International studio (33.1907/1908(1908))

Practical Bookbinding

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RACTICAL BOOKBINDING—III.
BY MORRIS LEE KING

Protecting the sections while covering
{capping): When ready to put in leather
it is judicious to enclose the sections in a cover to
protect them from accidental soiling by paste, etc.
This is easily done by taking a piece of white or
thin manila paper (flexible) about twice the length
and breadth of the volume when closed. With the
book lying closed on the bench, slip the long edge
of the paper between the lower cover and the sec-
tions (the end-paper may also be left outside) close
up to the joint. The paper at head and tail should
project enough to meet or overlap a bit (when
folded) at center of book. It should extend beyond
fore edge enough to cover the same and reach the
joint when folded.
The paper being in position, lay back the upper
cover, fold paper over fore edge of sections and cut
so that it will not quite reach the joint. Hold it
tense and run the finger along the upper edge of the
sections, to crease it. Let it go and make a similar
crease on ends at head and tail. These creases act
as guides in cutting. By consulting the diagram
herewith no one should have difficulty in making a
neat cap.
The part folding over the fore edge is cut some-
what longer than the sections. This extra length is
folded down on head and tail (for extra protection)
before the ends are folded down and pasted.
This “ cap ” should be snugly fitted before being
pasted, so it will not slip ofi easily. It is usually best
to leave the outside leaf of end-papers outside the
cap. The correct title of book with date, etc.,
should be written on the waste end-paper before
putting on cap.
Putting in leather: Select a firm piece of leather
and cut it the proper size. 'When a
book is put in full leather it is usual to
leave enough margin so that when it is
turned over inside the cover, there will
be a margin of about one inch on the
inside. The most accurate way to meas-
ure is to cut a strip of stiff manila paper
about one-half inch wide and fold it
around the book (between the bands),
creasing it over the front edges of the
boards. By means of a pair of com-
passes, one inch is to be added at each
end and the paper cut at these points.
This will give a very precise and un-
yielding measure for the length of the
leather.

Another strip of paper is then laid on one cover
from head to tail and creased at the upper and
lower edge. With the compasses an inch is again
added at each end and the paper again cut. This
will give the width of the leather. By adopting this
method a very precise and unchanging measure is
arrived at and mistakes are avoided.
After the leather is cut to correspond to these
measurements, a line is drawn from top to bottom
at the exact center where the back of the book is to
come. This line being taken as a base line, two
other parallel lines are drawn equidistant from the
center line—the distance of these lines from the
center line varies, of course, with the thickness of
the book, but they should indicate just where the
edges of the back will come. (It is best to measure
the width of the back in the same manner with a
strip of paper.) Other lines are drawn parallel to
these, indicating where the front edges of the
covers will come. Similar measures are taken at
the top and bottom, and we then have a gridiron,
indicating exactly the width of the back, and the
width and height of the sides of the book.
As the leather covering the back will stretch
somewhat when being applied, some allowance
must be made so the line at the fore edges will come
exactly to the edges of the boards and not fall
beyond them.
Paring leather: The lines of the back and sides
having been accurately outlined in pencil, lay the
leather on a paring stone (any hard, polished sur-
face, stone or metal) and with the ordinary paring-
knife, held at an angle of about 45 degrees, make a
shallow cut along one of the lines, hut he sure not
to cut through. Do not try to pare off the whole
width, but cut or dig out a shallow trench, so to
speak, along the pencil line, to about the depth the
paring is to go. Then holding the leather in place

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