I keep seeing people skip the grain direction check on book cloth.

Just watched a tutorial where the binder didn't test the stretch before applying it. The book I saw at the local fair last month had a warped spine, and I'm sure that's why. It takes two seconds to pull the cloth gently corner to corner. If it stretches more one way, that's the cross grain and should run head to tail. Has anyone else fixed a project where this was the main issue?

3 comments

3 Comments

lewis.terry1mo ago

My local library has a whole shelf of newer books with wavy covers that feel loose. I bet half of them have grain issues from rushed binding. That two second stretch test is like checking the tire pressure on your bike before a long ride. Skipping it feels fast now but costs you later when the project fails. Why do you think so many tutorials leave out these basic checks?

murphy.mason1mo ago

My last bookbinding project failed because I skipped that exact step.

joel_jones1mo ago

Oh man, that reminds me of the time I tried to use some fancy handmade paper without checking its grain either! I was so excited about the pattern that I just glued it down for a cover, and the whole thing puckered like a bad sunburn in a week. It's such a simple thing to miss when you're focused on the pretty materials. Now I'm paranoid and test everything, even stuff that probably doesn't need it. That warped spine at the fair would drive me nuts every time I looked at it.