Literally came to this video with book binding tape and everything, expecting it to be super complicated, and within the first 5 minutes of the video, I had my answer and was able to fix my paperback book who's spine was halfway off by just using my a clothing iron (carefully setting the heat) and some parchment paper in 10 minutes. Thank you so, so much!!!
I don’t need any of my books rebound, but you both seem like very friendly people. I appreciate when kind and skilled people take some of time to share their valuable knowledge with others. Keep doing what your doing, you got my 👍
hello. i'm an owner of a printing press...you may want to consider doing a shallow scorings (around 5 to 6 scorings) by cutting across the grains of the spine using a dull xacto knife so that the glue can penetrate the paper. that's the system behind when you are using a perfect binding machine. enjoy reading the book! :)
Thank you for sharing this insight. I agree that adding scoring before gluing is a more thorough way to do this procedure and it doesn't take much more time to add it. Good catch.
@@SaveYourBooks Do you know how to repair a bent spine? I have a book series that each book has a spine bent so badly I can't get them back in their original box. How do you effectively fix the spine? If you already have a video full of tips, please point me to it. I really want to reduce the space of these books and piling other books on top of it doesn't seem to help me.
@@pineforest1442 Hi Erin, I assume you are talking about paperback books. If they are bound with modern glue that is affected by heat then you should be able to use a hairdryer to warm up the glue and then press them into the opposite direction as best you can. If you have more questions please post on the Student Forum at www.saveyourbooks.com. Cheers.
@@pineforest1442 If your paperback has a bent spine and it has the same modern glue, you can heat the glue with a hairdryer or iron and press the spine in the opposite direction. I haven't done a video on this yet. good idea!
Oh my gosh, I can’t thank you guys enough for this video! I watched it probably a dozen times before working up the courage to fix my husband’s 53-year-old copy of The Fellowship of the Rings. Thanks to the video and some products from your site, I was able to save this family heirloom! Hoping this holds up for many years to come! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks for a wonderful video. Very informative and complete. I look forward to ordering from you soon, since I have quite a collection of antiquarian books.
It's funny I got into board games during covid and have had to fix many cardboard boxes buying used games. Through trial and error I come up with a good method and seeing your video I have been using all the same equipment as you, wax paper and all, even down to the exact same Irwin clamps. Getting into rebinding paperback sheet music books I was about to attempt a very similar method as yours, but was wondering if the PVA glue would stick to itself if I glued the pages first, let it dry, then apply more glue to attach the spine and covers as a whole.
I have the first 2 books in LOTR in first edition paperbacks from 1965. They are crunchy, water damaged, pages falling out, and i just bought return of the King in the same edition to complete the set. I want to rebind them in leather all together, with the original paper covers still in there to act as dividers between the books. I'm nervous to do it myself but I really want it to be done, they're so gorgeous and deserve to be preserved.
I did this on my first book! I will use a better tool to scrape off the glue in the future, but this worked well and I'm back to reading it like it's an actual book! Thanks again!
That just made my whole day! I think I should do another video showing the scraping or cutting process to remove the spine. There are a few options. I hope the next way you try is easier. Let me know. Cheers!
Thank you for filming this !! A few days ago a friend loaned me an old paperback and it split in two while I was reading it. I absolutely did NOT want to return it damaged so your video is a life-saver. ( !!! ) THANK YOU !!
Wow, 8 years later and I come across this video from ANOTHER reddit thread. How thin is that tissue paper? Is it like regular tissue paper? I ask this because I'm wondering how many layers can be used on the spine to get a smoother, more opaque look to better blend in with the color schemes of the book (or to even make it more colorful and unique to each person's taste). Would adding more than one or two layers make it too stiff for the spine and break off? I just recently bought a book set from a series I used to love reading as a child and the covers/spines are in rough shape. I want to restore them to a nicer state but I'm so scared I'm just going to ruin them further. I already know I'll have to reprint a few of the covers because they're just so worn down.
@@liahnotleah The tissue is Kozo fiber tissue/paper. Hinging tissue is super thin, Sekishu is a bit thicker. Come to Save Your Books .com to learn more. Cheers.
I really enjoyed your video. I have only one book I want to fix - can you tell us what to use instead of the specialty glue (on amazon it is $14.99) and the Japanese tissue?
Go to any art supply store and ask them about Japanese or similarly long-fibered paper. It needs to be flexible and thin but strong. You could also take a USPS tyvek envelope and split the material in two (not super easy, but possible for small sections) and use that for the paper. For glue, buy some glue that says archival if you can. I sell some for less than that on saveyourbooks.com. If you send me a message with the order I will throw in the Japanese tissue you need. Cheers.
