International studio (33.1907/1908(1908))

Practical Bookbinding


SHOWING HALF AND FULL BOUND WORK BY THE AUTHOR—ALSO ONE SLIP CASE

pressed on the worker that careful, precise
“blinding-in” is absolutely indispensable.
The final results of thorough “blinding-in,” over
careless work, are very similar to the results at-
tained by the careful as against the careless culti-
vator. The one cultivates his land thoroughly,
going over it again and again, to put it into the very
best condition for producing good crops. The other
is satisfied with careless preparation of the ground,
and the result is that his crops not only are small,
as regards quantity, but poor, as regards quality.
The same thing applies to thorough and superficial
work as regards the operation of blinding-in.
Blinding-in of back: All designs for panels of
back should be laid out from a central perpendicu-
lar line. Having laid out the pattern, the paper is
cut at top and bottom of panel, three and four
inches being left at each side. Place the book—
a pressing-board on each side—in the finishing
press. With a folder make a slight mark on each
panel at the exact center of back. The paper strip
with panel design is now laid across one panel and
the center line of the pattern adjusted accurately to
the guide marks just made on the latter. Holding it
firmly in place, the ends of the strip are touched
with paste and fastened to the sides of the press-
ing-boards. It is now blinded-in, and the other
panels treated the same way. The lettering on
the back should also be laid out accurately on a
similar strip of paper and blinded-in most care-
fully; much care should be taken to have it in the
exact center of the back.
Blind tooling: This is also known as “antique”
•—monastic style. Blind tooling is simply blinding-

in the design (as if for gold work), and instead of
using gold, changing the color of the leather itself
(in the impressions) to a brown or black. This is
done by dampening the leather after the design has
been impressed and going over the damp design
again and again with tools warm, but not hot, the
object being to outline the design either in brown
or black. This is really done by singeing or
scorching the leather under the tools. The color
and depth of the pattern or design should be uni-
form over the whole pattern. When the blind
tooling is completed, let the cover dry thoroughly,
and then work the design again with tools much
hotter than before; this polishes the leather in the
impressions.
Technique o/ finishing; Glaire: This most im-
portant medium is easily prepared as follows:
Place the white of an egg in a glass or wide-mouthed
bottle; add from one-half to one teaspoonful of
good cider or wine vinegar. Beat it up thoroughly
with the “devil” until the froth almost fills the
glass or bottle; let it stand a few hours and then
strain through a piece of muslin into a clean bottle
or other convenient container. After twenty-four
hours it is ready for use. It is better to have a bit
too much vinegar than too little. The resultant
medium should be a thin, limpid fluid, which
when taken up on a fine camel’s hair pencil runs
off easily. Thick glaire leaves stains on the edges
of the design and is “mussy.” Glaire keeps very
well for some time, if kept corked when not in use.
The moment it becomes turbid or unsatisfactory it
may be strained or thrown away and a fresh sup-
ply made.

CLVI