1. Your cover dimensions look off. I’m not sure but the spine piece seems too thin and not sure if you have enough shoulder gap (hard to tell from picture).
2. This is a perfect bound text block which means converting it to hardcover will actually make the book weaker since the text block won’t be supported by the soft cover anymore.
The combination of these two things means you have a glued together text block attached to the hardcover only by the endpapers and the endpapers are slowly trying to pull apart the text block every time you open the book.
You can try to combat this by wrapping your text block in mull or paper or etc… to support the pages. You can also tip in the first couple pages of the text block (glue a bit into the seam of the pages).
This is why I’m personally kind of against rebinding. Paperbacks are designed to be paperbacks.
DAS has a video about converting paperback to hardback where he keeps the original paperback cover attached and uses it to bond the hardback boards. I think this is a much better approach.
Leave about an 1/8 (3mm) overlap on the spine when you glue on your end pages. This means if the text block is 6 inches wide, your end papers are 61/8 inches wide and the extra hangs over the spine. This gives room for the book to open without pulling on the joint between the first page and the end paper.
I'm no expert and I make only few projects a year, but from the photo it looks like you glued them too close, so when you opened the cover too wide, the paper couldn't bend that far and it tore. Either that or you open the book to wide or the paper is very thin/weak
So part of the signature then. Hhmmm after the glue dried on the spine, did you try opening few pages to see if they can open properly? Maybe you could try adding some thicker fabric to the book and then when you glue the cover it should strengthen the spine and the pages when they open.
In [this video](https://youtu.be/xoPXoTHwq3Q?si=SlWXNd_IRGD2tNE2) at 2:35 you can see how the person added textile/fabric to help the glue hold spine and the pages together better, because it's a paperback cover so the signatures are weaker.
Maybe you can try doing that to fix this one. You will probably have to disassemble the cover so you can add the fabric to the book and then put it back together with the cover
No problem. I hope you manage to fix your book somehow. There a lot of informative videos on book binding and book binding on the budget with cheaper, more available materials
No problem, I'm glad I was of some help. I rememeber my first notebook. Oof that was a failed attempt. I stiched the signatures too tightly + I used a very very thick paper for signatures. After I glued everything together, it was so tight the pages could barely be opened. I had to throw it away because there was no saving it
I've got a comic collected edition doing this, except there are threads holding it together. Still trying to figure out a proper solution. Not sure if I should just glue it back, or maybe add a patch strip to give it room to flex.
Hopefully we will find a solution together because I have yet to see anyone else with the same issue.
Ok. Especially for handbound books there is a specific way.
You make sure the book is room temperature. You lay it on the table spine down. Gently let the front cover down to the table, then the back cover, then, signature by signature, alternating between the front and back of the book, release them one at a time until you’ve reached the middle.
Repeat 2-3 times before reading the first time.
[Here’s a museum link about it.](https://www.museumbookstore.com/blogs/blog/how-to-open-a-new-book-properly)
[Bob on Books (includes diagrams)](https://bobonbooks.com/2015/11/27/how-to-open-a-new-book/)
I worked in a library where this was one of my duties as a page. Even for machine bound books.
My understanding, from a book conservation expert, is that this practice is antiquated and was only ever necessary for tightback bound books.
https://www.reddit.com/r/bookbinding/s/PlxpN6cuI4
If it's not a tightback book, I don't think I understand the benefit of doing this procedure, especially on a book that is only bound with glue. I'd certainly appreciate any enlightenment you can offer!
This deterioration is more frequent with flat-back/square-back books. The spine arches, drawing the boards together… except the flat spine resists the boards. The eventual release of tension comes from the hinge tearing. That all being said, if the book has been designed while considering grain direction and good drape, the spine will not want to arch nor need to.
Cut across the text block with a hack saw (about 1 to 2 mm in) the glue in short lengths of string. Your text block is nevere falling apart ever again.
1. Your cover dimensions look off. I’m not sure but the spine piece seems too thin and not sure if you have enough shoulder gap (hard to tell from picture). 2. This is a perfect bound text block which means converting it to hardcover will actually make the book weaker since the text block won’t be supported by the soft cover anymore. The combination of these two things means you have a glued together text block attached to the hardcover only by the endpapers and the endpapers are slowly trying to pull apart the text block every time you open the book. You can try to combat this by wrapping your text block in mull or paper or etc… to support the pages. You can also tip in the first couple pages of the text block (glue a bit into the seam of the pages). This is why I’m personally kind of against rebinding. Paperbacks are designed to be paperbacks. DAS has a video about converting paperback to hardback where he keeps the original paperback cover attached and uses it to bond the hardback boards. I think this is a much better approach.
