I finally had to pick between glue and stitching on a rebind project

I was working on a 1970s paperback that was falling apart and I got stuck choosing between using PVA glue or going full stitch through the fold. The glue route would be faster, maybe 45 minutes total, but stitching felt more authentic for the old paper. I went with stitching and it took me 2 hours but the spine opened way flatter than I expected. Now I am wondering if glue would have held up just as well or if I wasted time for no reason. Has anyone else faced this choice and regretted one option?

2 comments

2 Comments

kai_bennett4d ago

I keep seeing people go back and forth on this like it's some life or death decision. At the end of the day it's a beat up 1970s paperback, not a rare medieval manuscript. If the glue holds and the book stays together for another ten years, who cares if you spent two hours doing it the "authentic" way? I glued a few old paperbacks in my day and they are still sitting on my shelf fine. You probably made it look nicer and feel better in your hands, but that's about it. The time savings would have been worth it if you ask me.

abby_henderson4d ago

Totally agree. People overthink this stuff way too much. It's a paperback, not a museum piece.