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c/bookbinders•lindag33lindag33•1mo ago

That time a retired binder told me to stop using wheat paste for marbling

He said it would rot the paper in 10 years and after ignoring him and fixing a moldy batch from 2016 last weekend I guess the old guy knew what he was talking about so has anyone else had wheat paste go bad on them?
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3 Comments
emma_flores
emma_flores1mo agoMost Upvoted
Distilled water saved my paste too, game changer.
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the_anthony
Wheat paste isn't the issue, it's the flour choice and the fact you didn't add a mold inhibitor.
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sandra_bennett59
Oh boy, you know what nobody's talking about? The type of water you use. I tried making wheat paste with tap water once and it went bad in like two days. Switched to distilled water and it lasted over a week. There's something about the minerals or chlorine or whatever in tap water that makes it break down faster. Plus if you're in an area with hard water it can mess with the glue's consistency. I've been doing this for years and that one change made a huge difference for me.
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