International studio (32.1907)

Practical Bookbinding

Rolls: These are fillets with wide surfaces, on
which an ornamental pattern has been cut. Good
binders do not use them, because they do not wish

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to use the same pattern on more than one book or
set of books. Another objection is, they are quite
expensive.

Tools with rounded edges produce more brilliant
results than if the edges are sharp and the face
quite flat. This is especially the case in straight
lines, curves, dots, etc. This is because a flat, gilt
surface is not so good a universal reflector as a
curved one. A tool with a sharp
edge and flat surface makes a de-
pression in the leather which, in
section, looks like this:

With edges smoothed off and the
face (say of a line) rounded, the
section is like this :

In the first instance the- only reflecting surface is
A, and it is only bright when in one special rela-
tion to the eye. In the second case the reflecting
surfaces are at B, and are brilliant in some one
part at all times. Multiplying this difference by
the hundreds of points of reflection in the average
design, it may easily be seen that one method pro-
duces a more brilliant effect than the other, irre-
spective of the quality of material or work.

The following styles are ample for a beginning:

Fillets: Single line, light.

Double line, light.

Single heavy line.

Double heavy line.

Very heavy and light combined.

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Straight lines : £ and J inch and i inch long
should be secured to match each of the fillets, the
lines being of the same width.

Gouges: An indefinite number of these may be
had of various curves, lengths and widths of line.
I advise the beginner to secure them only as they
are needed in the development of his skill. The
diagram herewith gives an idea as to curves and
lengths to be selected from time to time.

Lettering: This may be done by separate hand
letters or by means of a pallet and type. Both
methods have their votaries and both have ad-
vantages. Both also produce good results in the
hands of experts, and both may produce poor re-
sults in other hands. So one may select the one
he prefers. In the United States, type is used in
most professional work. Hand letters are used by
English binders, and in this country they are em-
ployed by those habituated to their use by study
abroad. Type is less expensive, and one may
have a greater variety for the same outlay. The

respective cost is about as follows:

A first-class pallet of good size.. $6 to $8

Four fonts of type (brass). $20 to $25

Lead type, coppered, may be used, and costs
from $1.50 to $2 per font. Type, both lead and
brass, are put up for binders in fonts of 100 letters.
Brass type is by far the best, and if possible the
foreign article should be bought.

Handle letters cost from $10 to $12 per set of 24,
plus figures.

As good a binder as Cockerell says one may get
along with four sizes of type. I know, however,
that some binders doing all kinds of work have a
dozen different sizes and styles. Assuming, how-
ever, that four sizes are a happy medium, the com-
parative cost will be about as follows:

Pallet, $8; four sets type (brass), $24.$32 00

Pallet, $8; four sets type (lead), $6. 14 00

Four sets handle letters. 45 00

The matter of expense usually settles the ques-
tion, in the case of most beginners.

Both type and handle letters made in Europe
are about one-half the price and better made, so
the opportunity of getting such things abroad
should not be neglected. Brass type may be
found in Europe cut specially deep for binders’
use. Recent comparison of such type with the
commercial brass type made here, shows the depth
of cut of the latter to be not more than one-half
that of the foreign make.

Arrangement of tools: The various fillets should
be held on the wall by means of a rack like this:

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