Bookbinding and The Care of Books
Douglas Cockerell with Drawings by Noel Rooke and other
Illustrations New York 1902
Book binding Chapter XII Part 6
this the first finger of the left hand is placed
behind it, and a sharp folder is pressed into the
corners of the head-cap between the headband and
the thread. The leather is then tapped over the
headband, and the whole turned over on the stone
and rubbed at the back with a folder. This
operation requires great nicety. The shape of
head-cap is shown at fig. 67. The nice adjustment
of head-caps and corners, although of no
constructional value, are the points by which the
forwarding of a book is generally valued.
up is shown in fig. 68. The tying up cords will make marks at the side of
the bands that are not unpleasant on a large book. If they are objected to,
it is best to tie the book up for about half-an-hour, and then to untie it,
and smooth out the marks with the band stick. Even with small books, if
the leather seems inclined to give trouble, it is well to tie them up for a
short time, then to untie them, to smooth out any marks or inequalities,
and to tie them up again.
A book that has been covered should
be left under a light weight until the
next day, with waterproof sheets
between the damp cover and the end
paper to prevent the sheets of the
book from cockling through the damp.
When the cover is thoroughly set the
boards should be carefully opened,
pressing them slightly to the joint to
ensure a square and even joint. If, as is
sometimes the case, the turn-in of the
leather over the joint seems to be
inclined to bind, the cover should be
merely opened half-way, and the
damped with a sponge, and left to
soak for a short time, and then the
cover can usually be opened without
any dragging. A section of a good
joint is shown at fig. 69, A, and a bad
boards, a piece of paper as thick as the turn-in of the leather (engineer's cartridge paper answers
very well) should be cut a little smaller than the board, with one edge cut straight; then with the
straight edge adjusted to the back of the board, and a weight placed on the centre, the paper is
marked round with dividers set to the intended width of the turn-in of the leather. Then with a
sharp knife, paper and leather may be cut through together. The paper should then be marked to
show its position on the board, and the ragged edges of the leather trimmed off. This will leave
an even margin of leather on three sides of the inside of the board, and a piece of paper that will
exactly fit the remaining space. The corners must next be mitered.
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