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c/bookbinders•irisw73irisw73•1mo ago

Old-school glue vs modern PVA, which holds up better long term?

last weekend at a shop in Portland, I saw a guy restore a 1920s book with hide glue, swearing it's more reversible than PVA. A friend across the table argued PVA lasts way longer without cracking. Has anyone here tested both on a project over 5 years?
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lisar14
lisar141mo agoTop Commenter
The "more reversible" thing with hide glue is true but kind of misleading. I've used both on antique furniture and old books for about 10 years now. Hide glue does let you steam joints apart easy, but it can get brittle and crack in dry climates after 5-6 years. PVA stays flexible way longer, but once it sets, you're stuck with it forever.
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jade271
jade2711mo ago
Man, I've been using PVA for years and the only thing I'm stuck with forever is my morning coffee stain on the workbench. @lisar14 nailed it though - hide glue lets you undo your mistakes, which is basically my entire woodworking approach in one sentence.
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