International studio (33.1907/1908(1908))

Practical Bookbinding


perfectly straight across the back. After having
pinched the bands tightly, a flat piece of wood,
narrow enough to go between the bands, is used for
the purpose of pressing down the leather between
the bands. This operation and that of pinching the
leather around the bands must be repeated from
time to time, because it takes considerable manipu-
lation to make the leather fit smoothly and adhere
to bands and back.
These W manipulations consume considerable
time, and it is necessary to moisten the leather,
both on the back and around the edges, from time
to time (by means of a sponge dipped in water) in
order to keep it as flexible as possible.
After having smoothed down the leather on the
back and sides a number of times and having
pinched the bands until they retain their shape, we
come to one of the most troublesome operations in
covering, that is, the turn-in at the head and tail
of the book. It is well to be very deliberate in
covering so far as we have gone, in order to give
time for the paste to “set” to a certain extent so
that the leather will not separate from the back
during the next step.
Taking the book by the fore edge, the leather
which is to be turned in and form the cover of the
head-band is to be moistened with some fresh
paste, and a small amount of paste is also to be
rubbed on the inside of the boards just to the right
and left of the head-band.
The book is again taken by the fore edge, both
covers open slightly, and the book itself stood on
its tail on a small stone or block about an inch in
height and not overwide (the sections only resting
on it, but not the boards), with the upper part of
the fore edge resting against the operator’s chest
to steady it.
One cover is to be taken in each hand, opened
at right angles to the book, the thumbs on the

inside of cover next the head-band and the rest of
the fingers at the middle of the back. The upper
part of each cover is then pressed back by the
thumb until it is slightly beyond the level of the
back of the book (the two covers forming a straight
line at right angles to the book); the leather which
is projecting beyond the edge of the boards is turned
down on the inside of the boards and behind the
back of the sections, thus making a double thick-
ness of leather behind the head-band. (A very thin
narrow folder may be used to smooth out any
wrinkles where the leather is folded on itself.)
Great care is necessary in this operation in order
not to have the leather come loose all the way down
the back, thus allowing the boards to change their
position in relation to the sections. Great care must
also be taken to have the leather which is turned in
on the back lie smoothly and not in wrinkles.
After this has been successfully accomplished and
the leather is turned in at the back of the head-band,
it should project beyond it about one-eighth of an
inch or somewhat less. The book is now closed,
laid on its side with the fore edge toward the
operator. With one hand between the sections
and the lower cover, the book being opened at an
angle of 45 degrees, the leather on the upper edge
of the board is firmly turned in, drawn on the


LXVII