c/bookbinders

Just finished my 50th full-leather binding and realized I've used over 2 miles of linen thread.

It's wild to think about all those stitches adding up, and it made me wonder what other small, repetitive tasks in your process have a surprisingly big cumulative number.

Why does nobody talk about how long it takes to line a spine with mull cloth?

I mean, I thought it would be a quick step on a recent repair job. I started by cutting the mull to size, which was fine. Then I spent over an hour just trying to get the paste application even without soaking the cloth too much. It kept bubbling or sticking to my fingers. I finally got it smooth after three attempts and letting it dry overnight. Has anyone else found a faster way to do this without messing it up?

I was wrong about using PVA glue for everything

For years I stuck with the same thick PVA for every binding, thinking it was the safe choice. The tip off was a restoration job on a 1902 family bible from Boston, where the old leather spine just would not flex properly. I watched a video from a binder in Italy who used a specific wheat paste mix for flexible spines, and it clicked. Has anyone else switched from PVA for certain jobs and found it works better?

Vent: I thought that Japanese paper was just a gimmick until I tried it on a repair

I was fixing a 1930s poetry book from the Seattle library and the old pages were basically dust. My friend insisted I use this 'kozo' paper she got from a shop in Portland, and I rolled my eyes at the price. After using it, the repair is invisible and feels like it'll last another hundred years. Has anyone else had a material they thought was hype turn out to be the real deal?

The day I accidentally used wallpaper paste for a quarter leather binding

Grabbed the wrong bucket from the shelf and didn't realize until the paste was already brushed on. The customer's face when I explained why their 1890s poetry book now smells like lavender was priceless. Has anyone else ever grabbed the completely wrong adhesive in a rush?

My grandpa always said to use a bone folder on every fold, but a friend in Seattle swears a metal ruler works better for sharp creases.

Tried the ruler on a batch of 50 chapbooks and got cleaner lines, but now I'm worried about long-term paper damage versus the traditional tool.

Vent: My first attempt at a French link stitch took me a full weekend.

I was binding a small poetry book for a friend. The holes in the signatures just would not line up right. I must have re-punched them four times. Finally got it after watching a specific video from a binder in Seattle. Anyone else have this kind of trouble starting out with that stitch?

PSA: I swore by my bone folder for years, but a demo at the Chicago Book Fair changed my mind.

Honestly, the presenter used a simple Teflon folder on some delicate marbled paper and it didn't leave a single shiny mark, which my bone one always does. Has anyone else switched tools for specific papers?

TIL that a lot of old books used arsenic in their green cloth bindings

Honestly, I was reading a library blog about 19th century book production and it said some green dyes back then were literally toxic. Ngl, it makes me nervous handling some of the older volumes I find at estate sales now. How do you all handle or identify potentially hazardous antique bindings?

My bone folder snapped clean in half on a full leather binding

It happened Tuesday night, right as I was working the leather around the spine of a custom journal. The thing just gave out with a sharp crack, left me holding two useless plastic pieces. I'd had that folder for maybe three years, got it from a local craft store for about $12. Had to finish the job with the back of a spoon, which was a total pain. Anyone got a good source for a solid, non-breakable bone folder that can take some real pressure?

I was trimming my headbands with a box cutter for a year before I saw a video from a binder in Chicago

I always thought my edges looked a bit rough, but figured that was just how it went with hand tools. Then I watched this binder from Chicago do a quick demo with a proper finishing knife and realized my whole method was adding extra steps and leaving those tiny ragged bits. Has anyone else switched from a box cutter to a dedicated finishing knife and noticed a big difference in clean-up time?

My book press was making a weird noise for a year

I just kept using it, thinking it was the wood settling. Then last month, my friend Sam came over to see my setup. He took one look and said, 'Dude, you put the press board in upside down.' I'd been tightening it against the smooth side, not the grooved side that's meant to grip. I flipped it and the noise stopped instantly. Has anyone else made a simple setup mistake that took forever to notice?

My old glue pot was making my endpapers bubble up every single time

For about six months, I was getting these tiny air bubbles under my endpapers no matter how carefully I pasted. I thought it was my technique, so I watched a ton of videos and tried different brushes. Then my partner pointed out my little thrift store glue pot was heating the paste way too fast and unevenly. I switched to a basic double boiler setup I made from a saucepan and a glass bowl, keeping the temp steady at 140 degrees. The difference was instant, my last three books have been completely smooth. Has anyone else had a glue temperature issue ruin their work before they figured it out?

