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.

4 comments

4 Comments

alexpalmer2mo 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.

kim_hall801mo ago

My 1930s encyclopedia set still has flexible spines.

casey2682mo ago

Not all old paste gets brittle though, @the_alex.

the_alex2mo 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.