Switched from PVA to wheat paste for spine lining after a workshop in Chicago last fall.

I was sure the modern glue was stronger, but seeing how the paste allows for more flexibility over time totally changed my approach. Anyone else find a specific material that made you rethink a basic step?

2 comments

2 Comments

valw691mo ago

Modern glue isn't always stronger, right?

keith2791mo ago

That Chicago workshop was a game changer for me too. I had a 1920s ledger completely fail with PVA because the spine was too stiff. Switched to wheat paste and the difference is night and day, the book opens perfectly now. @valw69 is right, modern glue can be too strong and brittle. For old books or tight bindings, that flexibility from paste is what actually keeps them together long term.