Stuck on the glue choice for my bookbinding project

I'm learning traditional bookbinding and hit a moral gray area. Is it wrong to use strong synthetic glue instead of the old animal-based kind? My mentor says it ruins the art, but I think it helps the books survive longer, in my experience.

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3 Comments

nelson.wesley7mo ago

Synthetic glue often gets too stiff and can crack the spine over time. Animal glue stays flexible so the pages can move without tearing. Many centuries-old books used hide glue and they're still holding up. Your mentor might be pointing out that synthetics change how the book feels and ages.

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wendyking7mo ago

Medieval manuscripts often used hide glue; do any synthetics come close, @nelson.wesley?

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kaifox7mo ago

My buddy tried restoring an old book with modern glue, and the pages ended up cracking. Makes you wonder why they ever switched from hide glue, right?

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