How to Colour the Edges of a Book // Adventures in Bookbinding

[@gopalchauhan9649]

It's making me feel like I saw experiencing a jewelry being made you have put in all you have Many thanks for your time and education given. ❤️

[@DASBookbinding]

Thanks! I guess Sage Reynolds is one up on me as he has videos of bookbinding and jewellery making! ALl the best, DAS

[@elliotmcdeville1117]

All your videos are fabulous, you explain things so clearly and it is a pleasure to watch and listen to. You've given me the confidence to experiment and try techniques I always assumed were out of my reach. Thank you.

[@aaa_1727]

Thank you so much for this! You sounded so friendly and patient as you were saying what is to be done, it really helped me overcome the feeling I might screw it up!!

[@adhdweirdo4314]

A friend of mine who I thought I could trust stained 2 of my books- realized a way I could fix at least one of them and have been doing research into it. Thank you for this!

[@HieuTran-pw9ck]

wow I just do some edge sanding, sprinkling yesterday and after seeing your video I realise that I make so many mistake haha :). What a beautiful, mammoth size plane and lying press you have there

[@DASBookbinding]

Not mistakes, just different ways and some are better than others in different situations:) I usually don't prepare edges for sprinkling. The advantage of a pattern that hides a bit of roughness. Yes I'm lucky to have the press. The advantage of living near Frank Wiesner. I normally use a small wood body plane but with the change in weather the blade had moved and I could not get it adjusted in a hurry, so grabbed the monster 4 1/2.

[@nataliesnyder5275]

Very helpful, a project I've been meaning to try for a year now, thank you.

[@HieuTran-pw9ck]

Loved the video ! I've tried colour edges before, and only till now I can see every mistake that I've made aha. I used to sand edge without noticing the direction, and realized that it always leave some dent in the surface. The colour that I've painted with is watercolor, some worked fine, but the black one is very bad to use as it comes off easily with the swipe of finger (or maybe because I add too many layers on it, I have to try again to make sure).

[@DASBookbinding]

Black is hard. To stop graphite coming off you burnish it under bees wax. I'll get to that in the next few months.

[@sislertx]

Btw...I started junk journals..this would not work at all...BUT..I make little journals to tuck into them. I was wondering how I could jazz them up and learn something new...and VIOLA YOUR VIDEO POPPED UP...I swear they are much further along in mind reading than we know... But besides feeding your algorithm I wanted to thank u for sharing...im pushing 80 and really dont have the time for money to take classes...plus I live in the middle of nowhere with only a small walmart...and I hate that store...with a passion.

[@arjunpaudel709]

you're great; a new subscriber from Nepal. ❤️ found it just now

[@DASBookbinding]

Wow, first person I know of from Nepal! Happy binding! Darryn

[@renatacarneiro5874]

I simply love this Chanel!

[@taken-for-pomegranted]

*Very* helpful video! I can't wait to use some of these techniques.

[@bridiedrain3722]

Another brilliant video . Thank You so much.

[@DASBookbinding]

Glad you enjoyed it! DAS

[@tarasmakhnevych8819]

Thank you for your video.

[@elazarwitchel3008]

Great video! I want to try doing this with a deck of cards.

[@miwin1000]

sounds like great fun!

[@nancyangel3213]

Que delicadeza y gran detalle y dedicación para hacer tu trabajo. Encantador y fascinante!!! 😱😱 Muchas gracias!!! 🤗🤗🤗🇨🇴

[@mechsistah2395]

Fascinating...

[@dani-p1l4g]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you so much 😊

[@maryvonecruz]

Que maravilha! Muito obrigada pelos seus vídeos.

[@ernestobarrera2927]

Great job! I can't wait to try this myself

[@ArtaCartii]

Great video, thank you!! I usually use good artist s acrylic colors with heavy pigment, Like Polycolor from Maimeri or Flasche, thinned down 50%. I rather daub forcefully and quickly, not swipe, with as little paint as possible and dry immediately with a hot air gun, to prevent seepage. To burnish it, I use a crumpled up piece of paper, it works wonders :D Greetings from Romania, Mihai.

