Writing Slope Questions

[kingcobradude]

I am planning on making my own writing slope/writing box/campaign box (whatever the correct term is) in the Victorian style, and I have a few questions regarding their use and construction.

 

1. What sort of angle is ideal for the writing surface. I.e. how slanted is the slant?

 

2. What sort of material would be best to cover the writing surface. I would imagine pool table felt(I forget the term) would be the firmest surface, but ideally I want to use leather. Would leather and/or make the surface too soft to write using fountain pen and/or dip pens? I want to use both with my writing slope, and even my flex nibs for dip pens are pretty stiff.

 

3. In all the pictures I see of them, it always seems as there is a ridge where the leather hinges. Does that ever get in the way of writing? I would imagine that you would move the paper to write around that section.

 

My initial thoughts are 20 by 20 when open, 8 inches tall at the back to 2 inches tall at the front, with the rear most 3 or 4 inches being a storage compartment. (Of course with drawers in the back section and more storage under the writing boards) your thoughts?

[Dmact]

Baize.

 

I honestly have no idea as to any of the rest of it, but the green stuff on snooker/billiard tabbles is called baize. And now i wanna go play snooker, thanks for that

[BDarchitect]

The size of the writing surface should be dependent on the usual size of paper you plan to write on. I started out my architectural drafting a million years ago using ink on mylar and made myself a sloped drafting board. The first question was what would be the largest size sheet I was likely to use. (We were able to add a Spiroll to the bottom of the board that would allow the sheet to coil up inside it so you could comfortably draw on the top of the paper without having to lean way over the desk). Anyway, your arm should optimally stay more or less in the same position (elbow on desk edge, hand and forearm angled up onto writing surface), and the notebook or paper should be shifted left, right, up and down as you write. If you plan to use 8 1/2 x 11" or A4 size notebooks, for example, set one out on a desk and move it around so your hand stays in the same place as you go from line to line down the page. I bet you will find the necessary support area for the desk may be larger than 20 x 20". A slope angle of about 5 degrees is common for writing surfaces.

Another challenge, which you will see Paul Antonio describe in his videos on calligraphy, is not to bring the writing surface up too high. Most desktops are 28-29" above the floor, and adding a writing box on top of that will most likely make it too high, which will force your arm and shoulder to crunch up and cause muscle fatigue after longer writing sessions.

 

I would not recommend using baize as the writing surface as the microfibers lift the paper too high and can result in poke throughs with a fine point pencil or ballpoint. You can buy a tanned leather hide and glue that down to the writing top using a special leather adhesive, as long as the substrate is very hard and stable. Dense plywood or MDF board will work. It makes a wonderful old world feel writing desk. I have also made desk surfaces using linoleum sheeting, which has a resilience that hits the sweet spot between firm and forgiving under a very fine ballpoint or pencil point.

Edited August 24, 2019 by BDarchitect

[Dmact]

Aaaand now i want a writing slope too dagnabit

[my63]

Campagain slopes tend to be the largest usually around 20 inches x 10 inches x 6 inches high with the split at the front 4.5 in x 1.5in and 3.25 in x 2.75 in the higher numbers are the lowest.

The term for the writing surface is a "Skiver" this is usually a very thin hard wearing leather like goat skin. The leather provides the hinge between the two writing surfaces so needs to be strong.

Baize is much better than felt or other materials of that type as it has less fibres as BDaritect has mentioned.

 

Rather than building from scratch have a look around you may find an old one you can restore for little money.

 

Hope this helps

[Beechwood]

This website might help

 

https://www.writing-slope.com/Building-a-Writing-Slope-2.html

 

 

 

Something that is missing from modern slopes but always there on older models is a secret compartment, sometimes these go undiscovered on inherited items on slopes sold at auctions and the like.

 

I am sure that you want to make your own but

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Remy-Martin-Writing-slope/401851283058?hash=item5d9033f672:g:54wAAOSwzFhcFT1u

 

for those wanting a short cut you may want to bear in mind that they do not fetch big bucks on ebay uk, here is a Remy Martin slope which at the time of writing is just £35, either a promotional item or a conversion from a brandy box

[empliau]

I was heartbroken when Dan and Deb retired, as I very much wanted a custom writing slope from them but other things always came first - undoubtedly because I thought I had more time. It was silly of me not to check with them.

 

I have, coincidentally, just bought at auction for a very reasonable price a small writing desk with a tooled leather surface. I hope it will take the place of my forever-lost slope!

[kingcobradude]

I want to build my own since 1, I like woodworking, and 2, I want to add my own drawers and compartments to my specifications

 

BDarchitect, my desk is only 22 inches front to back, so I am constrained to that size. As far as height, I am a tall guy,and with my chair being a bit higher than most, a couple inches higher wouldn't hurt

[inkstainedruth]

I saw an antique one (late Victorian or early Edwardian time frame, IIRC) and a high-end antiques show last spring, and the writing surface was lavender/purple velvet or velveteen. The slope was just drop-dead gorgeous, and probably a good price for what it was -- but I couldn't justify the expense and I also wasn't sure where I could use it (I think it would be a little large for the small writing desk I bought a few summers ago at an antiques mall in some town in eastern Indiana).

