My grandpa always said to use a bone folder on every fold, but a friend in Seattle swears a metal ruler works better for sharp creases.

Tried the ruler on a batch of 50 chapbooks and got cleaner lines, but now I'm worried about long-term paper damage versus the traditional tool.

3 comments

3 Comments

terryw672d ago

Hold up, you folded 50 chapbooks just to test a crease? That's some serious dedication right there. Your grandpa would probably faint if he saw the metal ruler, but honestly, if it works better, use it. I doubt you're pressing hard enough with the ruler to hurt the paper long term, unless you're really going at it like you're mad at the thing.

jake9862d ago

Read somewhere that bone folders can leave oil marks over time. The metal ruler might actually be cleaner for the paper.

hannahsingh2d ago

Bone folders can get oily from skin contact, but a quick wipe fixes that. Terryw67 is right about pressure being the real issue with a metal ruler. A bone tool just gives more control for a sharp crease without risk.