TIL most bookbinders swear by PVA glue but I think paste is way better for certain jobs

I stopped by a workshop in Portland last month where a guy was using PVA on a leather spine and it just felt wrong to me. Paste gives you way more working time and it doesn't fight you when you need to reposition a corner. Anyone else find paste underrated for fine binding work?

3 comments

3 Comments

alexw7520d ago

Do you mean paste as in wheat paste or methylcellulose? Wheat paste has way better tack for heavy boards but it can mold if you're not careful.

lunakim20d ago

Isn't that how everything is now? Quick and easy wins over careful and slow.

the_kevin20d ago

You ever tried pulling down a board that was slapped up with quick paste that didn't cure right? It's a nightmare. I've had whole sections just fall off the wall a week later because someone rushed the mix. Wheat paste takes a bit more time to get right, but once it sets, that stuff holds through rain and sun for months. Methylcellulose is fine for lighter paper or indoor stuff, but for heavy boards you're asking for trouble if you skip the wheat base. Taking an extra ten minutes to cook the paste right saves you from cleaning up a soggy mess later.