[@DASBookbinding]

Hi Mihai. Thanks for sharing your tips. The psalter on your website has great deep red edges (everyone check it out under videos at www.artacartii.com/) I take it you daub to get a texture or pattern. The crumpled paper for burnishing is a great tip. It reminds me of woodworkers who use shavings to polish wood. I use it to even out thin coats of bole.

[@mogonigik]

another great video. Question: How to sharpen the card scraper? Please thank you.

[@DASBookbinding]

Too easy. I have a video for that! Ciao, DAS kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYjQkJKgeMmCi8k

[@strnhrdt]

Great Video! It is nice to compare the the work of a real professional with they DIY stuff i saw so far! I tried 3 books so far and found that spray paint worked best for me. However, i didnt use the talcum powder, didnt sand them and i used old books, so color bleeding was too bad on the inside with the acrylic color i tried. Spray paint was realy easy to work with worked very well (i was surprised as i had no clue what i was doing), no bleed and i loved the very matt look on the outside. However i want to try to do it "right" as well to compare results and im wondering if it was the age of the books i used, the missing talc or my poor technique that gave me the bleeding on the inside. Also i would love if people would show the result on the inside more often. I guess as you know what you are doing that it is "perfect" but id still like to compare. Also i want to do something special for one project in the future and chissel some kind of relief into the edges before painting them. I assume that doesnt go well with alot of the techniques you showed here but i will still try sanding and talc powder. Lets see how that goes haha. Thanks for all the insight anyway!

[@DASBookbinding]

Thanks for sharing. The name of the technique for putting patterns on the edge is gauffering. Not chiseled in, but impressed like finishing. It's done after edge decoration or gilding. I'm sure there is something on the web about it.

[@lucia-maria]

Amazing!❤️

[@bernardmilford3918]

Thanks, Darryn, for another video that hits the spot. Question is - can watercolour paints be used for edge decoration and what extra precautions would one need to take?

[@DASBookbinding]

Hey Bernard. Yes, I guess. I used to use gouache all the time. I guess it would just be harder to get a solid colour? Good luck Darryn

[@cristinarocha6080]

Amei vou tentar fazer, espero que eu consiga, obrigada 👏🙏🙌🇧🇷

[@sislertx]

I wonder what it would look like if u added mica powder....tho i really want gold leaf.

[@richardstivers5835]

So you thin the ink with water?

[@vipkidteacher2307]

Great video! Just a few questions. The talc doesn’t get in between the paint and the paper? Also by acrylic ink, do you mean acrylic paint?

[@DASBookbinding]

After the talc is applied the edge is usually sanded smooth which removes surface talc. Acrylic ink is like thin acrylic paint. I like Liquitex www.liquitex.com/row/products/professional/colors/acrylic-ink/ But you can use just about anything. You just don;t want a build up of paint which will flake off. Alcohol based ink should be avoided because it soaks in. Good luck, DAS

[@vipkidteacher2307]

As always, thank you for your quick reply! If I’m using regular acrylic paint, I should use 75% water? It’s should be super liquidy?

[@DASBookbinding]

@@vipkidteacher2307 Really depends on the type of paint. Even for different colours I add different amounts for the Liquitex inks. Just based on my experience with these paints. I know this doesn't help, but there are many things in bookbinding where you need to find the Goldilocks zone. I guess it's better to be thin than thick. You can give it another coat, but hard to take it off. Good luck! DAS

[@fludrbywest3886]

😊, I appreciate your instructions and tips in these edge coloring videos, I have one question however😁 Talc I have gotten away from because they say it has cancer causing properties. So is it possible to use corn starch , tapioca starch or arrow root flour or some of these types of powder? Thank you 🙏🏻 so much for your instruction video 💫👍🏻💖 I understand now why, I did go back and read -Talc=(magnesium silicate hydroxide and sometimes called French chalk)👍🏻🙏🏻💫

[@OtterLakeFlutes]

I have much, much more experience in lapidary than books... if I set my cabochon maker back up I can make any kind of agate burnisher you give me dimensions for. Wow! I was going to ask why you use a less paint-like ink that would never stick the pages (like archival ink or aniline dye) then I realized they wouldn't seal at all, just color. And I didn't know you could use a scraper directly on a text block!

