Step 3: First Spine Lining & Lifting Original Leather. Antique Leather Book Conservation & Repair.

In this episode, I apply the first new stabilizing lining and lift the 130 year old leather on the covers of this 1880s heirloom book. These steps are necessary to reinforce the attachment between the spine and the covers.
"Step 3: First Spine Lining & Lifting Original Leather. Antique Leather Book Conservation & Repair" is video 3 in this series on the restoration and repair of this volume.
Kathryn Wright is the owner/conservator of Southern Book & Paper Conservation, LLC, a private practice lab in Macon, Georgia: www.southernbnp.com/
0:00 intro
0:30 addressing misaligned section
1:05 application of adhesive
1:39 application of lining paper
2:32 trimming dry lining paper
3:21 lifting board leather, first side
5:07 cutting and lifting turn-ins
7:18 Lifting board leather, second side
🛠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

[@dantelaw7759]

These videos are great. I came here after watching the work on Baumgartner's art restoration channel, and really enjoyed this. Keep up the work, there's an audience for this!

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Baumgartner's videography is always excellent. I hope to continue to improve my camera skills. I'm glad you enjoy watching what I'm working on -- I enjoy sharing what I do! Thanks for your kind comment on my new channel! 🤓📚

[@Anna-td5nc]

I absolutely love your videos! I have been studying book conservation as a beginner and there are really useful to remember all the steps correctly. We have been using these same methods in my class taught by a conservator of 20 years from the British Library in London. Thank you for your time producing these videos! much love and appreciation form the UK :) :)

[@mohamedyousif8498]

I liked the method

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Thank you!

[@sammykeogh8318]

Why do you sound like Alanis Morissette! 🥺❤️

[@lisawynne4812]

What should I do if only one board is connected. The front cover is completely off. I'm still cleaning the glue of the spine.

[@richardgreen3904]

What poultice do you use?

[@tva7263]

Thank you for these videos! I am an amateur hobbyist that wants to do learn the trade for my own books. Where did you get the spatula tools that you used to get the scrape paper off the binding? Also the spatula knife to peel the leather back?

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Sorry I'm just now seeing this! www.talasonline.com/Casselli-Spatulas - They're worth every penny.

[@s.k.3891]

what is the poultice made of?

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Sorry for the delay. The poultice is wheat starch paste that I made and used to mend paper tears when it was fresh. After it sits for a couple days, it's wonderful for a poultice. It rehydrates the animal hide glue while holding onto the its moisture and not letting it run into and wet the textblock.

[@ronaldsassi9480]

Very impressed with your work, Where did you purchase the micro spatular ??

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

Talas: www.talasonline.com/Casselli-Spatulas

[@grendel1952]

What is the adhesive you are using for the application of the Japanese tissue onto the spine?

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

I'm using Aytex-P wheat starch paste from Talas (shipping is not included in the price): www.talasonline.com/Wheat-Starch-Aytex-P#:~:text=Aytex%2DP%20is%20an%20uncooked,excellent%20long%20term%20aging%20characteristics. Amazon also sells it: geni.us/Mcdq (affiliate link).

[@rafaelgelpi5922]

Why not make a cut into the board backing the leather all along from head to tail, you can place the linen or other backing in the channel you made

[@SouthernBookAndPaper]

That's certainly an option! There's even a piece of equipment around called a board slotting machine that makes a groove on the board (actually on the edge of the board) I tend to not insert linings into the board because generally I feel it doesn't lend itself to a connection that is significantly better. Plus, while I'm reasonably skilled, there's still an opportunity to accidently cut deeper than intended. For most books, I don't consider the risk to be worth the reward. Plus, when my repair fails in some number of decades (everything fails), I think that the next conservator would rather have uncut/ungrooved boards to work with. Thanks for asking! 🤓

[@rafaelgelpi5922]

@@SouthernBookAndPaper thank you for your thoughtful response, it makes sense

[@Mickey09ftw]

I have a question. I have a 1611 King James Holy Bible that the front cover tore off of. How would i repair that?