Hot take: I skip the rounding hammer on small leather spines now

Everyone says you need a proper rounding hammer for a tight spine, but I was working on a 3-inch pocket notebook last month and didn't have mine. I used the smooth, curved back of a regular claw hammer instead, pressing and rolling it slowly along the glued spine. It formed a perfect, even round after about five minutes of careful work. Has anyone else found a decent workaround for small projects when the 'right' tool isn't handy?

3 comments

3 Comments

masonm852d ago

angela43 nailed it with that "learn about pressure and feel" bit. I did a tiny 2.5 inch journal once and used the smooth end of a socket wrench extension for rounding. It took forever and I had to keep checking my curve against a pencil, but that project taught me more about spine work than any proper tool did. Sometimes the struggle with a janky setup gives you a feel for the material you just dont get with the perfect hammer right out of the gate.

uma_nguyen246d ago

My first leather binding project was a 2-inch journal, and I ruined the spine with a makeshift tool. The proper hammer's weight and curve distribute pressure in a way a claw hammer just can't match. It's worth waiting for the right tool, honestly.

angela436d ago

Disagree about needing the perfect tool right away. My first bookbinding project used a regular hammer and a smooth river rock for rounding the spine. You learn a lot about pressure and feel by making do. Sometimes the "wrong" tool teaches you why the right one exists later on.