Mending & Addressing Loose Pages

In the fourth episode in this series, I mend tears and address the remaining structural issues in the textblock of this 1890s oversized family Bible by Holman & Co., Philadelphia.
0:00 intro
0:07 mending a clean break with tengujo
3:53 adhesive reinforcement of slightly loose sections in the gutter
6:48 unfolding paper with water
8:56 re-shaping back shoulder
16:40 overlapping tear mends
17:31 why I don't mend everything in this textblock (explanation)
18:24 more overlapping tear mends
19:19 hinging the preface sheet and front endsheet unit
"Mending & Addressing Loose Pages" is episode 4 in this series.
Kathryn Wright is the owner/conservator of Southern Book & Paper Conservation, LLC, a private practice lab in Macon, Georgia: www.southernbnp.com/
🛠TOOLS & MATERIALS🛠
I am an eBay partner and therefore The Lab earns a commission on purchases made from the eBay links below (each time the link is clicked, there is a 24 hour commission window).
This commission expense is not passed to you - your price remains the same.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
ARCHIVAL STORAGE
4-flap enclosure: tinyurl.com/rvdjhss6 (Gaylord site)
Polyester L-sleeves for photos & documents: geni.us/mZbn (Amazon). If you have a water incident and these get wet, carefully cut the two sealed sides and remove the top piece of poly so the item can have a opportunity to dry - otherwise it will mold extensively in the plastic
Boxes, various sizes: geni.us/dmN3h (Amazon)
Folders, A4 and legal available: amzn.to/3gZgmqY (Amazon)
Cotton tying tape for weak or detached book boards and covers: geni.us/l5f5U (Amazon).
SMALL BENCH TOOLS
Teflon Bone Folder Set: geni.us/NmPNb (Amazon)
Gingher 8" shears: geni.us/d694 (Amazon)
Iris scissors: I have the curved pair. geni.us/dxmMWT (Amazon)
Olfa Silver knife with refill blades (Art Blade, 30 deg): allows for more precise cuts than the original Olfa Silver. geni.us/nXN5itG (Amazon)
Starrett 12" ruler: geni.us/dTZoy (Amazon)
Starrett 3" dividers: geni.us/Ec4A (Amazon)
Glue brushes: geni.us/WfLaVXX (Amazon)
EQUIPMENT
I got pretty much all of my equipment used on eBay, and I’ve been happy with everything.
Paper cutter (Kutrimmer): ebay.us/BkjrJk
Nipping press. My dimensions: 10”x13” bed/2.75” of daylight: ebay.us/LLT3KZ
Laying/finishing press: I actually prefer a machinist’s press (a 6” Kurt) ebay.us/PQnDZq
Traditional wooden finishing press: ebay.us/XYSMbk
Lectrojog: ebay.us/CDfyxd
Tormek SuperGrind 2000: ebay.us/zHt0Uc
MATERIALS & SUPPLIES
The go-to company for conservation supplies in the US is Talas: www.talasonline.com/.
If you’re a hobbyist bookbinder, book artist, and/or practicing by conserving discard books, I’ll include links below to Amazon, and other vendors who provide materials that are perfect for those pursuits.
Japanese long fiber paper from Hiromi Paper.
Tengujo: tinyurl.com/4yrepkx8
Senka-shi Thick: tinyurl.com/7za85uu2
Leather: www.pergamena.net/
Marbled and Decorative Papers: hollanders.com/
Book cloth: hollanders.com/search?q=cialux
Text and cover weight papers: I usually use Mohawk papers. www.thepapermillstore.com/
Smaller Mohawk sizes: geni.us/tvS8VM (Amazon)
PVA: geni.us/uc8J (Amazon)
Wheat Starch Paste: geni.us/Mcdq (Amazon)
Klucel-G leather consolidant: geni.us/CAswqOY (Amazon)
Isopropyl alcohol (99.9% pure): geni.us/Y2vKHbD (Amazon)
Methyl Cellulose: geni.us/xXw8 (Amazon)
Vulcanized Rubber Sponges: geni.us/WNcTDa
Methyl Cellulose: geni.us/xXw8 (Amazon)
Vulcanized Rubber Sponges: geni.us/WNcTDa
Channel topics:
antique book restoration, antique restoration, old book restoration, book restoration, antique book binding repair, old book binding repair, antique book repair, old book, old books, paper repair, antique paper repair, bookbinding, book binding, binding repair, book repair, repairing books, restoring books, repairing old books, restoring old books, antique manuscripts, manuscript, manuscripts, narrated, asmr video, asmr

[@angelatahara8942]

This is great. I am restoring a big old family bible, valuable only to me. (1954) It is tattered like this one. Learning so much and am confident I can do a decent job. Excellent tutorials.

