Book Repair Tools & Supplies
Using the correct archival materials ensures your repairs preserve the book without causing paper degradation, embrittlement, or yellowing down the road.
Never use ordinary household supplies (such as cellophane tape, rubber cement, or standard Elmer's craft glue) on books you care about—their acids and sulfur compounds permanently stain and eat away paper fibers. Below are the professional-grade, conservation-tested tools and supplies we rely on:
1. Genuine Bone Folder
An indispensable tool for making crisp paper folds, burnishing Japanese tissue repairs, smoothing spine hollows, and working cloth into outer joints without stretching fibers.
2. Lightweight Awl
A lightweight, durable tool with a finely tapered point. Excellent for piercing clean, uniform sewing stations through signature folds before resewing.
3. Round Glue & Paste Brush
The ideal bristle density and shape for applying both PVA glue and starch paste evenly. (Always keep dedicated separate brushes for glue and starch paste).
4. Bookbinding Needles
Egg-eye tapestry/binding needles with blunt points that glide smoothly through pre-pierced sewing stations without piercing or splitting adjacent linen threads.
5. Unwaxed / Waxed Linen Thread
Strong, long-staple linen thread specifically spun for resewing signatures and text blocks without snapping under tension or cutting through paper folds.
6. Lineco pH Neutral PVA Adhesive
Archival polyvinyl acetate adhesive formulated specifically for book conservation. Dries completely clear, remains permanently flexible over decades, and won't crack or discolor.
7. Archival Document Repair Tape
Acid-free, semi-translucent repair tissue tape for torn pages. Non-yellowing, reversible, and completely safe unlike destructive household cellophane tape.
8. Archival Hinging Tape
Ideal for hinging loose plates, tipped-in illustrations, and reinforcing weakened endpaper joints without adding excess bulk to the gutter.
9. Basic Bookbinding (A.W. Lewis)
My personal most-used reference manual. Packed with clear instructions and structural diagrams explaining the classic anatomy and construction of hand-bound books.
10. Bookbinding Demonstration Video
For book lovers who prefer learning through visual observation, a complete step-by-step demonstration of core binding, rebacking, and mending techniques.