[@DASBookbinding]

I do use acrylic paint and ink (Liquitex acrylic ink is my favourite) occasionally. But I just burst burnish these edges and don't seal with wax. Thanks for the offer on the agate. The shapes are a bit hard to describe. I'm reasonably happy for now.

[@currybun8570]

Awesome video! I've tried to color edges of old books before, but some of the paint kept leaking to the actual pages. If I wish to protect book edges without coloring them, will just applying beeswax the same way you did here be okay?

[@DASBookbinding]

I don't think I've seen this done before but I don't see why not. I would put the book in a press, sand the edge, give it a coat of paste wash (thin paste) to fill the cellulose fibre ends, and then burnish without wax and then with wax. Once my bindery is up and going again I must experiment with this. DAS

[@currybun8570]

@@DASBookbinding Thanks for the reply!! I wasn't expecting it to be this quick. Hope things are doing better there!!

[@sheilamurdock]

Hello! Would you use the talc powder again to dust the edge after sanding, please? It seems that it would defeat the purpose of using the talc powder before sanding if the powder comes off with the sandpaper. Thank you for sharing your method.

[@DASBookbinding]

No I wouldn't. The talc that does the work isn't on the edge of the paper but the sides. That's why I fan the book to apply the talc and then rub in with a finger. If you put talc on after sanding the colour might not stick to the edge. Hope this makes sense. Happy binding, DAS

[@sheilamurdock]

@@DASBookbinding , ah okay, I understand perfectly now. So, I should expect the very edges of the pages to still possibly stick--that's why you thwack the fore edge on the tabletop and fan the pages a bit after the ink/paint dries. Thank you for responding.

[@JK-es9wu]

How did they gild the fore edge of books when the fore edge is curved ?

[@DASBookbinding]

With difficulty. It is common to gild the edge before rounding but the result isn't smooth. The hard way is to smooth the rounded fore-edge (I use sandpaper wrapped around dowel) and then with great difficulty lay the gold leaf on the edge. I have not had great success so far. I use the technique of coming in half way from each side. I've done a few successful edges but each required lots of patches on splits. Another method is to pick the gold up between stretched parallel threads and to let it sag to the shape of the fore-edge. I know someone who is very good at this. Not easy.

[@tottisempre]

Can this be done ahead of fore edge decorating (with watercolours or markers)?

[@DASBookbinding]

The fore-edge is only different in rounded books, and then you have to deal with any stepping. Or you do it before rounding, which is common.

[@felipediazcristianismo]

Question: the industrial blow dry, it's pretty hot, doesn't it damages the paper? Thanks!

[@DASBookbinding]

One of the great things about this Bosch heat gun is it has digital variable temperature control. So I can set the temp at whatever I want, which is usually fairly cool. Much lower than when I'm stripping paint.

[@felipediazcristianismo]

@@DASBookbinding So, the hottness is similar to a hair blow dryer? Thanks for your answer!

[@sislertx]

Yeah..BUT....how do u gold leaf the edge..wait...u mentioned it...but itd all mud in my old mind..indo have gouche paint..i could do that and try the mica thing... Wonder what i could use cause im not buying an agate burnisher...ever..

[@ibeamish1]

Do find that with certain types of paper stocks you need to size the edge in some way to get a good result? I follow your method and usually have good results, but every now and then I try it with an unfamiliar paper stock and the issue that usually arises is the acrylic ink creeps too deeply into the page. I have wondered if sizing could help with those candidates and what you would recommend. I could also just pair the choice of the papers that seem to react this way with a lightly speckled design, but that would be giving up!