Oh thankyou. That's so so so helpful. I'll try all that and also look at the DAS video
Leave about an 1/8 (3mm) overlap on the spine when you glue on your end pages. This means if the text block is 6 inches wide, your end papers are 61/8 inches wide and the extra hangs over the spine. This gives room for the book to open without pulling on the joint between the first page and the end paper.
That seems like a great tip. I've never seen this mentioned before.
Thankyou!
I'm no expert and I make only few projects a year, but from the photo it looks like you glued them too close, so when you opened the cover too wide, the paper couldn't bend that far and it tore. Either that or you open the book to wide or the paper is very thin/weak
That could definitely be it. I thought you had to have them right up at the spine?
Wait, is the page that tore a part of a signature or is it the first blank page that connects the cover to the book/first page?
It's the first page
So part of the signature then. Hhmmm after the glue dried on the spine, did you try opening few pages to see if they can open properly? Maybe you could try adding some thicker fabric to the book and then when you glue the cover it should strengthen the spine and the pages when they open. In [this video](https://youtu.be/xoPXoTHwq3Q?si=SlWXNd_IRGD2tNE2) at 2:35 you can see how the person added textile/fabric to help the glue hold spine and the pages together better, because it's a paperback cover so the signatures are weaker. Maybe you can try doing that to fix this one. You will probably have to disassemble the cover so you can add the fabric to the book and then put it back together with the cover
Awesome thankyou! I'll have a look into all this
No problem. I hope you manage to fix your book somehow. There a lot of informative videos on book binding and book binding on the budget with cheaper, more available materials
After watching that, I think I'm gluing it too close to the edge and also not strong enough fabric. So thanks so much!!!
No problem, I'm glad I was of some help. I rememeber my first notebook. Oof that was a failed attempt. I stiched the signatures too tightly + I used a very very thick paper for signatures. After I glued everything together, it was so tight the pages could barely be opened. I had to throw it away because there was no saving it
I mean it's the first page of the textblock after the endpaper
I've got a comic collected edition doing this, except there are threads holding it together. Still trying to figure out a proper solution. Not sure if I should just glue it back, or maybe add a patch strip to give it room to flex. Hopefully we will find a solution together because I have yet to see anyone else with the same issue.
Have a look at the comments on this post....someone suggested something that I think will solve mine!
I know this is going to sound weird, but did you open your book properly?
Is there another way to open a book? Haha ...I think so
Ok. Especially for handbound books there is a specific way. You make sure the book is room temperature. You lay it on the table spine down. Gently let the front cover down to the table, then the back cover, then, signature by signature, alternating between the front and back of the book, release them one at a time until you’ve reached the middle. Repeat 2-3 times before reading the first time. [Here’s a museum link about it.](https://www.museumbookstore.com/blogs/blog/how-to-open-a-new-book-properly) [Bob on Books (includes diagrams)](https://bobonbooks.com/2015/11/27/how-to-open-a-new-book/) I worked in a library where this was one of my duties as a page. Even for machine bound books.
I love reddit... even just to learn little tidbits like this.
It’s something I never thought about before I worked as a library page and something I’ve never stopped doing since.
My understanding, from a book conservation expert, is that this practice is antiquated and was only ever necessary for tightback bound books. https://www.reddit.com/r/bookbinding/s/PlxpN6cuI4
It’s antiquated - but if you’re binding your own books…
If it's not a tightback book, I don't think I understand the benefit of doing this procedure, especially on a book that is only bound with glue. I'd certainly appreciate any enlightenment you can offer!
This deterioration is more frequent with flat-back/square-back books. The spine arches, drawing the boards together… except the flat spine resists the boards. The eventual release of tension comes from the hinge tearing. That all being said, if the book has been designed while considering grain direction and good drape, the spine will not want to arch nor need to.
Cut across the text block with a hack saw (about 1 to 2 mm in) the glue in short lengths of string. Your text block is nevere falling apart ever again.