Making & Aging A Book

[nick_horror]

Most leather, unless it's really thin, will probably have that sort of feel to it. As long as you make sure it's pressed tightly against the cover material (cardboard, or what have you) when you glue it, it should be fine.

Thanks for the advice.

I'm hoping to start this project in the next few weeks. I found book on my shelf that I'm never going to read again (as a writer, I would normally advocate either selling it or donating it, but this is a good cause) so I'm thinking I'm just going to cover it with the leather after I drill some holes in it for the twine so I can give it some spinal ridges.

So how do I get the tight, shrunken look? Do I soak the bound book in water after the glue dries?

 

[DarthBish]

So... A kind of paper mache, right?
Yeah, it could give some nice results...

Exactly right Ramie...I've always thought that a great "Book of the Dead" could be done that way

 

[nick_horror]

Exactly right Ramie...I've always thought that a great "Book of the Dead" could be done that way

While I have considered doing the whole "bound in scraps of human skin" kind of look (perhaps another project), that is not the direction I am going with this. As I said, I would like something along the lines of the book from "The Ninth Gate." And I found this website that I think it gives me what I want. So, anyone else, feel free to use it.

http://www.apocprod.com/Pages/prop_pages/ninthgate.htm

 

[nick_horror]

Has anyone used the method in the link above to bind a book? It appears to be simple and effective.

But does it work on a pre-existing book?

 

[nick_horror]

Okay, how about this: when again the leather, has anyone tired brishing it with a solution of water and alcohol to dry it out?

 

[Serenity]

Has anyone used the method in the link above to bind a book? It appears to be simple and effective.

But does it work on a pre-existing book?

When using a pre-existing book, you shouldn't have to do too much overall work. You'll have to sacrifice the pages at the beginning and the end, and add new endpaper if you choose, but it should be much easier than stitching and creating your own signatures.

Okay, how about this: when again the leather, has anyone tired brishing it with a solution of water and alcohol to dry it out?

Curious, why are you drying out the leather?

 

[RGPFX]

OK. Related question here. If using a pre-existing book, how can the edges of the pages be tinted without wrinkling them up? I know that tea or coffee can be an effective medium, but the wrinkling would ruin the look.

RGP

 

[nick_horror]

Curious, why are you drying out the leather?

To age it and give it the shrunken appearance of being around for several centuries. Of course I will only do this once it is bound to the book.

Also, I don't plan on having the book open, so the inside pages don't matter--though I am now considering using one of my occult books for this project to add authenticity. :cool

 

[Serenity]

To age it and give it the shrunken appearance of being around for several centuries. Of course I will only do this once it is bound to the book.

Also, I don't plan on having the book open, so the inside pages don't matter--though I am now considering using one of my occult books for this project to add authenticity. :cool

Ah, cheers. It might be rather difficult to do that quickly... leave it in the sun a lot, it might help.

 

[nick_horror]

OK. Related question here. If using a pre-existing book, how can the edges of the pages be tinted without wrinkling them up? I know that tea or coffee can be an effective medium, but the wrinkling would ruin the look.

RGP

Are you talking about a faux-guilded edge to the paper?

 

[RGPFX]

Are you talking about a faux-guilded edge to the paper?

No, just old yellowed look, especially if, like some old books, the edges are slightly misaligned and fractions of their faces are visible past the edge.

RGP

 

[nick_horror]

Ah, okay. Well, if you have a little time and aren't in too big of hurry, you could place the book in a sealed container with some ammonia for a few days (depending on how yellow you want will determine how long to leave it in there). That would start a chemical reaction in which that paper will start to yellow but you won't get the moisture waves in the paper.

 

[RGPFX]

Now that sounds neat!!! I'll have to give that ashot when I'm ready for that project!

RGP

 

[Sulla]

Nick Horror, did you ever make your book?

I don't know how I missed this thread way back when.

 

[nick_horror]

Sulla, I started it. I've got the book's body done, now I'm just waiting to find some good leather to cover it.

I did run across a journal at Staples that could work for my needs.

 

[madrobot]

I just made a leather bound journal with hand stitched pages.

The way you get the ridges on the spine, is that you sew the signatures together, in a banded fashion.

I've made about a half dozen books, and they've all been different in their own ways. I myself use solid Latigo for the cover, as it weathers nicely, and is stiff as hell. Also it embosses and tools nicely so you can add whatever design to the front you like.

I made a tutorial on my blog.