[@DASBookbinding]

Yes, this is very true. Soft absorbent paper is a pain in the neck. A light coat of paste wash (diluted paste, or I usually use the liquid that accumulates on the top of the paste in the paste jar) before smoothing the edge and again after the edges has been made smooth helps seal the pores in the paper fibres. In this case using gilding boards which puts a huge amount of pressure at the edge of the book helps too. PVA size also works (1 teaspoon of PVA to 200ml of water). Talc up the edge to stop the pages sticking together. Sizing the edge of books is very common in edge gilding. Good luck! DAS

[@markdonnelly6650]

Hi Thanks for the video. In fact thanks for all the videos i am picking up heaps of tips and tricks. One question though. Where did you get that cool water dispenser from? The one that looks like something an alchemist would have

[@DASBookbinding]

Hi. I'm sure most modern chemists would like to think of themselves as alchemists:) I think what you're referring to is the wash bottle. Any lab supply store will have them for $5 or less. Let me know if that wasn't the bottle you meant. www.labgearaustralia.com.au/shop/product/tarsons-wash-bottle-side-delivery-tube-125ml-6-pack-2514?category=133

[@edwardgurney1694]

Great video! That trick with the talcum powder is going to save me a lot of cussing and swearing, I'm sure. How did you do the book with the striped edges from the intro? Thin masking tape?

[@DASBookbinding]

Just be warned, the talc helps, but you can still stick pages together. Too thick acrylic paint is how I do it usually. I wondered if anyone would notice the striped book. I learned that from Fred Pohlmann. You trim and prepare the edges of the book before sewing. Then take every other section and colour the edges one colour, and the other half another. Put them back together in the right order. The hard part is sewing them so the edges remain even. I do this by cutting the sewing locations with a knife and sewing very carefully. Fred does all sorts of amazing things with this technique.

[@edwardgurney1694]

@@DASBookbinding Wow, that sounds like a real test of skill. I wonder if theres a way to do it after binding- insert a waste sheet between each section after sanding, then paint alternating colours in each section. Damnit, now I really want to try this.

[@DASBookbinding]

@@edwardgurney1694 Sounds harder to do after sewing:)

[@soniama5246]

Could i used disstressed oxide ink to paint the edges of the book? Or is acrylic paunt rhe best for edges and stenciling and with a nice polished look?

[@DASBookbinding]

Sure. You can try whatever you want. I can't guarantee it will work as I haven't tried everything. But experimenting is fun!

[@soniama5246]

@@DASBookbinding 🙃I shall try then thank you

[@bella-bee]

do you think arrowroot or cornflour would work as well as talc? im not too happy about breathing the stuff!

[@DASBookbinding]

Talc is no more likely to be contaminated with asbestos (which is how it got its bad reputation) today as the many things we ingest that could be contaminated, except modern quality control standard are put in place to protect us that didn't exist in the past. But I understand about being cautious. Unfortunately the substitutes you suggest are starches and thus when moisture is applied they will turn to an uncooked paste and likely stick pages together. I found the acrylic inks don't need the talc and if you use thin layers of gouache these usually don't stick. Heavy acrylic I found the worst. Good luck! DAS

[@JMCatron]

I'm having some real trouble with this. I got cobalt blue acrylic paint, mixed 2g paint with 2g water, hit the pages with talc, rubbed in by hand like he said, and my pages are sticking terribly. The paint is flaking off, too. Am I applying too much paint or something?

[@DASBookbinding]

Yes, too much paint. Try just wiping a thin layer on and maybe even wipe most off. Let it dry and do another coat to get a more solid colour. But if it flakes off it is too thick. I sometimes make it too thick too. It is tempting to get the solid sour you want:)

[@GD-qs9zg]

Could Fountain Pen ink also be used for this process?