The question I have, is how to deal with the acidified paper? My copy of the Darwath trilogy by Barbara Hambly, long out of print, has been turning brown with acid; is there something that can neutralize it?
@@SaveYourBooks thanks. I've read the books many, many times over the decades, so they have quite a bit of sentimental value. Gil, Rudy, and Ingold are old friends, and worth the cost.
Thank you so much, I will try this shortly. I found this neat collection of lord of the rings from 1974, looked to be in good condition, but completely fell apart when I opened it. So this is just what I need! Maybe edit the info and add links to your site and the shop, both in the video description and also maybe a clickable link on the video. Kind of hard to figure out where to go. Don't make it so hard for people to give you money ;) Thanks again
Thanks for the advice! I wish I had someone who could go through all my videos and add links. I keep meaning too but I am writing a book right now and it gets away from me. I think I have the same lotr set! Good luck with it. Cheers.
i just love how you made the book look like new again. But i have question???? What if you don't have the binding part of the original paperback book, like it was rip or bent to many time and doesn't look nice any more. How can i fix that to look like new again.
This is amazingly helpful. Thank you! What do you do if you can't get all the glue off the spine so it won't fan out? Also, what if the cover (including the spine) is completely intact. Would you still cut it apart? Thanks again for your help.
There is more info at saveyourbooks.com/ However, I don't always cut apart the cover! only as needed. If you can't get the spine to fan out you just need to cut more. You can take the book to a print shop to trim the spine but it is risky if they are not being careful. I had one cut the fore-edge by mistake once!
would it be the same to rebind a book where the spine and covers are still all in one piece, it's just the pages that are detached and loose? would you recommend cutting and separating the covers from the spine?
11:45 .. "...not for a collectable..." I gotta say then why bother? Why go to all that trouble? Toss it and get another copy on Ebay or from a used bookstore?
This video was perfect for me - I wasn't looking for a professional way to repair a book, just a reliable one. You might have noticed that the title of the video is NOT "Archival Quality Paperback Book Restoration"
Great video! Thank you. If you had an amazon.com or other site affiliate link in your description below for each product used, it would be infinitely helpful for beginners. It could also bring a small income your way. :D
Very excellent as I have a number of old non-fiction paperbacks that I really treasure but are falling apart. I can see I need to join SYB. Wish you had given more info about that. Going to google you right now!!! Sure hope I'll find you! You guys are great! Thanks. :) PS: I really love the brick idea!
Interesting. Offhand, I say no, but I would want to know more about the situation. You can go to www.saveyourbooks.com to the student forum and post a photo there.
@@SaveYourBooks i fixed it , i sprayed a small mist of water on each page and on the outside , then i bent the book gently to one side and the other for about 40 minutes by hand, then i used a fan and used a press, it isn't perfect but it is way better than before , no more crunchy pages lol i can actually read it now
I am not sure I understand. Do you want one that is just like the old one or a new cover or maybe even a hard-cover? I don't know anywhere to buy other copies of paperback covers. You could buy another copy of the book and swap it maybe.
Your videos are amazing, and this one in particular will be very helpful to me in repairing a vintage paperback book of mine which has a cracked spine. However, I have a question: since my book is still mostly intact, how can I remove the cover in one whole piece? I have experimented on another book with an iron in melting the glue, using an Xacto knife in carefully cutting away the glue, but I haven't had much success yet. Do you have any tips? Thanks so much in advance!
I did exactly what you said. I clamped my paperback book so that the spine pages were pushed (pressed) against the cover on the back (I used wood clamps). I got some parchment paper and ironed the spine against the cover… And my book glued right back together… Good as new. Thanks!
I have online consultations available through www.saveyourbooks.com. They can be done through zoom. I can't organize a workshop for a group of people just now but that is a great idea!
Thank you so much for that video. I have many high quality paperback musical scores such as the Henle urtext editions which can use exactly what you demonstrated here.
DO NOT use your fingers to spread the glue, all glues contains substances which are harmful to health and you risk getting dermatitis which is difficult to get rid of and extremely itchy, always use a spreader AND protective gloves, thank you for the video and thanks for hearing me out
Good advice. There are many things to watch out for in the substances and even the tools used in book repair. It sounds like you have had a bad experience with this so thank you for the very real warning. Knowing myself, I can't say that I will always follow through on it because of my habits.Also, I do know for a fact that some glues are better than others. The ones I use have been tested by conservators for hazards. I have been doing it for over 25 years with no dermatitis yet but I will make an effort to set a better example for others in future videos.