[@robertphillips93]

Paper Whispering! A very good demonstration, even speeded up . . . and the explanation of why some repairs are not performed really goes to the heart of the issue, it seems to me. To some it might look like this process is overly fussy and delicate, but the principle being illustrated is that the strength of any part or page is always relative to an adjacent part. So the more fortified or rigid is one part, the more relatively weak is it's neighbor(s). And that's true for newer books with sound paper as well as the book with brittle paper. We look forward to the upcoming endsheet and backlining procedures to see how this theme is fully developed!

[@rafaelgelpi5922]

I too noticed that Kathryn may approach similar issues be it a page tear or a loose section differently according to the strength of the surrounding areas, I think of it as an organic approach, which is only right because she is dealing with organic items and processes that went into making that book and age differently

[@gruesometwosome6098]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge, it's really wonderful watching you work your magic.

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

My pleasure! 🙂

[@channelsixtysix066]

I used your dampening technique to get rid of dog-eared pages on a recently acquired textbook. It worked a treat. So much so, it barely left any evidence of a crease. Thank you, Kathryn for that demonstration. Your technical descriptions are invaluable, like the stresses on brittle paper by the long fibre repair material.

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

I'm glad you're finding the videos useful! Just don't try that technique on clay-coated paper (any paper that looks shiny or extra smooth). The water can/will permanently wrinkle it. Assuming it's not an expensive or sentimental book, you could test a small amount of water in an inconspicuous location.

[@channelsixtysix066]

@@SouthernBookAndPaper I often wondered what that shiny/sheen look is on paper. I'm astonished, thought it was casein, but it's clay !! That was the furthest thing from my mind. Having seen that paper badly damaged by water, I know what you're referring to. The pages even stick together as the coating is reactivated. Fortunately, the book I'm working on does not have that paper. This book isn't "expensive" as such, but it is extremely difficult to purchase all the same, as they are hoarded by HP calculator collectors (like.., me I guess). It is a reference manual for an HP 48GX calculator. At over $100, I want to restore and preserve the book.

[@magnificatscriptorium]

Amazing work. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m working on restoring a Holman bible from 1875 as well as a Douay Rheims Haydock heirloom Bible from 1887. These videos are helping me so much. Book binding and conservation are hobbies I’m really invested in!!

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

I'm glad you enjoy them and find them useful! 😀

[@leeannette1732]

Very impressive

[@sylvaind9086]

Absolutely fascinating. Superb work!

[@dhpdaedalusStudio]

Incredible.

[@Freebeeswax]

I'm a beginner bookbinder and I'm finding your content fascinating. Thank you for sharing your work, I eagerly look forward to more of your videos!

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

I'm glad the videos are useful! Just let me know if you have any questions about anything you see! 🤓📚

[@corysuski6667]

OMG, I have almost the exact same book, 1881. Mine is in much better shape, but I can not stop watchching. I just have to do cosmetic outside work but I am enjoying the effort so much I can't fast forward. Your attenion to deal is commendable. Keep up the good work . .

[@Gandesh_Bahaji]

woah, cool ⭐

[@franciscomartindelcampo6461]

Thanks again for filming and post production of the video, it’s appreciated. Wondering what paste you used, sorry if I missed that, and why it was preferred over any other? I am learning so much and old books deserve a sprucing up ....

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Hey Francisco, sorry for the late reply. It was a crazy week. I'm using wheat starch paste that I made at 1 part paste to 4 parts water by volume. I use Aytex-P from Talas: www.talasonline.com/Wheat-Starch-Aytex-P The paste is reversible in water, so the mends can be removed later if needed. I also use it as the adhesive for the first spine lining for the same reason.

[@HicManemus]

Thank you for an excellent tutorial. What weight of Tengujo did you use for the first repair? This is very expensive in the UK (even machine made) - what cheaper alternative would you recommend?