[@DASBookbinding]

It is often alcohol based and usually soaks in. But it might be worth testing on something - a rubbish paperback. Paperbacks have very absorbent paper and if it doesn't soak in on that then it should be fine.

[@wayneyadams]

What brand os acrylic ink was used and where can it be bought?

[@DASBookbinding]

Liquitex. Any art store should have it.

[@blakxhart]

As I don’t use animal products, is there an alternative wax to beeswax that you know of?

[@DASBookbinding]

Paraffin wax. Any modern white candle, which is made of paraffin wax, will be fine.

[@lujadosyning]

Can you please do a video about cutting thumb indexes?

[@DASBookbinding]

What a great questions; I didn't see that one coming!! I just checked and John Mason's book, Art and Practice of Printing Vol V 1933, has a whole half page on thumb indexes. John Pleger's book, Bookbinding 1924, has a couple of pages and images of the machines used to cut them. I'm guessing the machines are hard to come by these days:) I'll have to research this a bit and try some things out. I'll get back to you. Thanks for the great question. DAS

[@catalinaaraya8197]

Awesome! I have dumb question. Should I do this before or after rounding the book?

[@DASBookbinding]

And should you do before backing? All have pros and cons. Before rounding you have to deal with the swell at the spine. So after rounding is easier as the swell is distributed. But then sometimes backing disturbed the edge a bit. I like to do edge work once the edge is in it's final state. But then you have to deal with the shoulders and the spine area can't be compressed as well. After rounding and before backing is easiest. But I think after backing is best result. DAS

[@dugga4617]

Ever get the pages sticking together? I’m pretty sure my water to paint ratio is 50-50 but it still happens

[@DASBookbinding]

Yep, I sure do, and everyone does! Once you find a paint mix that works you stick with it. Also different papers will behave differently. A soft paper is more likely to stick, in which case I might talc the edges like I do when edge gilding.

[@dugga4617]

@@DASBookbinding sorry I commented same thing on two of your videos!😁 the way i talc may be the problem, plus the paper. Im doing this to bibles

[@TS-eo9uf]

At what sort of store do you find talc?

[@DASBookbinding]

It used to be common. I buy it in bulk from a barber supply company. I resell it in smaller quantities if you are in Australia.

[@TS-eo9uf]

@@DASBookbinding Thank you for your reply! Sadly I'm in the US.

[@robsonbarbosa2500]

Very interesting video. I would like to ask what is the purpose of applying the wax. Can I paint with gouache without applying it? I would also like to ask if it is true that inks can contribute to acidifying paper or if this will depend on the ink used (from what I researched, gouache is even an alkaline ink) ...

[@DASBookbinding]

The wax helps seal the surface and make it more resistant to moisture and dust. It also looks good. Most inks won't harm paper. Iron gall ink is the one famous for causing the degradation of paper, especially with the addition of moisture. I used to use gouache all the time for solid coloured edges. I just found the acrylic inks a bit easier and faster. But maybe the gouache was a nicer finish. All the best, DAS

[@robsonbarbosa2500]

@@DASBookbinding, thanks for the answer... So, in this case, there is no problem using gouache without the wax, right?

[@DASBookbinding]

@@robsonbarbosa2500 You can. But gouache is soft and likes water. I'd do something to make it a bit harder on the edge. A good brush burnish is probably enough. Give it a firm brushing with a natural bristled brush. Something firm enough to compact the edge but not enough to scratch it. DAS

[@lizcole3975]

I was bookmaker in 1964 when I left school started in blackies in Bearsden just outside Glasgow I've never seen this part it was big factory but never seen this way all my Co workers were very good knew there jobs I loved working there till we shut down we moved to Collins bookbinding I hated it in Glasgow not same as blackies it was a family I left.went to work in knitwear factory it was great got married after that and family.

