Bone folder vs the back of a spoon - which actually works better?

I got into a huge argument with my bookbinding meetup group last week in Portland about pressing tools. I always use a proper bone folder for my creases and that's what I learned from my teacher back in 2019. But this one guy showed up with a metal spoon from his kitchen and did a whole rebind with it. His corners looked just as clean as mine honestly. I tried the spoon trick on a sewn text block last night and it actually worked fine for the spine folds but I still prefer my bone folder for the hinge area. So here's the question for you all - am I just being old school about proper tools or does the spoon method actually hold up for professional quality work? Has anyone else tested this against a real folder on leather or cloth covers?

3 comments

3 Comments

mason_lopez23d agoTop Commenter

I tried the spoon trick on some cloth covers after reading this, and it actually did pretty well for the main creases. But the hinge area is where I still grab my bone folder every time. The spoon just doesn't give me that same control in tight spots. I'd say keep both handy if you really want to test them side by side.

anderson.piper23d ago

Why would you use a spoon for bookbinding instead of eating soup, isn't that just asking for confusion in the kitchen?

taylorshah23d ago

Does anyone else secretly worry that if I get too good with a spoon, my grandma will revoke my soup privileges at Thanksgiving? I'm team bone folder for life but I respect the spoon hustle.