sized blotters and other large covers are not what we want on our wood desktops.

I am working with Renaissance Art to develop my ideal leather desktop writing mat. I'd love to hear any suggestions or cautionary tales that might be useful to us.

We are trying to determine whether it should be two pieces of leather sandwiched with a card, or what.

Let's hear it all. Thanks!

I generally prefer a writing pad as a writing surface, but I'm interested in hearing how your leather mat works. Please post your results.

I would be concerned that the thickness of the leather would cause problems with writing so maybe a shaved leather with solid backing would be best. I can imagine writing with a fine nib and poking it through the paper into the soft leather.

I used to have a leather writing surface bonded to a flat metal plate. Past tense.

A) Moisture of any kind is to be avoided at all costs; this is easy initially, but over the years liquids eventually find their way to it and there goes the smooth writing surface.

I *always* use the back of my writing sheets; unfortunately the front will transfer ink to the leather writing surface like water to a sponge, so after many dozens of letters the ink will begin to slowly appear on anything touching the leather - and it's impossible to get rid of.

After having my leather writing surface for some 15 years, I finally pitched it and use five 11x14 sheets of blotter paper on an oak desk instead. Works much better and I can change out the blotting paper as needed.

Needs to be mounted on a very rigid surface.
Leather needs to be fairly stiff, but not thick.
Leather needs to be smooth surfaced.

I think it really depends upon the leather itself. Many a writing desk, portable and standup, have had leather surfaces and back a couple of centuries, as well. Surfaces will wear out over time, but if it holds up for a few decades, it's well-invested dollars. And, ink stains happen. It's a sign of good use.

(my opinion only, YMMV as they say)

Must be soft but not too soft. Hard surfaces like metals and glass change the way your nib writes on the paper. This is an excellent project and I am very interested to see what you guys come up with. Please make it the world size of A4 and not just letter. In fact the ideal size would be 10"by 12" and that would cover both.
Great project!

I found this in Ikea yesterday (haven't bought one yet, though): http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/30129964
It's a leather-like surface (leatherette mounted on steel), with a bent front edge to locate onto a desk.

I think I might get one in Red, unless I manage to find a proper blotter base for about the same money!

This is the one I bought at IKEA:

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/90104343

Simple fabric covered desk pad where one side folds over a bit. I use a sheet of blotter paper under the paper I'm writing on. It's inexpensive and functional, like most things from IKEA.

Did it come in 33 pieces with one missing like most Ikea products?

That's funny! But thinking back, I've never had a piece missing from an Ikea product. They must not like you.

The above are why I normally use an old printer's blanket, nice and firm yet yielding surface. I have used the various McDermitt stick-on blankets for off-set presses, but I find the clamp-in, fabric backed web press blankets more useful. Water, or ink, have no real effect on them, easy to clean up and they do tend to stay nice and smooth for years. Glued to a sheet of masonite and cut to size it makes a very handy desk pad as well as being very useful as a carry around pad so you can write while working or sitting away from a desk. Actually I probably should have glued it to a decent clip-board for even more usefulness, if I did though I would also glue a sheet of printer's blanket to the back as well, but with a small cut-out to clear the rivets holding the clip on. This would allow it to lay flat on hard surfaces and not slide around. Mine gets used mostly for writing when away from the desk.

I've several Ikea pieces of furnature and never had a missing piece. And most are hardwoods unlike many furtnitures out there.

To be honest it has only happened to me once - Ikea products are usually excellent value. I'm looking forward to the first Ikea fountain pen. How many pieces would that come in?

Just one, but it will be called Skribl and the box will be very, very flat.

I use that pad...was reasonably priced and works good. Not leather, though, my parent's studio had a real one and felt (and smelled) sooo good....Here is mine so you can have a realistic idea compared to an Oxford 17x22 cm notebook and an All-Star.

Thanks, Odina, that thing is huge! My goal is something small that can be grabbed and put aside easily. I don't want to cover my wood desk, I like to see it.

I confess also, that I'm a bit of a purist and really want real leather. It's a love thing.

I was just imagining what I would consider my "ideal" blotter. How about a thin sheet of black leather mounted on a dark wood base that is just a little larger (maybe 1cm at the sides, 3 cm at the top), with some ornate raised designs at the top, with a groove (fits into the design) that I can place my pen...

That's the beauty of custom works, Damien, we can have it any way we like it. My object is only to add a little cushioning under a single sheet that can be stowed when not in use.

Since this will be used directly on a hardwood desktop, I'd like to avoid any kind of base material unless it is necessary to keep the surface smooth/taut. I'm experimenting at home with various scraps of splits and hides, buckskin is too soft, it makes a fine point write like a very wet medium. So, when I land on what feels like my ideal surface, I will probably send Art a prototype sample and see what he can come up with.

