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?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryantorres15d ago

My old credit card worked fine for creasing paper for a decade. It's hard to believe a piece of smooth plastic could be that much better, even if it does look nicer. I guess for leather it might matter more, but for basic cardstock I'm still not totally convinced. Part of me wonders if it's just the placebo effect of using a "real" tool.

blair_webb15d ago

My first bookbinding class at the community center is what changed my mind. The instructor had us crease the same paper with a library card and then a bone folder. The difference wasn't just visual, you could feel it. The bone folder gave a crisp, pressed line that locked the fold in place. That clean edge is the difference between a project feeling handmade and feeling professional.

masongonzalez15d ago

Oh man, I feel called out. I was totally in Ryan's camp until I tried @blair_webb's paper test, and yeah, my folds were embarrassingly bad.