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Had to pick between glue and thread for a 1920s novel restoration
I was binding a 1920s novel that had the spine completely detached, and I had to decide between regluing the old spine or sewing a new one with thread. I went with thread because the paper was so brittle that glue would have cracked in five years. Spent about 4 hours doing a Japanese stab binding on it, and it actually turned out okay. But now the book won't lay flat on a table, which drives me nuts. Anyone else run into this where you fix one problem and create another one?
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johnson.river10d ago
Japanese stab binding on a 1920s novel? That's a bold move. That style looks great for display but it really messes with how the book sits open. I get going with thread over glue though, brittle paper is a nightmare and glues can just make things worse over time. But you might be stuck with that non-flat situation now unless you redo it with a different stitch pattern or a flexible hinge. Maybe a simple oversewn binding with a cloth hinge would have given you the durability without the stiffness.
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mark_green10d ago
Man, I had a buddy who tried that on a 1930s poetry book and the thing wouldn't sit flat on a table. He ended up having to practically break the spine to read the last few pages.
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wright.leo10d agoTop Commenter
@mark_green saw your buddy's same headache with that poetry book. Stiff as a board.
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