Watched an old bookbinder restore a 1920s novel last week and it changed how I glue spines

Last Tuesday I stopped by a workshop in Chicago where a guy named Pete was fixing up this beat-up 1920s novel. He didn't use any fancy clamps or heat tools, just a little pot of wheat paste and some linen tape. He spent a whole hour letting the glue dry on the spine before even touching the covers. I usually rush that part with PVA and hope for the best, but he said slow drying makes the spine flex better. He showed me how the old glue had cracked because it was too stiff. I tried his method on a project yesterday and the book opened way flatter. Has anyone else had better luck with wheat paste over PVA for spine work?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivanross22d ago

Man, that really resonates with me. I've been using PVA for years on repairs and always wondered why some books felt tight or awkward to open. Your story about Pete taking a whole hour for the glue to set makes so much sense now. I tried wheat paste once before but got impatient and messed it up, so I gave up on it. Your explanation about old glue cracking from being too stiff is exactly what I've seen on vintage books I've worked on. Will definitely give the slow dry method another shot after reading this, proper respect to craftsmen who take their time.

the_faith22d ago

Got to admit, I used to be one of those people who thought PVA was king for everything. I figured it was just faster and I didn't have time to wait around. But after reading about Pete and that hour long set time, it made me realize I was rushing things that deserved patience. Wheat paste never clicked for me either because I thought it was too fussy. Now I'm starting to see that slow drying actually helps the glue settle into the fibers better instead of just sitting on top. Makes sense why some of my older repairs came out stiff and why the books felt like they were fighting me.

gavinwells22d ago

Right, so @the_faith, now I have to go apologize to every book I ever glued with PVA lmao. Guess I was just speedrunning my way to stiff, angry pages instead of learning to chill like Pete.