My weirdest commission was a request to bind a book using pages from a 1970s phone book

A client in Austin wanted a custom guestbook for their retro-themed diner, and they brought me a stack of old Yellow Pages directories. The paper is so thin and brittle, I had to completely change my usual sewing method to a stab binding to avoid tearing. Has anyone else had to adapt their technique for something with paper that fragile?

3 comments

3 Comments

robert_roberts2mo ago

Had a similar problem with some 1940s ledger paper. Found that using a very thin, sharp awl to pre-punch every single hole was the only way to go. You might also try a light coat of archival glue along the spine edge before sewing, just to give those fragile sheets a bit more hold. It takes forever, but it stops the paper from crumbling as you work. A stab binding was a smart choice for that kind of material.

riverm482mo ago

Ever try a tiny bit of beeswax on the thread to stop it from catching on those old paper fibers?

david_hayes25d ago

3 tries with beeswax and @robert_roberts still ended up with thread glued to my thumb.