Smoothing out a leather desktop surface

[Zanshin]

I've always wanted a leather desktop rather than just a leather desktop pad. A year ago I made a complete 180x80cm desktop from a single vegetable tanned hide and I really enjoy the look and feel of it. It has developed a nice patina over time and I've only used moist cloths with water and occasionally added a thin layer of Fiebing's Leather Balm with Atom wax and buffed it out.  But I'd like to improve on this a bit by smoothing out the top surface and am not sure how best to go about this task. I would love a smoother surface but don't want to lose the color or natural feel of the desktop.

While some areas of the hide are smooth, others have wrinkles that can be felt (when writing using just a single piece of paper, for instance). What can be used to fill those ridges and uneven areas? Here's a closeup of what the uneven areas look like:

 

I do have more pictures of the leather desktop and the building process at Zanshin leather desktop

Edited July 9, 2022 by Zanshin

[annacarvalho]

That's a cool table! I love the leather texture, and it looks beautiful. How much should such a table be?

[Tugadude]

I am by all means no expert, but personally I wouldn't write directly on that surface at all.  I still would use a separate pad, blotter or whatever you call it.

Having said that, the pebbled texture I'm seeing is problematic.  "smoothing it out" may mean many things, but to me, unless you sand the whole surface, the only way to remove those features would be to use a glass slicker on them.  But that is going to change the appearance of the whole top.  

I am interested in what the real experts here think.

But again, I'd never write directly on that surface, but that's just me.  I'd be afraid of leaving impressions on the surface which would be unsightly.  A separate leather pad could be restored and/or replaced as needed.

[TonyV]

Once upon a time, leather tops on desks were a luxury, a status symbol.  My dad had a leather-top desk and I don't know what happened to it.   That is a sweet desktop!

 IMO, you should have started with a smoother piece of upholstery leather if you wanted a smooth final product.  But, it is what it is, and it is beautiful.  Don't bother trying to smooth it out, there is too great a chance of ruining it.  Using a blotter pad to write on, as was the common practice in the old timey days, is likely your best choice.  Let the leather wear an acquire patina as it will.  

[fredk]

My I throw something into the plot ?

A long time ago, a very long time ago, I helped my father restore some very old business desks which had leather tops. Long before I got into leather work. We could not replace those leather tops. The leather was quite thick, about 4 to 6 mm , and as stiff & hard as a wood board. Definitely leather as the tops had cuts in them which showed the fibres

I agree with the others; use a smaller writing pad on top of the good leather

[doubleh]

Another vote to use a pad to write on. I am of the opinion that anything you do to try to smooth it will only result in damage. It is a nice top just as it is. Just live with it's faults.

[Tugadude]

I just realized I had forgotten to compliment the OP on the look of the desk.  I'd be proud to sit at it myself!  Very nice indeed.

[MikeRock]

In 1970 I visited an old ranch, owned by a retired banker.  His 6' wide roll top desk had a leather writing surface, maybe 3 feet wide, dark reddish.  This discussion made me remember, back then virtually all writing was done with a fountain pen, requiring virtually NO pressure on the writing surface.  Pencil writing, I am not sure if he used an underlayment or what.  Most beautiful walnut desk I ever saw.  His grand daughter kept it waxed and closed up most of the time. 

[Gezzer]

7 hours ago, doubleh said:

Another vote to use a pad to write on. I am of the opinion that anything you do to try to smooth it will only result in damage. It is a nice top just as it is. Just live with it's faults.

+1

[Zanshin]

I'm sorry for not giving feedback to this thread for so long!

I've been using this desk for home-office work and for private stuff for over a year now. Each time I sit down for a day of work I admire the lustre and patina of vegetable tanned leather. I took the advice given here and haven't done anything to smooth the surface any further. I use a leather writing pad I made from a quality cut for writing, and a larger piece of lower-quality leather as a placemat when I eat at the table. Apart from light cleaning, all I've done is occasionally apply a very fine layer of Resolene to the surface to make it glide a bit better and to protect it from the oils in my forearms and hands.  I don't use a mouse pad, the area where the mouse glides is quite smooth and the Resolene helps there as well.

[Zanshin]

It is now two years in, and I spend 8 hours a day during the week using this desk. I do have a leather mousepad that I made to prevent scuffing the surface too much, but with a quarterly application of Resolene this surface just gets better and better over time.

[Zanshin]

I neglected to add a recent picture, sorry.

[jrdunn]

On 7/25/2024 at 12:41 PM, Zanshin said:

It is now two years in, and I spend 8 hours a day during the week using this desk. I do have a leather mousepad that I made to prevent scuffing the surface too much, but with a quarterly application of Resolene this surface just gets better and better over time.

I certainly agree with you.

[SUP]

@Zanshin That is a beautiful desk. Would  you share how you made the leather top?

[Zanshin]

On 7/28/2024 at 3:24 AM, SUP said:

@Zanshin That is a beautiful desk. Would  you share how you made the leather top?

It didn't take too much skill, but some effort and time. I purchased a 4mm vegetable-tanned half-hide and an Ikea desktop. I soaked and cleaned the half-hide and then put it onto the desktop, bending the edges around to the bottom using line and glue and clamps. Then I let it dry and contract to a tight surface on the top. Once dry after a couple of days, I cleaned up the bottom by skiving excess and adding additional glue. Then I cleaned with saddle-soap and applied beeswax compound to the top in several steps. The detailed story is here.

[SUP]

Thank you @Zanshin.