Asians use rice glue while the west use hide glue (horse), and if you could eat it, should be ok on you fingers. We still use hide glue for fine traditional woodworking. I've been using yellow glue for decades and spread it with my fingers when too lazy to hunt down for a brush. I'm still kicking.
Does work for comic book trades because I had a new comic trade paperback after I purchased it fell completely out of the cover. Everything is intact I just need to glue the book back to the spine.
You are giving some confusing explanations. First your referred the use of archival glue. Then, later you kept referring to the use of pda and paste. Are these three different types of glues or do they all refer to one type of glue? Please explain. You also refer to your website, but where do you provide the address to your website?
Thank you for your comment. Archival glue is chemically made up of, and is often referred to as PVA or Poly Vinyl Acetate. Paste is an organic substance and can be made from many different things. The most common are Rice starch and Wheat starch. Sorry for any confusion. The website is the first thing on the video at the bottom of the screen and again at the end. www.saveyourbooks.com
Hello. I have a rented paperback book. One of my younger family members accidentally bent the book cover. The book has a signature that we can't copy so we cannot get a new one. Is there a way to unben and get rid of any crease?
Unfortunately no. Not really. You might improve it possibly by ironing it on a low temperature through baking parchment but the fibers of the paper are compromised. If you go through my website and send a photo I may be able to help further.
This is a great question and the answer is sort of. You will notice that the spine is made up of several layers of paper. You could lift one layer to tuck in a new hinge to repair the front cover only. More information on paperback repair at www.saveyourbooks.com.
Hello, I love the video. I do have a question though. A little background first. I have a Bible with a paperback cover that was used heavily. Over time several pages and ultimately large sections of the book began to pull away. So have of the book is falling apart and half of it is in tack. These pages were at the back of the book. My question is would this method be sturdy enough for fairly continuous use? Thank you for your time and for the great video.
This wasn't exactly what I was looking for but you are just so soothing I just curled up in my bed to watch! Lol. I have a book I found lost on my school campus with the back cover partially torn off, plus a couple others with little rips in the covers. Any way to salvage them or fix them up enough to cover the pages?
@@KeruuKat It seems plausible that you could use some new paper to replace the cover. Come to the Save Your Books Student Forum or check out the courses here. saveyourbooks.com/studentforum/
Hi, I have a 1” thick 1950s magazine where the spine/cover is coming separate from the magazine. Can you tell me how to glue it back? I sold this rare magazine to someone and I would like to give it to them in better shape. Thanks! Rose
It is very possible that you can simply iron the spine through some baking parchment to have it reattach. If the spine glue is not modern though this won't work and you would have to use other adhesive methods.
Thank you for this video. I too have a collection of paperback books. The were boxed and humidity made the covers stick to each other. I pulled them apart carefully but the covers now have little white patches where the ink has pulled off the cover illustrations. The cover also has lost it's sheen and now feels 'rough' like it has a thin layer of glue across it (?). Is there any product I can wipe over the covers to remove the rough glue-like feeling? Thank you again.
I am unfamiliar with this roughness. My instinct is to rub through some waxed paper to transfer the wax onto the cover. Test it out and see if that seems good. You could use the rounded handle of a butter knife to rub. Typically I would use a bone folder for that.
I just wanted to let you know that I work at a library, and one of our most used reference books had pages coming out of it. It was new enough that I was able to use the ironing method. Despite no one I work with expecting this to work, it did!! This just saved our library a ton of money! Thank you so much!
do you know how to prevent book spine from curving.. i really need that.. because many of my books have that problem.. and its not just curve it almost look like a reverse C spine and the pages become uneven.
Can u do a video on how to fix a books binds like in the way that like would fix a "broken bind" like how a book would stay open kind of if u put to much pressure specifically with paperbacks because I have a book I love and now it stays open on the same page please help me
Hey there. Thanks for the question. Is this a paperback we are talking about? If it is bound with modern white glue it is possible that applying heat and pressure while the book is closed will have a good effect. Test first on an inconspicuous spot to make sure heat won't damage anything and never apply heat directly with an iron. Use baking parchment sheets (not wax paper) to iron through. If it is an old fashioned water based glue then it is possible it has aged and deteriorated too far and the only thing to do (until the book is far enough broken to be re-bound) is to create a neat hinge with Japanese tissue and paste so the area is protected. Running glue down the crack and shutting it will only do more damage and make it harder to repair neatly later. Of course if the book is only worth a couple of bucks you can try the running glue into the crack and shutting it thing. It just isn't the archival solution. I will look for a book with a cracked binding with which to make a video. Feel free to send one along if you have an extra. email me directly through my website. www.saveyourbooks.com if you want the address. Again, thanks for the great question!
