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A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of paper, parchment, or other material, usually fastened together to hinge at one side.

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Repair an old book spine?

I like to read, and I also like really old books. Lately I've been visiting garage sales and buying old books to read. What I've noticed though is a lot of these books have spines that are worn down and are barely holding the book together. I've repaired some of them by using librarian's tape, but this doesn't work well on hard-cover books, and looks kind of ugly on paper-back books.

Do you have any suggestions on repairing the spines of these books, or any suggestion on where to learn how to remove the old spines and rebind these books?

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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I got a quote on rebinding an old, antique Bible once. It's expensive! DIY options would be awesome.

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Remove the entire cover (on a paperback you can leave the covers but remove the spine). Clamp the hole stack together in a vice, a press or with boards and clamps - whatever you have to your disposal. Important is to have all pages lined up and clamped firmly together. Then you have to get something called bookbinders size/paste. Not really shure whats that in english. Its a syntetic resin. You probably get it at artist supply stores. Apply the resin repeatetly to the bare pages where the spine used to be. Then you have to make yourself a new cover (You must be craetive here) and glue that to the stack of paper.

I have this information from my girlfriend who worked as a bookbinder.

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+ vote I'm kinda slow, that's why I use a Mac. I like pictures, got any?

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Unfortunately not. Haven't done this for some time but i think you'll find something on google ;-)

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Most bookbinders today use Poly-Vinyl Acetate or PVA glue. Also, know as Elmer's Glue in the states. It's perfect for repairing spines because it is strong and remains flexible. If you're restoring an antique book, you can still purchase Hide glue (made from animal hides) on Amazon.

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I once built a hardcover book in college, I beleive http://bookbindingfb.com is where the professor told us to get instructions and you can also order replacement parts, they're relatively cheap.

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warning: i assume the writer meant well but the webpage is chinese.

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Gotta assume you're fixing old books to read, not to collect. I completely--but neatly--cover the covers and bindings of paperback books with clear packing tape, trimming it off at the edges with scissors.

Then I open the front and back pages and run clear tape down the crease.

This generally holds them together long enough to get through them once. Oh. It's a trick I learned from the Boy Scouts. They use it on beat up Boy Scout Handbooks.

Wish I could help you on the darned hardcovers. You'll need an old librarian to teach you those techniques.

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Ya, I've used the technique on scout books many times, those things get beat up after a few years. If you can find it, I suggest librarians tape, tends to be just as transparent as packing tape but tends to be stronger and more durable than packing tape.

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I don't suppose you have own/have access to/know someone with a thermal binding machine do you? They're quite effective, my sister has repaired several of my old books.

But if they're precious books... maybe you'd want to go for something with a little more reverence. I'd recommend going to a professional for that kind of thing.

Just a thought anyway. :)

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I agree, if its just a simple book to read, chop off the cover so the spine is bare and exposed, then take duct tape and connect it all, but make sure its wide enough. You may want to then go over again with tape laterally.

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Yes.

But it seems like a waste of perfectly good duct tape.

Besides, if you use clear packing tape it still looks like the book.

Use duct tape and it looks like a lump of duct tape.

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I hope the books the folks who wrote about repairing are on spelling, grammar and punctuation.

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Jeez, is that a way to reopen an old discussion? Information matters, the way it is delivered is secondary. There are a lot of voluteers from all over the world writing here. Please don't judge them on grammar or punctuation.

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SillyMimi, it took you 14 mth. to find something as insignificant as that to complain about?

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Nat Welch will be eternally grateful.
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