Pro tip: I switched from a basic bone folder to a Teflon one for my leather work

I was working on a full leather binding for a client's journal last week and kept getting faint, shiny marks on the dark leather from my regular bone folder. I tried everything, lighter pressure, different angles, but the marks were still there. On a whim, I picked up a Teflon bone folder from a local shop for about $18. The difference was immediate. The Teflon tool glides over the surface without any drag or shine, even when I'm really working a crease or smoothing a pasted joint. It doesn't pick up or transfer any adhesive either, which is a huge plus. I finished that journal without a single blemish on the cover. Has anyone else found a specific tool that solved a persistent finishing problem like this?

Went to the big used bookstore in Portland and the bindings made me want to cry

I was at Powell's last weekend, just browsing the stacks like you do, and I swear half the hardcovers in the fiction section were falling apart. I'm talking about books from the 80s and 90s, not even that old, where the whole text block is just glued to the spine with what looks like hot glue. I picked up a copy of a Stephen King book and the whole thing just flopped open like a dead fish, the pages coming loose in my hand. It's such a shame because the covers are fine, but the guts are shot. They must have used the cheapest possible binding to save a few cents per copy back then. I ended up buying three of the worst ones for like five bucks total, just to see if I can give them a proper case binding at home. It's a fun challenge, but it's also kind of depressing to see how disposable they were made. Has anyone else tried rescuing these mass market glue bombs, and what's your method for getting all that old adhesive off without wrecking the paper?

A guy at the craft fair in Boise asked me if I could bind his book with duct tape for extra strength.

Rant: My first leather paring knife slip almost ruined a custom cover

I was working on a custom order for a client in Austin, trying to pare down some thick goat skin for a spine. My hand slipped and I took a huge, jagged chunk out of a corner piece I'd already cut to size. I had to stop, take a breath, and grab a scrap piece to practice my angle and pressure for ten minutes straight. I ended up salvaging it by turning that corner into a rounded one, which the client actually loved. Has anyone else had a close call with a sharp tool that forced a design change?

Stumbled on a hidden book repair station in the Denver library

I was at the main Denver library yesterday, just looking for some old maps to copy for a project. I took a wrong turn near the history section and ended up in a quiet corner I'd never seen before. Right there, in a little glassed-in room, was a full book repair setup. They had a nipping press, a sewing frame, and even a small board shear. I watched for a minute through the glass and saw a woman carefully lining the spine of a big old atlas with new mull. It was so cool to see that kind of work happening right out in the open, not hidden away. It made me think about how many people walk by and have no idea what's going on in there. Has anyone else found a public spot like this where they're doing proper book repair?

PSA: The glue in a 19th century copy of 'Moby Dick' was made from boiled horse hooves

Found that out in a footnote of a restoration guide from the Boston library. Anyone know if modern animal glues are still that... specific?

I finally listened to a client who said my headbands were too tight... it changed my whole rounding method.

Showerthought: I keep seeing people mess up their spine glue on thicker books

Honestly, I watched three different tutorials from big channels that all said to use PVA straight from the bottle for a 500 page text block. Tried it on a commission last month and the spine cracked open after one read. You need to mix in about 20% methyl cellulose to keep it flexible, or it's just too rigid. Has anyone else found a better glue mix for chunky novels?

PSA: I used to think a bone folder was just a fancy, overpriced tool for years.

Honestly, after forcing myself to use one for a week on my leather covers, my creases went from looking kinda rough to perfectly sharp. Has anyone else had a tool they avoided that actually made a huge difference?

I thought using a bone folder on thick leather was a bad idea

I was working on a journal cover with some 3 oz veg tan last week and my usual creaser just wasn't making a clean line. Out of frustration, I grabbed my bone folder and pressed way harder than I normally would. It actually made a super crisp crease without tearing the grain, which I was sure would happen. Now I'm wondering if I've been too gentle with my tools on heavier stock. Has anyone else had a tool surprise them like that?

My old teacher told me to never use PVA glue on leather bindings, and I finally get why.

She said it would crack and fail in a few years, but I used it on a journal cover anyway (you know, to save time). Sure enough, after about two winters, the leather started pulling away from the boards at the hinges. What's your go-to adhesive for full leather work these days?

My bone folder snapped clean in half during a big project last night

I was working on a leather cover for a custom journal, putting a lot of pressure on a tight corner crease, and it just gave way with a loud crack. It was my favorite one, a nice heavy one I've had for about five years (not a cheap one, either). I had to stop everything and run to the craft store, but they only had those flimsy plastic ones that bend if you look at them wrong. Ended up using the back of a spoon to finish the job, which was not ideal at all. The whole thing set me back almost two hours and the finish on that corner isn't as crisp as I wanted. What's a good, strong brand for a replacement that won't break the bank? I can't go through that again.