Unpopular opinion: leather hinges are way overrated for most bindings

I was looking through some old binding manuals from the 1800s and noticed nearly all of them used cloth or paper hinges, even on expensive books. Turns out leather hinges actually cause more joint strain over time because they don't flex as evenly as cloth. Has anyone else switched back to simpler hinge materials for durability?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.avery24d ago

Wait, they used paper hinges in the 1800s?

lewis.terry24d ago

@gibson.avery paper hinges were actually pretty clever for their time, people forget how resourceful folks had to be before modern adhesives. They'd treat the paper with specific chemicals to make it flexible but strong, kind of like a homemade version of what we call Tyvek now. Makes you wonder how many other everyday tricks got lost to history, right?

joel_clark3724d ago

I read somewhere that paper hinges actually breathe better than leather, helps prevent mold in humid climates.