One way is to take it to a print shop and have them use their guillotine. Another way is to clamp it down and cut with an exacto knife but I haven't had the best luck with this. It is hard to do well. Good luck!
A suggestion but don't blame me it it doesn't work - never done it. Most glues will soften with heat, why not bake it in the oven? Make sure it's way below the paper ignition temperature (whatever that is, go Google it) and wrapped it in aluminum foil to deprive it from oxygen just make sure it won't burn. If there is a screw up, I don't know you.
@@kimchee94112 Fahrenheit 451 is a good guide (Thanks Mr. Bradbury!) but fire investigators use a range of 218-246 degrees C (424-475 degrees F) for paper ignition temperatures. www.sierragal.com/252_stuff/Physical_constants_for_fire_investigators.pdf
The folding process breaks the fibers of the paper so while it can be made flatter it is not able to be "perfect" anymore. email me through my save your books website and I can advise more thoroughly if you can send a photo. Splitting the paper and re-pasting it together would work best for invisibility probably. But it could be that just a bit of paste applied to the cracked area and then gentle pressing maybe with a thin Japanese tissue could be an acceptable answer.
Good call. A bit of steam will help the fibers relax so they can be put back where they belong. Be careful not to overdo it though! Too much heat and moisture can cause the cover layers to split.
Forget about doing all that work. I cut out the spline on my bandsaw to obtain individual pages then feed it to my scanner to PDF file so that I have multiple books in my tablet. Ok sometime I do miss a real book, then I'll glue it back. LOL
Literally came to this video with book binding tape and everything, expecting it to be super complicated, and within the first 5 minutes of the video, I had my answer and was able to fix my paperback book who's spine was halfway off by just using my a clothing iron (carefully setting the heat) and some parchment paper in 10 minutes. Thank you so, so much!!!
Yay! You are so welcome.
I don’t need any of my books rebound, but you both seem like very friendly people. I appreciate when kind and skilled people take some of time to share their valuable knowledge with others. Keep doing what your doing, you got my 👍
Thanks!
hello. i'm an owner of a printing press...you may want to consider doing a shallow scorings (around 5 to 6 scorings) by cutting across the grains of the spine using a dull xacto knife so that the glue can penetrate the paper. that's the system behind when you are using a perfect binding machine. enjoy reading the book! :)
Thank you for sharing this insight. I agree that adding scoring before gluing is a more thorough way to do this procedure and it doesn't take much more time to add it. Good catch.
You are most welcome! :)
@@SaveYourBooks Do you know how to repair a bent spine? I have a book series that each book has a spine bent so badly I can't get them back in their original box. How do you effectively fix the spine? If you already have a video full of tips, please point me to it. I really want to reduce the space of these books and piling other books on top of it doesn't seem to help me.
@@pineforest1442 Hi Erin, I assume you are talking about paperback books. If they are bound with modern glue that is affected by heat then you should be able to use a hairdryer to warm up the glue and then press them into the opposite direction as best you can. If you have more questions please post on the Student Forum at www.saveyourbooks.com. Cheers.
@@pineforest1442 If your paperback has a bent spine and it has the same modern glue, you can heat the glue with a hairdryer or iron and press the spine in the opposite direction. I haven't done a video on this yet. good idea!
Oh my gosh, I can’t thank you guys enough for this video! I watched it probably a dozen times before working up the courage to fix my husband’s 53-year-old copy of The Fellowship of the Rings. Thanks to the video and some products from your site, I was able to save this family heirloom! Hoping this holds up for many years to come! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
You made my night. Smiling from ear to ear. :)
Omg that's exactly what I'm here for too, my grandma's copy of the trilogy and the hobbit.
I love your guys’ meta talk, back and forth, and explanations. This video is like a warm hug. ☺️
Thanks for a wonderful video. Very informative and complete. I look forward to ordering from you soon, since I have quite a collection of antiquarian books.
It's funny I got into board games during covid and have had to fix many cardboard boxes buying used games. Through trial and error I come up with a good method and seeing your video I have been using all the same equipment as you, wax paper and all, even down to the exact same Irwin clamps. Getting into rebinding paperback sheet music books I was about to attempt a very similar method as yours, but was wondering if the PVA glue would stick to itself if I glued the pages first, let it dry, then apply more glue to attach the spine and covers as a whole.
