Watched my spine crack because I used cheap PVA for a repair job

I tried fixing a vintage 1890s Bible with regular craft PVA last month. After 3 days it dried so brittle the spine cracked right down the middle when I opened it 30 degrees. Learned the hard way that pH-neutral bookbinder's PVA is non-negotiable for old paper. A guy at the Portland Book Arts Center told me I should have added a little methyl cellulose to keep it flexible. Has anyone else messed up a special book by cutting corners on adhesive?

2 comments

2 Comments

ryan_sanchez17d ago

Did you try any kind of rehydrating trick after it cracked? I saw this video from a restorer in Brooklyn where she steamed a cracked spine with distilled water and a tiny brush, then clamped it slow for like two days. Ngl I thought it was BS until I tried it on a 1920s poetry book I wrecked with Elmer's white glue. The crack actually closed up maybe 80 percent. Still held together after a year. But yeah that methyl cellulose tip is legit. A buddy at a library told me he mixes a little into his PVA for anything older than 1950.

brookep2717d ago

Steam that thing first before you give up on it. I did the exact same thing with a family Bible from 1870 and thought it was a total loss. Used a spray bottle with distilled water and a soft brush to wet the dried out glue just enough to make it tacky again, then clamped it between boards with wax paper overnight. Let it sit for a full 48 hours before I even looked at it and the crack sealed up way better than I expected. The methyl cellulose trick is real though, I started adding a pinch to my PVA for anything with that old brittle paper and it stays flexible like it should.