WRITING SURFACE FELT

[Bobby]

Hello, All!

I am restoring an old secretary and the writing felt has ripped so using the original material is not an option, alas.

Does anyone out there know of a good source for writing surface felt? I have tried the facric shops in the area but none can match it. It is green woven wool circa 1878.

Thanks!

Bobby

[J. Clarke]

Look for a pool or billiard supply house--don't be afraid to call the swimming pool suppliers either--locally one of them stocks billiard supplies. Don't know for sure if that's dense enough for a writing surface but worth a try.

If that fails google "wool felt" and you'll get a number of hits.

[Jim Northey]

Maybe try a place that sells pool table felt and see if they have the thinnest kind made. It may work for what your doing. Jim

[Buddy Matlosz]

Don't let your wife find out.

B.

[Smaug Ichorfang]

What about replacing the writing surface with leather? Seems like it would provide a longer wearing surface, and can be found with surfaces just as smooth (if not smoother than) felt, and in just as many colors.

[Prometheus]

I don't know if that's a historically *correct* way of doing it or not, but I've seen plenty of antique desks with that solution, and it looks great.

Seems like the best bet would be if you could get untanned cow hide, stretch it in place while it's still raw, and then tan it in place. It'll tighten up really well. Might be a little messy, but I knew a lady who made drums like that a several years ago, and the drum heads were very smooth and very tough- IIRC, she just let them dry, but I'm sure there is some other way of dying and/or treating them. Tanned leather tends to be a little softer and less suitable for a writing surface- I'd worry about tearing it or leaving perminent dents in the stuff if you don't use a blotter.

[Prometheus]

A little followup- I remembered a bit more of the process. You scrape the hide until it's fairly thin, then treat it with lye before stretching. It dries in place.