I've also seen ones with leather surfaces, and of course I have a cheap modern one from Bombay & Co. which doesn't have anything on the slope.

Ruth Morrisson aka insktainedruth

[kingcobradude]

I saw an antique one (late Victorian or early Edwardian time frame, IIRC) and a high-end antiques show last spring, and the writing surface was lavender/purple velvet or velveteen. The slope was just drop-dead gorgeous, and probably a good price for what it was -- but I couldn't justify the expense

Ruth Morrisson aka insktainedruth

That's the problem I have with buying one, they are super expensive here

[my63]

That's the problem I have with buying one, they are super expensive here

 

Prices vary widely in the UK I have bought them in the past for well under £50. I think it would be possible to make one quite cheaply using an engineered board such as MDF or even plywood veneering over the top.

Most of my originals were made from mahogany (which was plentiful when they were made) then veneered with rosewood or walnut.

Now I have a workshop I may make one in the future just to see what it comes out like.

If you need any more measurements from one of mine just let me know.

[PJohnP]

EpicD :

 

 

You might also keep your eyes open for a Levenger Editor's Desk, a now discontinued item with that company.

 

The construction is nothing like that of the more traditional writing slopes, but they do offer the opportunity to work with a writing slope. You can find them occasionally more cheaply locally, but they tend to be more expensive with significant shipping costs on eBay :

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Levenger-Editors-Desk-Solid-MAPLE-Reading-Writing-Portable-Podium-Lectern-USED/333309049433?hash=item4d9ac47a59:g:cewAAOSwPJVdZXAr

 

I mention that the construction is not of the highest quality in that the fittings to attach the slope to the supporting wood need to be carefully tightened but not over-tightened as they will strip and not be easily fixed. You can see the instructions for assembly here to gain a clearer idea :

 

http://fliphtml5.com/aavh/hehf/basic

 

I picked up one of these a fair number of years back and I do find it useful for editing reports etc. for decent periods of time. Minor edits work just fine on a normal desk, but elongated reviews do work far better on the editor's desk.

 

Aesthetically, it's a pretty plain device. I have the natural wood colour version, and it's perfectly serviceable, if not as elegant as the alternatives. Of course, I did pay a fraction of the cost of the more elegantly designed and constructed units, and it's being used in my office, where elegance is perhaps not such a priority.

 

I mention this design from Levenger as it offers a simple "proof-of-test" look for your writing slope.

 

I've found in trying a number of these, that many times, the assumptions about angle, height, size of writing area made for the writing slopes or desks are not correct for me. I'll use the metaphor of boots here, where the boots that I wear are comfortable, capable of my walking many miles, but that they could well be exactly the wrong fit for another person. For example, when I'm editing reports, I need the space to allow me to have a pile of sheets already edited where I go back and cross check previous edits against the page under attention. Some of the pages are in landscape format for tables, while others are in portrait format. Smaller writing slopes/desks do not allow me to have the previously edited sheets alongside the one currently under review.

 

Further, things like the bottom lip to hold paper(s) or the stand at the back of the slope to hold up draft materials are worthy of thought. I don't personally want or need a pen/pencil ledge at the bottom of the slope, but one at the top of the slope would be more useful. I don't need storage for ink or paper in a writing desk, as I have ample items stored in the area, but I wouldn't mind if I had a much higher back ledge to support paper or items being read whilst editing. The Levenger editor's desk probably hits about 75% of what I would like it to do, but there are a number of areas for improvement from that design for me.

 

Some day, when my time is less filled/constrained, I'll design a writing slope for just my needs. Until then, I'm looking at other designs and learning. "Measure twice, cut once" is not a silly aphorism.

 

 

 

John P.

[BDarchitect]

BDarchitect, my desk is only 22 inches front to back, so I am constrained to that size. As far as height, I am a tall guy,and with my chair being a bit higher than most, a couple inches higher wouldn't hurt

With that constraint, just be aware that it will limit the size of paper or notebook you can move around. As to the height, as long as it doesn't force you to hunch a shoulder it should be ok.

If I am not mistaken, weren't campaign desks meant to be used off on some epic, far-flung adventure or military campaign, where regular furniture wasn't always available and the desk might have sat on the writer's lap? Others correct me if that is wrong, please.

[my63]

I am not an expert by any means but have often read writing slopes described as the Laptop of their day

The owner of a campaign slope would be an officer with a suite of campaign furniture including a desk. Campaign slopes also tend to be the largest and heaviest with a good amount of brass ware and would also have had an outer case.

Had they been used for working on a lap I would have expected to see a method of holding the top and bottom open. I have seen candle holders adjustable ledges for books or music with a system to hold the lid open to give the correct angle.

I hope this helps.

 

I was troubled today by this post and did some further reading and did indeed find reference to writing slopes being used as lap desks in the 1800s so I thought I would correct myself before anyone else did. I did start by saying I was not an expert.

Edited September 1, 2019 by my63