You may want to take my other paperback repair course available at save your books. com
Good books. I had them all.
I have the first 2 books in LOTR in first edition paperbacks from 1965. They are crunchy, water damaged, pages falling out, and i just bought return of the King in the same edition to complete the set. I want to rebind them in leather all together, with the original paper covers still in there to act as dividers between the books.
I'm nervous to do it myself but I really want it to be done, they're so gorgeous and deserve to be preserved.
That will be a very thick book! Good luck. I love those books and have the same set myself.
I did this on my first book! I will use a better tool to scrape off the glue in the future, but this worked well and I'm back to reading it like it's an actual book! Thanks again!
That just made my whole day! I think I should do another video showing the scraping or cutting process to remove the spine. There are a few options. I hope the next way you try is easier. Let me know. Cheers!
Thank you for filming this !! A few days ago a friend loaned me an old paperback and it split in two while I was reading it. I absolutely did NOT want to return it damaged so your video is a life-saver. ( !!! ) THANK YOU !!
Wow, 8 years later and I come across this video from ANOTHER reddit thread.
How thin is that tissue paper? Is it like regular tissue paper? I ask this because I'm wondering how many layers can be used on the spine to get a smoother, more opaque look to better blend in with the color schemes of the book (or to even make it more colorful and unique to each person's taste). Would adding more than one or two layers make it too stiff for the spine and break off?
I just recently bought a book set from a series I used to love reading as a child and the covers/spines are in rough shape. I want to restore them to a nicer state but I'm so scared I'm just going to ruin them further. I already know I'll have to reprint a few of the covers because they're just so worn down.
@@liahnotleah The tissue is Kozo fiber tissue/paper. Hinging tissue is super thin, Sekishu is a bit thicker. Come to Save Your Books .com to learn more. Cheers.
The petroleum re-heat tip: PRICELESS! Thanks so much.
Thank you. This was very helpful ☘️🌈🌈🤩
I really enjoyed your video. I have only one book I want to fix - can you tell us what to use instead of the specialty glue (on amazon it is $14.99) and the Japanese tissue?
Go to any art supply store and ask them about Japanese or similarly long-fibered paper. It needs to be flexible and thin but strong. You could also take a USPS tyvek envelope and split the material in two (not super easy, but possible for small sections) and use that for the paper. For glue, buy some glue that says archival if you can. I sell some for less than that on saveyourbooks.com. If you send me a message with the order I will throw in the Japanese tissue you need. Cheers.
@14:20... I NEVER THOUGHT that you could FILLET A BOOK SPINE.
Lol! that's great. Sometimes books can feel slippery like fish such as when you are carrying a large pile of paperbacks. :)
I think they filleted the entire book. So many errors here!
The question I have, is how to deal with the acidified paper? My copy of the Darwath trilogy by Barbara Hambly, long out of print, has been turning brown with acid; is there something that can neutralize it?
You can use a deacidification spray but they are expensive and they do not reverse the acidity, only halt it from getting worse.
@@SaveYourBooks thanks. I've read the books many, many times over the decades, so they have quite a bit of sentimental value. Gil, Rudy, and Ingold are old friends, and worth the cost.
4:44 wtf lmao
Thank you so much, I will try this shortly. I found this neat collection of lord of the rings from 1974, looked to be in good condition, but completely fell apart when I opened it. So this is just what I need!
Maybe edit the info and add links to your site and the shop, both in the video description and also maybe a clickable link on the video. Kind of hard to figure out where to go. Don't make it so hard for people to give you money ;)
Thanks again
Thanks for the advice! I wish I had someone who could go through all my videos and add links. I keep meaning too but I am writing a book right now and it gets away from me. I think I have the same lotr set! Good luck with it. Cheers.
i just love how you made the book look like new again. But i have question???? What if you don't have the binding part of the original paperback book, like it was rip or bent to many time and doesn't look nice any more. How can i fix that to look like new again.
You can create a cover using card of the same thickness as the original. If there is any original cover left you could glue this on top.
This is amazingly helpful. Thank you! What do you do if you can't get all the glue off the spine so it won't fan out? Also, what if the cover (including the spine) is completely intact. Would you still cut it apart? Thanks again for your help.
There is more info at saveyourbooks.com/ However, I don't always cut apart the cover! only as needed. If you can't get the spine to fan out you just need to cut more. You can take the book to a print shop to trim the spine but it is risky if they are not being careful. I had one cut the fore-edge by mistake once!
