c/bookbinders

Tried using wheat paste instead of PVA for a rebind and it warped the whole cover

I mixed it way too thin and the moisture curled the boards inward overnight, learned to test consistency on scrap first next time. Anyone else ever mess up a batch and have to start over from scratch?

2 comments

wren_carr•2d ago

A master bookbinder told me my covers were 'too perfect' and it stung

I was showing off my latest rebind at a guild meetup in Portland last month. This old timer who's been at it for 40 years took one look and said my covers looked machine-made, not handcrafted. He pointed out I was sanding my boards too smooth and using way too much PVA glue in my corners. At first I was annoyed, but he showed me his own work and I saw the subtle texture he got from using a bone folder with just the right pressure. I started leaving tiny marks and using a mix of wheat paste with my PVA. Now I actually get compliments on the handmade look instead of people asking what machine I used. Has anyone else gotten criticism that forced you to totally rethink your process?

2 comments

hannaht29•3d ago

PSA: Stop using bookbinding glue that's not pH-neutral for old books

I was restoring a 1920s novel for a client in Portland last month and noticed the spine was cracking after just two days, which made me check my adhesive. Turns out the cheap PVA I grabbed from the craft store had a pH of 5.0, which is acidic enough to eat through vintage paper over time. Has anyone else found a reliable brand of pH-neutral glue that stays flexible without costing an arm and a leg?

2 comments

abbyc33•4d ago

Just realized most people are over-gluing their book spines

I was at a workshop at the Printers Row bindery in Chicago last month, watching this older binder fix a 1950s encyclopedia with barely any PVA glue. She said most beginners drown their spines in adhesive and that's why the books crack after a year. Has anyone else found that using way less glue actually keeps the covers on tighter?

3 comments

taylor_flores•5d ago

Finally cracked the code on aligning my spine text after 3 hours

I was trying to get a gold foil title perfectly centered on a leather spine yesterday and it kept coming out crooked no matter what I did. I must have measured and remeasured like 15 times using a T-square and a bone folder for creasing. Turns out the issue was that I was marking my guide lines on the wrong side of the leather before it was glued down. Once I flipped the leather and marked from the flesh side instead, it lined up first try. Three hours of frustration for something that simple. Has anyone else dealt with alignment stuff that makes you feel like you forgot how to use a ruler?

2 comments

sarah198•5d ago

Hot take: PVA glue beats wheat paste for book cloth every time

I switched to PVA after my last batch of wheat paste turned my book cloth into a wrinkled mess. Took 3 tries to get a clean cover, never again. Anyone else ditch wheat paste for something else?

2 comments

piper_dixon45•6d ago

Took me a whole Saturday to figure out I was using the wrong thread size for my Coptic stitch

I couldn't get my needle through the signatures and kept ripping the paper. Turns out I was using upholstery thread instead of linen bookbinding thread. Has anyone else spent way too long troubleshooting something that simple?

2 comments

andrewt41•6d ago

Unpopular opinion: Bookbinding glue doesn't need to be fancy

I had a chat with this old-timer at a shop in Portland last week who uses plain Elmers for all his spine work. He said he's been doing it for 20 years without a single book falling apart. Made me wonder if we're all just buying into expensive PVA hype for no reason.

2 comments

the_joel•7d ago

Had a perfect binding week last month where every single spine glue mix was spot on

I usually mess up at least one batch per 30 books (you know, too runny or too thick). But for five straight days, every single spine I glued came out flat and solid. No bubbles, no cracking when I opened them up. Even my jig for the book press was cooperating. Has anyone else hit a streak like that where everything just clicked?

2 comments

emerychen•8d ago

Old binder at the shop showed me a trick for fixing warped covers

Last month I took a stack of old textbooks to a bindery in Portland to get the covers replaced. The guy running the place, probably 70 years old, watched me struggle with a warped board for a few minutes. He walked over and said "you need to wet the inside and clamp it flat for two hours before you glue anything." I had been trying to force it with weights and it never worked right. That one tip saved me three ruined covers and about $60 in wasted materials. Has anyone else gotten a simple fix from an older bookbinder that totally changed your method?

2 comments

taylor305•8d ago

Saw a guy at the Oregon book fair using a table saw to trim book edges

I was walking around the Oregon book fair last Saturday and this one dude had a whole mini table saw setup with a fence and everything. He was trimming stacks of pages down to size before binding them. Honestly looked way faster than using a guillotine cutter. Has anyone else tried this method or is it a bad idea for safety?

2 comments

sam_wood60•26d ago

That paste you're using might be rotting your spines

I noticed a few bindings from a shop in St. Louis that were already failing after just 18 months and the culprit was their wheat paste mix that had too much water and no preservative. The mold growth was subtle at first but the pages were actually sticking together in the humidity. Has anyone else run into this with homemade paste or do people mostly stick with PVA these days?