Everyone's input has been greatly appreciated, it has given me a lot of points to consider. I even had a dream last night wherein I was poking a fine nib through my sheet and becoming exasperated (thanks, Tangelfoot ).

I prefer an 8.5"x11" pad to write on, too. I just place whatever stationery I'm using on top of it. I've cut a piece of that rubbery shelf liner stuff to go under the pad to keep it from sliding around on the desk while I'm writing.

Judybug

After a lot of testing of different leathers, splits, papers, inks, nibs, etc. I am convinced that I most prefer the full-grain cowhide, unbacked.

I'm using a sample of tanned cowhide from a full hide I used on another project. It's an ideal combination of cushion and support for my kind of writing. I sampled inks from PR, Noodler's, Diamine, and Waterman; I found no variations in their common characteristics on a notebook or pad.

The papers I used were Rhodia, Clairfontaine, Strathmore Writing 25% and 100% cottons wove, handmade Colonial Williamsburg letter, and a couple sheets of random stuff. The only paper, ink, nib combination that was unpleasant was a Post-it note and my Aurora Ipsilon F with Diamine Deep Magenta. Turned out though, that I just hate post-it notes.

The leathers I sampled were full-grain buckskin, top-grain buckskin, and various splits of cowhide. Over and over, the unanimous winner was the full-grain cowhide. It's firm but gives a slight cushion, the suede back stays still on my desktop, and the deep oil-tanned top-grain held the paper neatly but not stubbornly. No oil or pigment pulled up into the back of any sheet I tested.

To go the distance, I also tested two rollerballs, one fine and one medium and found both to work deliciously on the full-grain cowhide. No poke-throughs, skips, or snags. I deliberately attempted to poke through and it worked with only one paper— if you guessed Post-it note, you picked the right one.

Conclusion: I know what I want as my mat surface, so the next step will be to work with Art on dimensions and aesthetic appeal. The question also remains about what steps I'll have to take to keep it flat. I am not opposed to clamping it between a couple boards once in awhile.

The objective of my pursuit is to find my ideal, desktop single-sheet surface. This smaller piece will be set aside when not in use. I do not like writing on tablets/pads or thick things that interfere with my level hand/wrist support. This is just a thing with me.

I'll report back with the next installment when there is one.

One caveat: Yes, when one retires very early with a disability, these projects become paramount. LOL!

I've been remiss about getting this here. I have some desk leather samples left over from trying to order embossed desk leather writing surfaces for my writing box and the book box portable writing surfaces. I offered to ship one off to Arthur in a PM. I actually ended up buying some nice bulk leather that matches the surface almost exact, all I have to do is finish cutting all the pieces to the right size and getting 'em glued in place - which is done with wallpaper glue, of all things. I've made so many inquiries and researched so many methods and sites, that this ended up being my best bet after having had some mishaps with the leathers I'd ordered from the professional desk leather guys. I don't get the gorgeous embossing this way, but I do get very nice writing surfaces. The only thing that might make some people go "eeeewww" is that the leather is horse shoulder. I had to get past that thought, myself, but it most accurately matches the desk leathers and samples I'd gotten from the desk leather places.

As for unbacked, well, that might be a problem. You could probably roll up the piece for storage that way, but leather has a way of becoming more supple and more flexible with age, a little stretching here and a little shrinking there. A thin hardboard backing might be the way to go, and you can store it behind the desk or in the closet when not in use. For the portable (read flat) surface for the book box I had made, I ordered some bookbinding simulated smooth leather cloth from Holland's and I will use it to cover the back and sides of the hardboard surface. This surface will be used for ballpoint, rollerball, pencil, etc. The front side of the hardboard I will cover with the shoulder leather, and will be for fountain pens. I'm also using the bookbinding cloth for covering the lift out pen tray I had made for my writing slope. It looks like leather, it's just very thin so I can cover the portable surface and pen tray with it, and it matches the real leather writing surface.

Thanks, Kiavonne! Are you going to show us some pictures of this project? It sure sounds cool!

Heh, once they are all done. The book box is still getting coats of tung oil. It's taking like 4 to 6 days for one coat to dry, and I'm pretty bad about fitting the next coat in right away. And the writing slope. It's finished but for getting the leather down, too. Again, I've been lax with other things happening around me.

Kiavonne, we all want to see it, now!.

I like writing when I've got pieces of paper to serve as my "background". I don't like writing on a normal desk. I prefer having a pad of paper to write on. So maybe you should consider how much the leather map represents a pad of paper or so.