[@lizcole3975]

I guess bookbinding changed as everything people who do things different nowadays not like yrs ago enjoyed my work then now I'm cleaner zinc 1982 well liked and established as one

[@bella-bee]

ive seen colouring done with archival ink pads, even if the edges are already gilded! you spread the pages a tiny amount to colour a fraction in from the tips of the pages, and rub off excess quickly so the gilding doesnt get dull. not tried it myself

[@DASBookbinding]

Interesting. DAS

[@albertserafim8092]

is tis talc normal for skin? or some special?

[@DASBookbinding]

It's talc the mineral, which used to be the talc for person use. Most talc sold now is actually corn starch, which when wet becomes an adhesive, and thus no good for this purpose. It's getting hard to find.

[@albertserafim8092]

@@DASBookbinding thamk you 4 answer

[@TheMayaracaldas]

could this modification affect the quality of the pages? causing early yellowing or something like that?

[@DASBookbinding]

No. Just use quality paints or dyes. DAS

[@TheMayaracaldas]

@@DASBookbinding thanks! You and your videos are The best :)

[@8polyglot]

Im looking to stain or protect the edges of a bible already bound (purchased mass market). Any way at all to stain page edges of an already-bound volume?

[@DASBookbinding]

Staining doesn't really protect unless there is burnishing too. And you need the pressure of press to do this, which isn't really possible in a bound book. I'm sure someone would be willing to do it, but I wouldn't. Sorry. DAS

[@tuyetdominh866]

Hi! I tried painting my book edges using poster colors. But when it’s dry, it peeled off some of the paint, and the edges weren’t very smooth. Do u have any recommendations for this? Thank youuuu

[@DASBookbinding]

Putting some talc between the pages sometimes helps stop the pages sticking together (demonstrated in the edge gilding videos). Thinner paint is the other idea I have. Good luck! DAS

[@tuyetdominh866]

Thank you

[@sislertx]

I got a Big question...for anyone who has made books.!!! I painted 2 canvases to use as my cover....do u think i still need to do the iron on stuff? I guess ill sew a middle of the book..(sorry i cant remeber the word...im pushing 80...it happens more and more!!) Maybe called the spine...?? Anyone in the comments can answer!! I just can figure out how i need to do it...i jumped ahead and glued them down to the book board!! I guess i could carfully rip them off and sew it all together?? Should i do that? Not sure if it would rip..i suspect it might....its cheap canvas!! I have never made a real book just a Japanese type in grade.school...i did get an a on that tho

[@arjunpaudel709]

Man if i do not have smthg to press my books , what is the way ?

[@DASBookbinding]

You can just use some pressing boards and some heavy weights. I also have a video on making a cheap press.

[@Christopher_T_Paul]

Bookbinding is a near lost art now, or at least handworking is. There is very little call for it at a professional level. I have been in the trade for 28 years and finding work harder to come by. People are just so willing to accept cheaper second rate work that is partly done by machine with generous tolerances. I am now in a position where I have had to take up work with Muller Martini as a consultant at an industrial, mass production level, I haven't professionally bound a book in 20 months...

[@DASBookbinding]

Thanks for sharing your story. Yes, no doubt bookbinding is a different beast now. I hope a niche market will come out of this period of change. But it will require a more educated customer and bookbinders that adapt to the new environment. Probably a game for people younger than us. One issue I have is small professional binders who hold their standard work up as fine binding. Customers then don't understand the difference between solid high quality trade work and genuine fine binding. Muller Martini will be lucky to have your experience. Maybe you can stop some heavy art book going into and inappropriate square back case where the inner hinge tears the second time it's opened. Good luck! DAS

[@simonerocha618]

Deveria por legenda

[@DASBookbinding]

Sorry. I've tried but haven't been able to. DAS

[@SaraHA2371]

You DO NOT pronounce the ll's in guillotine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@DASBookbinding]

I'm not sure what you mean. I DO pronounce the ll's in guillotine. Maybe you mean you don't, and you think I shouldn't either.