Mistakes in a 1910 rebind, hinge paste vs my usual PVA

I spent a Saturday on an old songbook from an estate sale and used my standard PVA for the hinges, only for the boards to crack when I flexed the text block two days later. Switched to a starch paste mix on the second try and the joints moved like they should, no cracking at all. Has anyone else had better luck with paste on older leather or am I just chasing ghosts?

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the_andrew22d ago

Did you catch that old Library of Congress talk on rebinds where they mentioned pre-1920s leathers soaking up PVA like a sponge? I heard that's why the boards seize up, but paste lets the fibers breathe a bit. Sounds like your fix lines up with that, not just luck.