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Vintage bindings at the local fair changed my mind on paste vs. glue

Idk, I thought paste was messy and weak. After feeling how supple the old paste-bound spines were, I'm reconsidering. Maybe it's just me, but that hands-on demo was convincing.
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3 Comments
alexpalmer
alexpalmer21h ago
That thing about spines cracking in hot weather reminds me of how we overrate old stuff. @casey268 isn't wrong, but survival bias is real. My grandma's cookbooks are falling apart for the same reason.
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casey268
casey2681d ago
Not all old paste gets brittle though, @the_alex.
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the_alex
the_alex1d ago
Supple spines sound nice until they crack after a few hot summers. Old paste gets brittle and attracts bugs, I've seen it crumble right off the cloth. Modern ph neutral glue lasts way longer without yellowing or getting that weird sour smell. You're just feeling the good examples that survived, not all the ones that fell apart.
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