Angela Sutton_ Bookbinding Techniques

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9/08/10 8:32 PM Angela Sutton: bookbinding techniques Page 1 of 2 http://www.angelasutton.eu/techniques/index.html Photography (sections 1-4) by Peter Bryenton MENDING PAGES Japanese tissue, which has very long fibres and is thin and strong, is torn to shape, pasted lightly and applied to the torn edge so that the fibres are just overlapping. Repairs are always completed before the book is sewn. SEWING AND MARKING UP The picture shows tape of varying widths, two weights of hemp cord, and waxed linen sewing thread. When the book has been cleaned and repaired it is put in a press and the sewing points are marked, in this case for tapes. This is known as ‘marking up’. Books are sewn together one section at a time. This book is being sewn on tapes and the needle is in position to make the final knot at the end of a section, known as the ‘kettle’ stitch (from the German Ketel meaning ‘chain’). Book backs showing different kinds of sewing: on tapes, on sawn-in cords and on raised cords. ROUNDING AND BACKING Once the book has been stitched together it is rolled and hammered to turn the flat spine back into a rounded shape, which protects the sewing by reducing the strain on it when the book is opened. The book is put into the lying press, two large pieces of wood which are tightened by means of wooden screws and a bar known as a ‘press pin’. When the book is the correct shape it is covered by a piece of open weave cloth called mull and a strip of thin strong paper known as ‘kraft’ paper. The book is rolled and hammered into its rounded shape. It is then put between specially-shaped backing boards and lowered into the lying press. The lying press screws are tightened. The spine edges can then be shaped over the backing boards with the backing hammer. Glue is applied to the spine. Mull is placed on top. The mull is rubbed down. Kraft paper is placed on top. The kraft paper is rubbed down with a bonefolder. It is also rubbed down with the ball of the thumb to make sure it is well stuck on. It can be left to dry in the press or taken out and left between pressing boards with a weight on top.

description

Book binding methods for making your own books

Transcript of Angela Sutton_ Bookbinding Techniques

Page 1: Angela Sutton_ Bookbinding Techniques

9/08/10 8:32 PMAngela Sutton: bookbinding techniques

Page 1 of 2http://www.angelasutton.eu/techniques/index.html

Photography (sections 1-4) by Peter Bryenton

MENDING PAGES

Japanese tissue, which has very long fibres and is

thin and strong, is torn to shape, pasted lightly and

applied to the torn edge so that the fibres are just

overlapping. Repairs are always completed before

the book is sewn.

SEWING AND MARKING UP

The picture shows tape of varying widths, two

weights of hemp cord, and waxed linen sewing

thread.

When the book has been cleaned and repaired it is

put in a press and the sewing points are marked, in

this case for tapes. This is known as ‘marking up’.

Books are sewn together one section at a time. This

book is being sewn on tapes and the needle is in

position to make the final knot at the end of a

section, known as the ‘kettle’ stitch (from the German

Ketel meaning ‘chain’).

Book backs showing different kinds of sewing: on

tapes, on sawn-in cords and on raised cords.

ROUNDING AND BACKING

Once the book has been stitched together it is rolled and hammered to turn the flat spine back into a rounded

shape, which protects the sewing by reducing the strain on it when the book is opened. The book is put into

the lying press, two large pieces of wood which are tightened by means of wooden screws and a bar known as

a ‘press pin’. When the book is the correct shape it is covered by a piece of open weave cloth called mull and

a strip of thin strong paper known as ‘kraft’ paper.

The book is rolled and hammered into its rounded

shape.

It is then put between specially-shaped backing

boards and lowered into the lying press.

The lying press screws are tightened.

The spine edges can then be shaped over the backing

boards with the backing hammer.

Glue is applied to the spine.

Mull is placed on top.

The mull is rubbed down.

Kraft paper is placed on top.

The kraft paper is rubbed down with a bonefolder.

It is also rubbed down with the ball of the thumb to

make sure it is well stuck on.

It can be left to dry in the press or taken out and left

between pressing boards with a weight on top.

Page 2: Angela Sutton_ Bookbinding Techniques

9/08/10 8:32 PMAngela Sutton: bookbinding techniques

Page 2 of 2http://www.angelasutton.eu/techniques/index.html

COVERS & TITLES

Books covered in leather are described as bound in quarter leather (spine only), half leather (spine and

corners) or full leather. Many old books are bound in calf, but modern-day bookbinders mostly use goatskin.

This comes mainly from Africa. It is strong and durable, and good to work with.

Books to be bound in leather are sewn on cords

which are then ‘laced in’ to the boards through holes

and pasted in place.

Headbands are used to strengthen the spine of the

book when it is pulled out of a shelf. Some are glued

on, but a stitched-on headband as shown here is

much stronger as it is sewn on through the back of

the sections.

A strip of pared and pasted goatskin spine is applied

to the spine for a quarter-leather binding.

On a half-leather binding leather corners are pasted,

applied to the book and worked into shape with a

bonefolder.

When the leather is dry a cloth side is cut to fit the

corner and glued into place.

A piece of goatskin for a full-leather binding is pasted

and applied to the book.

The boards are held open and the leather is turned

over them.

Titles are applied to the back of the book by means

of brass ‘finishing’ tools.

These are heated on a finishing stove so that the gold

foil or gold leaf will adhere to the leather.

Materials

Marbled Papers

Angela Sutton often uses marbled papers designed

and made by the late Ann Muir. Happily Ann Muir's

work is being continued. See the Contact page of

this website for a link to the Ann Muir Marbling Ltd

website, which includes an extensive catalogue of

beautiful designs.

Leather & Bookcloth

Leather is expensive, but it is a beautiful material. It not only looks and feels pleasant for the user, but it also

feels good to work with, and is flexible and durable. Bookbinders now mainly use goatskin for covering books.

In the past calfskin was extensively used as this was the leather most easily available. Calf is still used but

mainly for repairing old books. It has a smooth surface and is obtainable in several shades of brown to match

existing covers as well as a variety of other colours and in a natural shade which can be dyed.

Goatskin comes mainly from Africa and

India, where it goes through the local

tanning process, but it is treated and

dyed in this country. It is obtainable in

a wide variety of colours, finishes and

grain patterns, and you can often see

the backbone of the animal, a slightly

darker line running down the length of

the skin. For most books it is necessary

to thin or to pare down the skin so that

it can be turned in easily over the

boards of the book. How much paring

needs to be done depends on the size

and weight of the book.

Paring is done with sharp knives, either

an English one, which is a long straight

angled blade, or a French one, which is

curved. A spokeshave is also used, and

a blade on a stand is useful for paring

small pieces of leather.

Pigskin is sometimes used but tends to lose its strength when thinned down.

Sheepskin is not strong enough for bookbinding and cow hide is too tough.

All sorts of skins have been used at one time or another but have been found unsatisfactory in some way or

other.

In the early nineteenth century,

bookcloth was developed as a cheaper

substitute for leather. It was quicker

and easier to apply to books, and it was

then that the ‘case’ became more

common as a book covering. Many case

bindings were produced that were very

elaborately decorated and stamped with

pictures and titling and are now

collectors’ pieces. Other plain case

bindings fulfilled their function of

protecting the book as economically as

possible. Modern hardback books are

case bindings covered in bookcloth. It

is manufactured in a range of colours

and weights.