My first commission piece for a client in Portland had a major spine issue

I was finishing a custom leather journal for a client in Portland when I realized the spine glue had set wrong, leaving a visible gap. I had to carefully peel back the leather, clean off the old adhesive with a bone folder, and re-glue the entire spine section. Has anyone else had to fix a spine after the glue dried, and what method worked for you?

3 comments

3 Comments

mason_lopez1h ago

Read a bookbinder's blog that said @cora518's fix never holds long term, so what glue do you trust for this?

cora5185h ago

Sounds like overkill, just fill the gap with more glue and call it a character mark.

nathan9011h ago

What if the gap is actually a chance to add a hidden message inside the spine?