Thank you for this video. I have a paperback I like that is split in two, I'll give this a go!
would it be the same to rebind a book where the spine and covers are still all in one piece, it's just the pages that are detached and loose? would you recommend cutting and separating the covers from the spine?
First I would try just ironing the spine through baking parchment. Then if that didnt' work I would take it apart a bit.
@@SaveYourBooks that worked great for me thank you!!!
11:45 .. "...not for a collectable..." I gotta say then why bother? Why go to all that trouble? Toss it and get another copy on Ebay or from a used bookstore?
Certainly! However, some folk have sentimental attachments to certain copies.
its more like a video of upses and how NOT to restore the books. Very unprofessional
This video was perfect for me - I wasn't looking for a professional way to repair a book, just a reliable one. You might have noticed that the title of the video is NOT "Archival Quality Paperback Book Restoration"
Great video! Thank you.
If you had an amazon.com or other site affiliate link in your description below for each product used, it would be infinitely helpful for beginners. It could also bring a small income your way. :D
Check their link in the video description. You can buy directly from them. Better than funding another rocket trip for Jeff Besos!
Very excellent as I have a number of old non-fiction paperbacks that I really treasure but are falling apart. I can see I need to join SYB. Wish you had given more info about that. Going to google you right now!!! Sure hope I'll find you! You guys are great! Thanks. :) PS: I really love the brick idea!
I am always working to improve my videos! Glad you find them helpful.
i have a book that i believe got wet , it looks perfectly fine but the pages and cover are very very stiff is there any way to soften them up ?
Interesting. Offhand, I say no, but I would want to know more about the situation. You can go to www.saveyourbooks.com to the student forum and post a photo there.
@@SaveYourBooks i fixed it , i sprayed a small mist of water on each page and on the outside , then i bent the book gently to one side and the other for about 40 minutes by hand, then i used a fan and used a press, it isn't perfect but it is way better than before , no more crunchy pages lol i can actually read it now
@@EduardoMolRom Wonderful! I am so glad you have your book working again.
Cheers
I want to replace the cover on my books. Where could i find a replacement cover?
I am not sure I understand. Do you want one that is just like the old one or a new cover or maybe even a hard-cover? I don't know anywhere to buy other copies of paperback covers. You could buy another copy of the book and swap it maybe.
Bricks are expensive?
Bruh just look around for a bit, find an old lose brick that's just chilling, take two
Wrap in duck tape and boom
Absolutely! Be sure they are dry though, or you may find they create mold.
@@SaveYourBooks good point
Your videos are amazing, and this one in particular will be very helpful to me in repairing a vintage paperback book of mine which has a cracked spine. However, I have a question: since my book is still mostly intact, how can I remove the cover in one whole piece? I have experimented on another book with an iron in melting the glue, using an Xacto knife in carefully cutting away the glue, but I haven't had much success yet. Do you have any tips? Thanks so much in advance!
Making it up as we go along are we? Lol
I did exactly what you said. I clamped my paperback book so that the spine pages were pushed (pressed) against the cover on the back (I used wood clamps). I got some parchment paper and ironed the spine against the cover… And my book glued right back together… Good as new. Thanks!
Yay! Good job. ⭐️
The book I received in the post has asunder front cover and spine. Thankfully the pages are bound: for now.
Would you consider doing a zoom workshop? We could each bring our own book and we could get instruction? I know - I live an exciting life! Lol. Thanks
I have online consultations available through www.saveyourbooks.com. They can be done through zoom. I can't organize a workshop for a group of people just now but that is a great idea!
Save Your Books Awesome! Thanks!!!
Thank you so much for that video. I have many high quality paperback musical scores such as the Henle urtext editions which can use exactly what you demonstrated here.
Wonderful. Let me know if any issues come up.
DO NOT use your fingers to spread the glue, all glues contains substances which are harmful to health and you risk getting dermatitis which is difficult to get rid of and extremely itchy, always use a spreader AND protective gloves, thank you for the video and thanks for hearing me out
Good advice. There are many things to watch out for in the substances and even the tools used in book repair. It sounds like you have had a bad experience with this so thank you for the very real warning. Knowing myself, I can't say that I will always follow through on it because of my habits.Also, I do know for a fact that some glues are better than others. The ones I use have been tested by conservators for hazards. I have been doing it for over 25 years with no dermatitis yet but I will make an effort to set a better example for others in future videos.
Asians use rice glue while the west use hide glue (horse), and if you could eat it, should be ok on you fingers. We still use hide glue for fine traditional woodworking. I've been using yellow glue for decades and spread it with my fingers when too lazy to hunt down for a brush. I'm still kicking.
