[samplatt]

I'm curious about the too-rough-to-wear bit. Would an extra (leather/plastic) layer below the glass be impossible?

[dezork]

Pâte de verre is typically rougher than kilncasting from a larger billet, because you're fusing glass granules without fully melting them together. So you could get a smoother surface just by adjusting the peak kiln temperature.

But yea, certainly you could add a leather wrap underneath.