Showerthought: My old hair straightener saved a book with a warped cover

I was fixing a 1920s poetry collection from my local library's sale, and the cloth cover had a bad warp from moisture. I tried pressing it under weight for days, but it just wouldn't flatten. On a whim, I used my hair straightener on the lowest heat setting with a piece of parchment paper between it and the cloth. It worked perfectly in about two minutes! Has anyone else used a totally non-bookbinding tool in a pinch like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_nathan9d ago

Ever think about the long term damage? Heat on old cloth and glue seems risky. That low setting is still pretty hot for materials that old. Could make them brittle over time. I'd stick with proper book presses or just accept some wear on a cheap find.

the_hayden9d ago

Look, I get where you're coming from @the_nathan, but my grandma's old cookbook was already falling apart. Using a warm iron on low for a few seconds got the pages flat again so I can actually read her pie recipe. It's not like I'm putting a first edition Shakespeare in the dryer. Sometimes you just gotta fix the thing you have with the stuff you own.

carter.laura7d ago

Come on, @the_nathan, a little warmth is way less risky than letting a book fall apart completely.