Does work for comic book trades because I had a new comic trade paperback after I purchased it fell completely out of the cover. Everything is intact I just need to glue the book back to the spine.
Batmanga? That just happened to me.
You are giving some confusing explanations. First your referred the use of archival glue. Then, later you kept referring to the use of pda and paste. Are these three different types of glues or do they all refer to one type of glue? Please explain. You also refer to your website, but where do you provide the address to your website?
Thank you for your comment. Archival glue is chemically made up of, and is often referred to as PVA or Poly Vinyl Acetate. Paste is an organic substance and can be made from many different things. The most common are Rice starch and Wheat starch. Sorry for any confusion. The website is the first thing on the video at the bottom of the screen and again at the end. www.saveyourbooks.com
@@SaveYourBooks what is the difference between archival PVA glue and normal Elmer's PVA glue?
@@KeruuKat saveyourbooks.com/course/1-206-book-repair-glue-or-paste/
Here you go!
@@SaveYourBooks oh wow!wasn't expecting you to respond haha. Thanks so much, I'll go check that out :)
thanks for the info, i have a somewhat valuable paper back that needs it. ill watch your video again than jump it..
thanks
Good luck with your project!
Hello. I have a rented paperback book. One of my younger family members accidentally bent the book cover. The book has a signature that we can't copy so we cannot get a new one. Is there a way to unben and get rid of any crease?
Unfortunately no. Not really. You might improve it possibly by ironing it on a low temperature through baking parchment but the fibers of the paper are compromised. If you go through my website and send a photo I may be able to help further.
Pretty
I want all my books to be restored every 20 years or so when I die
What could you use instead of japanese sekishu?
You can use anything that has the same properties: Thin, non-acidic/archival , flexible paper.
heyyy! Soo, I have a paperback I want to fix. Only the front cover has fallen off. Is there a way to reapply it without removing the entire cover?
This is a great question and the answer is sort of. You will notice that the spine is made up of several layers of paper. You could lift one layer to tuck in a new hinge to repair the front cover only. More information on paperback repair at www.saveyourbooks.com.
Hello, I love the video. I do have a question though. A little background first. I have a Bible with a paperback cover that was used heavily. Over time several pages and ultimately large sections of the book began to pull away. So have of the book is falling apart and half of it is in tack. These pages were at the back of the book. My question is would this method be sturdy enough for fairly continuous use? Thank you for your time and for the great video.
I'm also here for a damaged paperback bible that I use frequently
This wasn't exactly what I was looking for but you are just so soothing I just curled up in my bed to watch! Lol. I have a book I found lost on my school campus with the back cover partially torn off, plus a couple others with little rips in the covers. Any way to salvage them or fix them up enough to cover the pages?
When I say partially torn off I mean about half to 2/3 of the back cover is lost to the ages, no idea where it went. It was torn off when I found it.
@@KeruuKat It seems plausible that you could use some new paper to replace the cover. Come to the Save Your Books Student Forum or check out the courses here. saveyourbooks.com/studentforum/
Yes. I think so. Could be it just needs a bit of Japanese tissue and paste. saveyourbooks.com/course-category/paper-and-page-repair/
@@SaveYourBooks Thanks so much!!!!
Hi, I have a 1” thick 1950s magazine where the spine/cover is coming separate from the magazine. Can you tell me how to glue it back? I sold this rare magazine to someone and I would like to give it to them in better shape. Thanks!
Rose
It is very possible that you can simply iron the spine through some baking parchment to have it reattach. If the spine glue is not modern though this won't work and you would have to use other adhesive methods.
Oh, not to worry. All of us bookish humans can relate to cats 😊
So has anyone read The Reality Dysfunction? It looks kind of fun.
Use safety gloves with knives.
Thank you for this video. I too have a collection of paperback books. The were boxed and humidity made the covers stick to each other.
I pulled them apart carefully but the covers now have little white patches where the ink has pulled off the cover illustrations.
The cover also has lost it's sheen and now feels 'rough' like it has a thin layer of glue across it (?). Is there any product I can wipe over the covers to remove the rough glue-like feeling? Thank you again.
I am unfamiliar with this roughness. My instinct is to rub through some waxed paper to transfer the wax onto the cover. Test it out and see if that seems good. You could use the rounded handle of a butter knife to rub. Typically I would use a bone folder for that.
@@SaveYourBooks Thank you for the reply. I'll give it a try.
Very informative and professional! I love it, thank you!
