Most binders say hand work is the only way, but my machine bindings hold up fine. The look on their faces when I showed mine was hilarious.
I recently fixed a family bible and used new leather for the spine but kept the original covers. Some say this ruins the book's value, others think it keeps the history alive. What do you all think?
It feels like we're losing some of the craft's charm with this shift to simpler designs.
Walking through the fair last weekend, I spotted a stall with old crafting tools. The seller had a brass edge finisher I'd only seen in pictures. He explained how it gives a clean finish to spine edges without much effort. I picked it up for a few bucks and already love how it works. It's neat to find local treasures that boost our skills.
I've been binding all my books solo in a home workshop. It's good for concentration, but I miss the quick advice and jokes from a shared space. What do you do to stay connected with other bookbinders when you're on your own?
I used to bind books alone. Thought solo work was better. A client needed fifty journals fast. My coworker Jen helped out. She showed a faster way to fold signatures. We finished the order quickly. Now I see working with others makes bookbinding smoother.
I've bound a few personal journals without headbands to keep it simple. They hold up okay, but I wonder if I'm cutting corners. When do you guys decide to add them?
More clients ask for eco-friendly books lately. I found that mixing a bit of wheat paste with my usual glue helps with recycled paper. It stops the covers from peeling over time. Been using this for months now with great results. This tweak really improves how long the books last.