Heard a binder at the shop say something about PVA that stopped me cold

I was at a local bindery supply store last Saturday picking up some book cloth when I overheard two guys talking. One of them said he had been using straight Elmer's School Glue for his rebinds for over 5 years and never had a problem. The other guy just nodded like it was normal. I don't know why but it made me start thinking about all the times I've cut corners because something 'seemed fine' at first. Like that batch of PVA I mixed a little too thin last spring that took forever to dry and left ripples on the endpapers. Has anyone else run into a binder who uses stuff that's clearly not archival and had to bite your tongue?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia5581mo ago

Started watering my PVA down a few years back when I was in a rush on a big order, wound up with wavy endpapers that made me want to cry. Now I just mix it to the same thickness every time and wait an extra day to close the book no matter how impatient I get.

patricialee1mo ago

Thicker glue saved me from that headache entirely, actually.