Book binding is widely considered an art form and very rightfully so. The techniques, processes, and tools involved in the art closely resemble those of what you might call a traditional artist. Binders sew, use adhesives, and employ complex methods to achieve the bound books we see on our shelves. With this post I want to explore case binding because it is the type most people are familiar with.
Some helpful terms:
case binding: the term for a hardcover or casebound book; three types are edition, job, and library
signature: a set of pages folded at one time
text block: a set of sewn signatures or a stack of glued single sheets that make the inside of the book
endpapers: sheets of paper, folded once, and attached spine-side using adhesives to the front and back interior; typically decorative
headband: a band made out of thread looped around a rope or strip of leather, glued to the tail and head of a book; can be handmade or machine-made
slot: a cut in the paper for the purpose of fitting thread or creating a place for the adhesive
awl: tool used to punch holes for sewing signatures
Some helpful terms:
case binding: the term for a hardcover or casebound book; three types are edition, job, and library
signature: a set of pages folded at one time
text block: a set of sewn signatures or a stack of glued single sheets that make the inside of the book
endpapers: sheets of paper, folded once, and attached spine-side using adhesives to the front and back interior; typically decorative
headband: a band made out of thread looped around a rope or strip of leather, glued to the tail and head of a book; can be handmade or machine-made
slot: a cut in the paper for the purpose of fitting thread or creating a place for the adhesive
awl: tool used to punch holes for sewing signatures
Case Bound: Edition
Edition bound books are the ones that are most likely sitting on your book shelf. These are the commercially-produced hard cover books. An example of the type of material that would be mass-produced would be Harry Potter or the Bible.
Case Bound: Job Binding
Job bound books, unlike edition bound books, are produced in significantly smaller quantities. This method requires more handiwork and skill from the binder, as it is not an automated process. Examples of a job bound book would be a special leather-bound Bible, perhaps a family heirloom.
Case Bound: Library
Library case bindings are similar to job bindings in that they are produced in smaller batches; however, the purpose of a library binding is to either fix a broken-down book or create one that is not so easily destroyed. Since library books are so heavily trafficked, these library bound books typically include reinforced spines, stronger endpapers, rounded corners, four-cord thread, and buckram cloth.
Process
The case binding process, though tedious at times, is pretty simple to understand. There are many tutorials available so you can even repeat the steps yourself using any materials you want bound. Books can be bound in cloth, leather, suede, and everything in between, and decorative endpapers can range from the finest marbled designs to parchment. Binding your own book is a great way to personalize something that might otherwise not be so special.