Switched glue types after a chat with a retired binder at the shop

I ran into a guy named Frank at the bindery supply store last Thursday. He saw me grabbing PVA and told me to try paste instead for my leather repair jobs. He said PVA dries too rigid and cracks over time on flexible spines, which made sense because I had a book come back after 6 months with a split hinge. I tried his suggested wheat paste mix on a 1920s novel I was working on. The difference in flexibility was night and day, it actually moves with the cover now. Has anyone else had better luck switching glue types for specific projects?

3 comments

3 Comments

max_ross2mo ago

Stick with wheat paste for old books, PVA's great for new construction but not antique leather.

henderson.wesley1mo ago

Did you ever try mixing a little methyl cellulose into your wheat paste to slow down the drying time in high humidity? I had the same problem with leather sliding around in my shop during summer, and a 10% by volume addition of methyl cellulose gave me way better control without losing that reversible bond you need for antiques. Just make sure you test it on a scrap piece first because too much can make the paste too slick.

henderson.wesley2mo ago

Seems like Frank knew his stuff with that wheat paste advice, but did he mention anything about how the humidity in your workspace affects how the paste sets up? I ask because I tried a similar switch a few years back and had trouble with the paste staying tacky too long in my damp basement, causing the leather to shift before it dried. Maybe that's a factor in why some people swear by PVA for certain jobs depending on the environment.