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Some paperbacks can command serious prices in the online marketplace. Yet many paperbacks don't endure beyond a decade or so, sometimes not even beyond a single reading.
Inevitably the binding is the first to go. If a paperback is bound with glue only and not stitched, it will nearly always degrade over time, even if the book is placed on a shelf and never handled. Add the element of heat and/or unusually dry conditions, an environment typically encountered in an attic or garage, and some glues become so brittle that one is left with near total disintegration of the binding. http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y202/m05/abu0069/images/glue2.jpg.
Fortunately, repairs are not only possible, but simple as well, and the result will produce a book as strong or stronger and more durable than the original. As was the case with stapled booklets, I rely on the use of a readily available product that you may not have considered using for book repair: polyurethane glue. http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y202/m05/abu0069/images/glue1.jpg. It's available at nearly all home-improvement centers and comes in any one of a number of brands.
Woodworkers prize polyurethane glue because it possesses several important qualities that conventional wood glues do not. As it cures, it draws in moisture from the surrounding air and from the material being glued and forms a waterproof bond. As the glue dries, there is a foaming/expanding action, which allows it creep into gaps in the joint and pores of the material being glued, adding considerable strength. And once fully-cured, the joint is flexible and will remain so for years, even when exposed to harsh conditions.
Since paper is inherently porous, and a book is essentially a stack of paper, it's easy to see how these properties would be especially effective in restoring a binding. The glue not only penetrates the pores of the paper but slightly enters the spaces between the pages themselves. One potential down side is that if too little moisture is present during the drying process, curing will be retarded, if not altogether suspended. However, misting the area to be glued prior to use easily solves this problem.
STEP ONE: REMOVE ORIGINAL GLUE
The first step in the repair process is to remove the residue of the original glue. If this step is skipped, it will probably be difficult, if not impossible, to reattach the wraps of the book with anything approaching its original alignment with the text block. Often, the residue can be chipped off with a putty knife, fingernail or some other flexible but relatively hard tool. A more aggressive approach may be necessary, such as sanding or filing. Certain solvents may also work, depending on the nature of the glue. A brief session in the microwave followed by some kind of abrasive work should only be used with extreme caution.
STEP TWO: STACK PAGES & APPLY GLUE
Stack the pages on edge as you would a deck of cards, outside edge down, secure that same edge of the text block with several spring clamps. http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y202/m05/abu0069/images/glue3.jpg. Next, apply a bead of glue to opposite edge and spread it evenly and thinly over the entire area, keeping it confined it to the spine only. Remember, this glue expands as it cures, and you'll be surprised at how little glue you'll actually need to make a strong joint.
Because the quantity of glue applied can make or break a repair, I strongly recommend practicing on several throwaway book first. Mistakes should be meticulously cleaned with denatured alcohol or mineral spirits. One dab of glue on an endpaper, and you're stuck.
STEP THREE: APPLY WRAPS, CLAMP THE BOOK AND ALLOW TO DRY
Apply the wraps to the text block, securing additional clamps to the opposite edge of the book, near the spine, and allow to dry. http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y202/m05/abu0069/images/glue4.jpg. The clamps may be removed in an hour or so but full strength will require 24 hours to develop. Voila! http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y202/m05/abu0069/images/glue5.jpg The completed binding can withstand as much if not more use or abuse than the original.
Polyurethane glue can also be used to reattach a single page or small group of pages to an otherwise intact binding. In this case, do a dry insertion first to determine if the page needs to be trimmed to meet the edges of the text block, then carefully coat the edge-and I do mean the very edge only--with glue, insert without spreading it, clamp as above, and allow to dry. This works on hardbacks as well as paperbacks, and the repair is permanent.
One important note about storing the glue, especially in humid climates: because polyurethane glue will continue to draw in moisture as it sits on a shelf and eventually cure in the bottle. Again, there is an easy solution: either store the bottle upside down or, if it won't be used up in a few months, freeze it.
AUTHOR'S DISCLAIMER: As noted in Part I of this series, no attempt is made to advise you on either the judiciousness of proceeding with this type of repair or any ethical issues that might arise from disclosing (or not) the specific work that has been done on a given item. If you have any doubts, I would strongly recommend that you either consult an expert in the field first or err on the conservative side by doing no work at all. If repairs are accomplished, it might be wise to disclose the details up front to your buyer. (An obvious example of opting for no work would be a vintage comic book. In this case, most collectors would frown on the presence of tape no matter how well it restored the integrity of the item. Repaired booklets with content value only and limited dollar value might, on the other hand, be candidates for non-disclosure.) Part one of this series can be found at
http://www.auctionbytes.com/pages/abu/y202/m03/abu0066/s03. Part two of this series can be found at http://www.auctionbytes.com/pages/abu/y202/m04/abu0067/s04
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