[@OtterLakeFlutes]

Wow... what amazing videos... can methylcellulose be used on the long fiber tissue instead of wheat paste for attaching it to fix a tear, or does that not work for page repair? Thank you. P.S. Both you and Evan Knight have mentioned the spun poly... I couldn't find it at Hollanders or Talus, so far, so I got some thin, woven teflon (PTFE) sheets that seem to breathe and maybe allow the blotter to wick thru it like the poly seems to (?)... is the spun poly the same as Tyvek ... someone threw me off by calling it "spun polyester" when Tyvek is spunbound polyethylene... and Tyvek shows water sitting on it like it's waterproof (maybe that's just whole drops with surface tension?). Also USPS envelopes are Tyvek and some adhesives stick to them or they'd be hard to seal so I'm a little confused. Thanks so much.

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Hey Jeff! Sorry for the late reply. Evan and I were in the same class at UT Austin for book and paper conservation! Spunbound polyester is readily available at fabric stores in different weights/thicknesses. It is also called interfacing. You'll want the flattened/smooth, not fluffy kind. Also NOT the kind with hot melt adhesive on it. I sometimes add methylcellulose to my paste to thin it and to give it a longer working time. In my experience, methylcellulose tends to release as the pages are later flexed. It's better for documents that will be stored flat and handled infrequently.

[@antikaplanet2970]

👏👏👏

[@andrewlarpenter]

Where can I get the spunbond poly sheets? Amazon is only showing surgical masks

[@jamesconarroe3031]

What are laying on the pages to keep the adhesive from sticking to other pages?

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

In this video I used spunbound poly interfacing material (without the iron-on adhesive dots). Lately I've started using teflon coated woven fiberglass. I was concerned the weave pattern might transfer to the paper, but it doesn't. It also releases more easily. I cut it into strips that are a useful size. Here's a link to it on Amazon (affiliate link): geni.us/rBhojA There are several varieties available.

[@jamesgildner962]

What did you call the white boards/slats you were working with under the pages?

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Those are pieces of cotton blotter paper. They wick out the moisture instead of allowing it to penetrate to the adjoining pages. It helps keep those pages from wrinkling and helps the mended area dry flat. If the paste is a fairly dry mix, sometimes I don't use the blotter.

[@rafaelgelpi5922]

Do you use the same weight tengujo to repair pages as well as to line the spine or attach pages to a section? On those occasions that you use different weights, what is the rationale? Thanks

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

I have a couple of different weights. This one was the slightly heavier of the two I use. The lighter one I use for even more delicate original materials, mostly documents that won't see as much flexing as a textblock.

[@TgWags69]

can you explain the Long Fiber? Is the fiber running vertical or horizontal?

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Hey, the paper I'm using (HM-37 from Hiromi) is handmade, so there's not a strong grain direction, but I still apply it with the laid lines running parallel to the spine. iBookbinding has a great page on paper grain: www.ibookbinding.com/blog/paper-grain-direction-and-cardboard-grain-direction/

[@TgWags69]

@@SouthernBookAndPaper oh, so when you say "long grain" you are talking about the paper type and not the direction? I am searching for a very strong end paper to repair an 10x11 3" thick concordance. I'm tempted to use a tyvek mailing envelop. I hate to go to all this work just to have the endpapers rip again. What paper would you suggest in this situation? The large size 11x20" to create a signature for the endpapers make it difficult as well.

[@Hamptonacres1]

What weight of Tengucho paper are you using? 9 gm/m2, 5 Gm or 3 gm? Or does it matter? Your link for the finishing wooden press is broken, fyi. One last question, is there anything wrong with just making your own wheat paste or does the commercial product have something that makes it better?

[@astralpupx5415]

Is there another paste besides wheat paste that can be used for repair? I have severe celiac disease and cannot even touch wheat

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Hysterical that you should mention that. I switched to rice paste recently because of gluten triggered autoimmune issues! I use the rice paste from Talas

[@astralpupx5415]

@@SouthernBookAndPaper omg thank you! What an odd coincidence lol

[@jamesconarroe3031]

What adhesive are you using?

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Sorry for the delay! I use wheat starch paste on the original paper and PVA on the next layers.

[@BarbaraCJ]

I have an old vocabulary with missing chunks of pages and they brittle. Is it worth it save it? How do I replace the missing pieces of the pages? Thanks!!!

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Brittle paper has had a chemical change. I generally compare it to the feasibility of trying to uncook an egg. My own family Bible consists of a brittle paper textblock and I made it a custom box and left the pages unmended.