Paperbacking silk for binding books
Sunday, December 20th, 2009 at
9:34 pm
this video is made from 40 second clips taken with my nikon still camera. I will be posting a series on production techniques for hand binders. This is the first video. A full description of this innovative technique for paperbacking natural fiber fabrics in preparation for binding books and making boxes will be found at www.NewYorKamera.com. … book bookbinding silk paper craft paperbacked
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Tagged with: book • bookbinding • craft • paper • paperbacked • silk
Filed under: Paper Crafting
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Absolutelty fascinating and brilliant. Thsnk you.
Great video, thank you!
Interesting tip. But (i’m amateur bookbinder) I dont make paperback at all. I’m simply glue on a cloth onto a ready cardboard of a book cover. I’m use the “PVA” clay (in russian “ПВА” – it’s the universal polymer clay), if this matter. Why the direct glueing is bad?
Paper is applied to the silk because glue applied to silk will ruin it. The paper is a barrier between the PVA and the fabric. Many binding mater4ials are paper backed or starch filled. This is a way that you can prepare delicate fabrics for use as binding material. Thank you for looking at the little film. I will be posting more in about two weeks.
{Excuse me with my my terrible English:
I mean “clay” is “glue” here.)
Thank you for this reply. But when I will do paperbaking, a glue layer will be applied to the silk also… What you use between a paper and a silk in order to unite them with each other?
In your note above you mention that “glue applied ti silk will ruin it” but in this video you do exactly that. Why do you also apply glue to the silk? Are you making a distinction between glue and paste here?
Why do you paste both the paper and the silk?
I am not applying glue, I am spreading methyl cellulose. Glue is always an animal product; mucilage, fish skins and bones, horse hooves, etc. Pastes are always vegetable products; wheat, rice and methyl cellulose, which is made from trees. All other “glues” are technically, adhesives, that is man made products of chemistry. These adhesives include PVA, which we call glue, and the nondrying sticky substances that hold band aids, masking tape and some (con’d next comment)
labels on to finger*s, paper, and jars, as well as products* like epoxy and super glue.
Methyl cellulose is a starch, *mixed very thick so *that it will not penetrate the silk, PVA would soak the material and ruin it. I spread it on to the paper to moisten an*d relax the fibers, the bulk of the methyl cellulose is in the silk. Both elements are treated so that there is a surer contact between the two materials.
I am so grateful that you posted this! I am a book conservator as well as an historical bookbinder. Though I do not receive many of these silk-bound books for repair, I have always been very curious as to how they are made. I am thrilled that you have shared the tip with methylcellulose. Why did I not think of it? Thank you!
this is a very helpful demonstration to watch. Now, since the methyl cellulose is “reversible”, doesn’t it separate from the fabric when you try to glue (if there is any water present) or paste the paper side to the book board? wouldn’t a little PVA help to make it water insoluble?
Thanks for posting this video! Would you be willing to share your recipe for the paste? When I have used methyl cellulose in the past, it is very watery. I just mixed a batch with lots of methyl cellulose and a little hot water but it is very clumpy. When I added more water it made the paper too wet. Do you use japanese paper to back the silk? thanks -jim