I finally fixed a messed up spine from 2018 this weekend

I was reorganizing my shelves in Philly last Saturday and found this old rebind I did of a Robert Jordan novel. The spine was completely cockeyed because I rushed the glue-up in my basement without letting the PVA tack up first. I soaked it apart with a hot palette knife, reapplied the adhesive slowly this time, and clamped it overnight. Has anyone else had to redo their early projects years later just to make them presentable?

3 comments

3 Comments

cameron7631mo ago

Ngl I kinda disagree with jessicaw11 here. A bone folder is way more versatile than a Teflon sheet once you know how to use it properly. Ive been using a bone folder for years on everything from bookcloth to leather and if you run it along the grain of the fabric instead of pressing down hard it wont leave shiny marks. The trick is to keep the folder moving constant and not let it sit in one spot. Honestly parchment paper is fine for protecting stuff but it can still cause wrinkles if your iron is too hot or you move it around too fast. A bone folder gives you more control over the pressure and the heat from your hands is better than any iron for small spots. Tbh jessica's method works if you have the patience for it but for quick fixes on older projects like that spine repair the bone folder wins every time.

kelly_coleman611mo ago

Did you use a bone folder to press the cloth flat?

jessicaw111mo ago

Actually, a bone folder would not be the best tool for that job. You want to use something like a Teflon pressing sheet or a thin piece of cotton fabric to protect the cloth from direct heat. The bone folder is great for scoring paper or smoothing out bookbinding materials, but it can leave shiny marks or even burn fabric if you run it over the cloth while it's still hot from the iron. I always put a piece of parchment paper between the iron and the cloth to keep from melting anything. A regular household iron on a low setting with steam works better than any bone folder for getting fabric flat. Just make sure you test a small piece first before you commit to the whole project.