Debate: Should you reback a book or just patch the hinge?

I split a hinge clean down the middle on a 1920s novel last week in my shop, and I spent two hours trying to decide between a full reback and a simple hinge repair. Which way do you lean when the spine cloth is still decent but the joint is totally shot?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix_hayes6427d ago

Patch the hinge. A full reback is overkill if the original spine cloth is still in good shape. I've done it both ways and the patch holds just fine on a 1920s novel if the boards are solid and the textblock is tight. Just use a thin Japanese tissue and some wheat paste on the inside, line the hinge up carefully, and let it dry under weight for a day. Saves the original cloth and keeps the book looking period-correct, which for a 1920s novel is usually worth it.

sanchez.pat27d agoMost Upvoted

Tissue and paste, done in a day. Solid advice.

shanem3721d ago

I read somewhere that wheat paste is actually reversible if you mess it up, which is nice for nervous first-timers lol. Definitely the way to go over modern glues for something that old.