2 comments

reese86•26d ago

Took me 5 years to realize I was using my bone folder completely backwards

Was at a workshop in Denver last month and the instructor pointed out I've been using the smooth side for creasing. I had the polished side doing all the work when the real magic is in the matte side for clean folds on heavy paper. Anyone else have a tool epiphany that made you feel like a total rookie?

2 comments

margaretrivera•28d ago

Overheard a master bookbinder in Chicago say something that flipped my view on glue

I was at a workshop last Saturday and this older guy named Joe was talking about how he only uses wheat paste for his spines, even on modern books. I always thought PVA was the way to go for everything, but he showed me a 20 year old book he'd repaired that still flexed perfectly with no cracking. It made me realize I've been over-relying on synthetic glues for decades without really testing the alternatives. Has anyone else switched from PVA to wheat paste for certain bindings?

2 comments

cole_davis47•29d ago

My press gave out mid-joint on a $200 order

I was finishing up a run of 5 custom journals for a lady in Austin last Saturday and my book press just snapped. The screw stripped out completely, no warning. I had to use a stack of heavy encyclopedias and wood clamps to hold everything together while the glue dried. Has anyone else had a press fail at the worst possible time?

3 comments

amy_foster56•1mo ago

Had a moment at Goodwill that changed how I trim my book cloth

Last month I was digging through a bin at the Goodwill near my house in Portland and found this old sewing book from the 1950s. The binding was wrecked but the cloth on the spine was cut super clean with a razor blade. I always use scissors or a rotary cutter and get frayed edges on my book cloth. I tried copying that razor approach on my next project, a set of 3 journals for my sister, and it cut way sharper and cleaner. Has anyone else used a simple utility knife for book cloth instead of fancy tools?

2 comments

thompson.robin•1mo ago

Remember when we used to measure everything with just a ruler?

I started binding books in the late 90s and back then I used a basic metal ruler and a sharp knife for trimming pages. No presses, no clamps, just my hands and a steady table. About 5 years ago I finally bought a DIY board shear from a guy in Ohio for $200 and it changed everything. Now I can cut 20 text blocks in the time it used to take me to do one by hand. The edges are way cleaner too, no more jagged lines or ruined covers. Anyone else struggle with switching from hand tools to machines?

2 comments

brookep62•1mo ago

Finally got my first rounded spine right after 6 tries

I've been messing around with rounded spines for a few months now and kept getting weird bumps or flat spots. Last weekend I overheard a guy at the local print shop say he uses a wooden rolling pin instead of a bone folder for the initial shape. Tried it on a journal I'm making for my sister and it came out clean for the first time. Has anyone else tried non-standard tools for rounding that worked well?

2 comments

leo_carr13•1mo ago

Had to pick between linen thread and a synthetic core for a restoration job

I was rebinding a 1920s novel last month in Austin and had to choose between traditional linen thread and a modern synthetic core for the signatures. I went with linen because I figured it matched the age better, but now the spine is already showing some stiffness. Has anyone else run into issues with linen thread on older paper?

2 comments

morgan316•1mo ago

I used to think linen thread was just a flex until I tried it on a restoration job

Honestly, I was always a cotton thread guy for binding, figured linen was overpriced. But last month I had to rebind a 1940s textbook from a library in Portland and the linen held up way better through the stitching. No fraying, no tangles, just clean work. Anyone else switch materials and get surprised?

2 comments

tessa394•1mo ago

Old bookbinder in Brooklyn showed me a trick for paring leather that I still use

I was working at this small bindery in Brooklyn a couple years back helping out part time. This older guy, must have been 70, watched me struggle with a book cover for like 10 minutes. He just walked over, took my knife, and flipped the leather around backward on the stone. Said "you're fighting the grain, not the leather." Made me feel dumb but it actually worked perfect. Anyone else have a random old timer save you with one little trick?

2 comments

wesley83•1mo ago

Had a breakthrough week after 8 years of messing with headbands

I finally got my silk headbands to lay flat without puckering after watching a guy in Prague glue them instead of sewing, and now I'm kicking myself for all those ruined books.

2 comments

abbyc33•1mo ago

Switched from PVA glue to wheat paste for my Japanese stab bindings

Used to think PVA was the only way to go until I tried an old recipe from a bookbinder in Kyoto last fall. Has anyone else made the switch to natural pastes for certain projects and noticed a difference in flexibility or smell?

2 comments

sarah198•1mo ago

Swapped my wheat paste for methyl cellulose and I'm never going back

I was having so much trouble with my cloth covers bubbling up after a few days. Tried everything with the wheat paste, thinner layers, letting it sit longer, nothing worked. Finally grabbed some methyl cellulose from a art supply shop downtown after a friend in Portland swore by it. Night and day difference, the adhesion is way more forgiving and I can reposition stuff for a solid 30 seconds. Has anyone else found a game changer like this for their book cloth?

2 comments

angelac63•1mo ago

Finally finished my first leather-bound journal after 3 false starts

I messed up the spine on two of them at that little bindery workshop in Asheville last fall. Third try I finally figured out the trick with the glue consistency. Anyone else have a project that took way more tries than you expected?

2 comments