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Saw a binder in Chicago using regular Elmer's glue for leather spines
It's going to crack and fail in under a year, but they insisted it was fine. Anyone know a good way to explain why PVA is non-negotiable?
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charles_wilson1mo ago
Yeah, it's not just about sticking power. Regular glue dries hard and brittle, so every time you open that book, you're putting stress on a rigid joint. PVA stays flexible, it moves with the leather instead of fighting it. That's the whole point, it bends without breaking.
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kaiharris1mo ago
My old copy of Dune fell apart last year because someone used super glue on the spine. It cracked right down the middle after two opens. That's exactly what @charles_wilson is talking about. I re-did it with simple PVA and now the whole thing flexes like it's supposed to. You can actually read it without hearing that awful cracking sound.
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