Finally got the spine backing right on my fourth try

I went to the Tattered Cover in Denver last weekend for a change of scenery and ended up in their rare book section. Saw this old binding from the 1800s and noticed how crisp and round the spine was compared to mine. Got home and tried a different approach with the hammer angle and a bit more moisture on the spine liner. Third try came out okay but the fourth one actually matched what I saw in that shop. Has anyone else had a lightbulb moment from looking at old books in a store?

2 comments

2 Comments

garcia.tyler19d ago

Tell me more about the moisture on the spine liner. I've always been scared to add too much water because I worry it'll warp the boards or make the glue go all funky. Did you use a spray bottle or a brush? And how long did you let it sit before you started hammering? I've got a 1920s novel I'm trying to fix up and the spine is totally flat, like a pancake.

diana_black19d ago

Oh man, I had the exact same fear about the moisture thing for the longest time. I used a barely damp brush, just flicked it over the liner once and let it sit maybe 30 seconds before hammering, and it softened the paper just enough to shape without warping anything. That flat pancake spine is a killer though, I spent three days on a 1910s book before I got it to hold a proper round.