Thank you!
11:11 [ sTanding ON the edge~] ha ha ha thank for the tip
So where is the link to your site??😊😲
THAAAAAAAANK!!!!! YOOOOOOOUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!
You are welcome! Members can request videos too in case I missed anything. Cheers!
I just wanted to let you know that I work at a library, and one of our most used reference books had pages coming out of it. It was new enough that I was able to use the ironing method. Despite no one I work with expecting this to work, it did!! This just saved our library a ton of money! Thank you so much!
You just made my week with this comment!
paperback is one of good method to supply books. cheap and easy manufacture. but, it is not good to who want collect books long time.
do you know how to prevent book spine from curving.. i really need that.. because many of my books have that problem.. and its not just curve it almost look like a reverse C spine and the pages become uneven.
Power that Preserves, yeah!
Good video, ive got a few books that need TLC as they are my babies.Thanks for showing how to do this .
You are welcome. Let me know if you have questions!
Will do thanks very much.
Perfeito!!!
Can u do a video on how to fix a books binds like in the way that like would fix a "broken bind" like how a book would stay open kind of if u put to much pressure specifically with paperbacks because I have a book I love and now it stays open on the same page please help me
Hey there. Thanks for the question. Is this a paperback we are talking about? If it is bound with modern white glue it is possible that applying heat and pressure while the book is closed will have a good effect. Test first on an inconspicuous spot to make sure heat won't damage anything and never apply heat directly with an iron. Use baking parchment sheets (not wax paper) to iron through. If it is an old fashioned water based glue then it is possible it has aged and deteriorated too far and the only thing to do (until the book is far enough broken to be re-bound) is to create a neat hinge with Japanese tissue and paste so the area is protected. Running glue down the crack and shutting it will only do more damage and make it harder to repair neatly later. Of course if the book is only worth a couple of bucks you can try the running glue into the crack and shutting it thing. It just isn't the archival solution. I will look for a book with a cracked binding with which to make a video. Feel free to send one along if you have an extra. email me directly through my website. www.saveyourbooks.com if you want the address. Again, thanks for the great question!
+Save Your Books thank you so much I'm trying this method right now 😀
Hello. What is the best way to remove a paperback spine without the professional instruments?
One way is to take it to a print shop and have them use their guillotine. Another way is to clamp it down and cut with an exacto knife but I haven't had the best luck with this. It is hard to do well. Good luck!
A suggestion but don't blame me it it doesn't work - never done it. Most glues will soften with heat, why not bake it in the oven? Make sure it's way below the paper ignition temperature (whatever that is, go Google it) and wrapped it in aluminum foil to deprive it from oxygen just make sure it won't burn. If there is a screw up, I don't know you.
@@kimchee94112 Fahrenheit 451 is a good guide (Thanks Mr. Bradbury!) but fire investigators use a range of 218-246 degrees C (424-475 degrees F) for paper ignition temperatures. www.sierragal.com/252_stuff/Physical_constants_for_fire_investigators.pdf
Very nice!
😎
I have a large paper back with a fold in the cover. Any suggestions for repair?
The folding process breaks the fibers of the paper so while it can be made flatter it is not able to be "perfect" anymore. email me through my save your books website and I can advise more thoroughly if you can send a photo. Splitting the paper and re-pasting it together would work best for invisibility probably. But it could be that just a bit of paste applied to the cracked area and then gentle pressing maybe with a thin Japanese tissue could be an acceptable answer.
Good call. A bit of steam will help the fibers relax so they can be put back where they belong. Be careful not to overdo it though! Too much heat and moisture can cause the cover layers to split.
i destroyed the book i borrowed and im here 😑
I hope this method can remedy your situation. Good luck! ✨
im fixing the book while shaking 😑😅
@@adriansaldom7627 You can do it!
You know what's the best book in the 🌎 the best seller the Holy Bible get a KJV it's a lifesaver
RINGTHANE
Forget about doing all that work. I cut out the spline on my bandsaw to obtain individual pages then feed it to my scanner to PDF file so that I have multiple books in my tablet. Ok sometime I do miss a real book, then I'll glue it back. LOL
Amateurish but, hey, I'm no professional bookbinder. Excellent video, I learned much. Thank you!
messy and confusing.
Thank you for the comment. I will see what can be done to clarify in a blog post or maybe make a new video that is simpler.
Why not do this properly for the video instead of all this fussing, flapping and farting about. Are you here to educate or for dizzy entertainment?
that japanese paper is Washi kozo right?
Yes, Sekishu.