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c/bookbindershugo_joneshugo_jones3d agoProlific Poster

PSA: That 'simple' headband repair on a 1902 atlas took me three hours

I thought I could just glue a new piece of linen tape in place and be done in twenty minutes. The old adhesive had turned to dust, but the real problem was the tiny, frayed sewing threads from the original binding that kept getting in the way. I ended up having to carefully unpick about an inch of the old spine lining with a micro spatula before I could even start. Has anyone found a better tool for cleaning out that kind of old thread mess without damaging the text block?
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kareng27
kareng273d ago
Three hours? It's just a book, not a heart transplant. Maybe let the old threads be.
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piperr58
piperr583d ago
Oh man, that sounds so familiar. I read a blog post from a conservator who swears by a dulled dental pick for that exact job. They said the curve and fine point can hook the old threads without cutting into the paper. Sounds like you did the right thing going slow though, that old thread is a nightmare.
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