A Manual of the Art of Bookbinding / Containing full instructions in the different branches of forwarding, gilding, and finishing. Also, the art of marbling book-edges and paper.

by James B. Nicholson

which is done to form the groove for the reception of the boards. One of the backing-boards is placed upon the volume at an equal distance from the back, the distance depending upon the thickness of the board; then, turning the volume, the other is placed in a similar manner; the boards are then firmly grasped by the left hand across the back, and, with the assistance of the right hand, the whole carefully put into the laying-press, the edge of the boards nearest the back of the volume even with the cheeks of the press, and screwed up with the press-pin as tight as possible. The backing-hammer is then taken in the right hand and employed in turning the sheets from the centre over the backing-boards, to form the necessary groove. For this purpose the first blows should commence near the centre of the volume, and should be as light as possible, the blows glancing towards the edge, so as to merely commence the turning of the sheets, without causing any indentations or wrinkles on the inside of the volume. This should be proceeded with lengthwise of the volume, each series of blows growing gradually nearer to the edge or backing-board, and, as they approach, becoming more firm, until the sheets are turned over the backing-board, so as to form a regular and solid groove. The process is repeated up the other side, the volume examined to see if the back is regular and equal in its circle throughout, and any slight irregularities corrected by light taps of the beating-hammer; but nothing can justify a workman in striking a heavy blow near the centre of the back, as it must inevitably crush and wrinkle the paper on the inside. It serves but to prove his ignorance of the principle upon which the entire operation is based. There is nothing connected with the forwarding of a book that requires more attention, patience, and skill, than the rounding and backing, and there is nothing that contributes more to the general appearance of the volume. If well done, it gives a character and a tone to all the subsequent operations; if done badly, no care or skill that may be afterwards employed can hide it. It remains an enduring mark of a careless or inefficient workman. The volume is now ready for the boards, which have been previously prepared. This is done by cutting the sheets of milled-boards according to the size of the book, with the table or patent-shears. One side of the board is then lined with paper, the shrinkage of which will cause the board to curl towards it. If the volume be large, or a thick board be required, it will be necessary to paste two or more thicknesses of board together. Place them in the standing-press, under pressure, until dry; then take them out and line them on the side of the board that has been pasted, or, if one board be thinner than the other, upon the thin board, in the same manner as the single board. Boards made in this manner should always be prepared some length of time before they are used. The boards being in readiness, the volume is taken and one point of the compasses placed at the centre of the back, and the other point extended towards the fore-edge until it reaches the edge of the smallest bolt. This will give the proper size to cut the boards, as the groove or joint will give the projection or square of the board. If the volume be rare and valuable, let the workman be merciful in the use of his steel, as the cropping of ignorant workmen has impaired the value of many a choice tome. If it be intended that the leaves are to remain uncut, previous to the rounding of the volume, take a large butcher's-knife and carefully trim the extreme ends of the projecting leaves. After the size has been obtained, the next operation is

SQUARING THE BOARDS.

This is done by cutting the back-edge of the boards with a plough in the laying-press; the boards are then marked with the compasses from the edge which has been squared towards the front; the front cutting-board is placed at the compass-holes, and again put in press, with the front cutting-board or runner level with the cheek of the press, the back-board being a little higher, so as to allow the plough-knife to cut against it. The rough part is cut off with the plough as hereafter described, with this difference:—that, in cutting pasteboards, the workman cuts towards him. The boards are then taken out of press, and the square applied to the head, and marked with the point of a bodkin; this is cut off in the same manner. The volume is then opened and examined for the purpose of finding a leaf of an average length, which is measured by placing the thumb of the left hand against the edge of the head and applying against it one of the points of the compasses, carrying the other so much over the end of the leaf as will allow for the square of the boards at the tail; and if the volume be large for a portion of the square at the head, the superfluous portion is then cut off with the plough. In taking the size, let the workman recognise as a rule that every book should be cut as large as possible, lest he be suspected of having an eye more to the shaving-tub than to his reputation as a binder. Among the early binders, De Rome is noted for his merciless cropping. But few volumes have preserved the integrity of their margins after having been submitted to the cruel operation of his steel. A volume cut to the print is said to bleed; therefore be careful to avoid the slightest approach towards the commission of such an act of Vandalism. The boards having been squared for the back, front, head, and tail, they are placed, with the lined side of the board next to the book, preparatory to the

LACING IN.

Each board is then marked with a bodkin opposite to the slips intended to be laced in; a hole in a vertical position is then made through the board, and being turned, another in the same way near to the first. The bands, having been pasted and passed in above, are returned through the other hole, and, being pulled tight, the boards will necessarily be perpendicular to the back, and confined in the groove. After cutting off the end of the strings near to the lace-holes, they must be beaten well and evenly into the board by placing the under part on an iron (called the knocking-down iron) fixed at the end of the laying-press, and beating above with the backing-hammer.

If it be desirable that the bands should not be seen inside, the hole may be made so vertical that, by placing the bodkin in the same on the other side, another verging a contrary way to the first may be made, and the band, being passed in this one continued hole, will not be seen underneath. The liability, however, of its tearing out is an objection, and from this cause the common way, with care in beating down, is preferable.

After the slips have been well beaten down, the roundness of the back must be examined, and any twist that is perceptible corrected with the backing-hammer. A piece of smooth tin, larger than the volume, must then be inserted between each board and the book, with one edge of the tin full up to the joint. The volume is next placed between pressing-boards even with the joint, and put into the standing-press, which must be screwed tight and evenly down. Stewart's double-screw iron standing-press is well adapted for the purpose, and is in very general use. After the press has been screwed down, the back of the volume is then damped with thin paste, and, according to the firmness of the sewing and book, grated and scraped, and finally rubbed smooth with paper-shavings, and left to dry in the press for as long a time as possible. If a large volume, it is usual to apply a little glue to the back. When taken out of the press, the boards must be disengaged from the end-papers, where they adhere, so that they may move freely up and down in the cutting.

CUTTING THE EDGES.

The manner of preparing the volume for cutting is very important, as swerving from right angles in cutting the head and tail will present a disagreeable appearance. Every precaution must be taken to insure the volume being cut perfectly square. The front-board is drawn down from the head just sufficient for the knife to operate upon in the cutting. A piece of trindle is inserted between the volume and the back-board for the point of the knife to cut against. The volume is then placed, with the back towards the workman, on a cutting-board in the left hand; the runner or smooth-edged board is then fixed on the other side, with the right hand, even and square with the edge of the mill-board, and the whole, held tight with the left hand, put into the cutting-press, to the level of the right-hand cheek of the same, taking care that the volume hangs perpendicular to the cheeks of the press. Being screwed tight with the pin, the workman then takes the plough with the right hand, by the head of the screw, and, placing it on the groove of the press, proceeds to cut the book, holding the other end of the screw firmly with the left hand, and causing the knife to advance gradually through the book by turning the screw gently as he cuts, which should be all one way,—viz.: as the arms are removed from the body. The plough must be held firm in the groove or guides of the press, to prevent the knife jumping or cutting the edges uneven; and, should the knife be found to run up or down, the defect must be remedied by removing some of the paper or boards placed under the knife where it is fastened to the plough. If there should be none required to bring the knife even with the plough, then a piece must be placed on whichever side of the bolt the defect may require. The head being cut, the same operation is repeated for the tail.