Question about skipping the traditional pressing step for a quick repair

Everyone says you absolutely must press a book for a full day after a spine repair, but I was in a hurry to fix a client's 1920s poetry collection. I tried using a heavy-duty clamp and a hair dryer on low heat for about 20 minutes instead, and the adhesive set perfectly. Has anyone else had a good result with a faster method on older materials?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey7871mo ago

I fixed a 1970s cookbook last month with a similar rush job. I used two C-clamps and a space heater on low from about four feet away for maybe 30 minutes. The glue held fine and the book lays flat. Sometimes the old rules are just guidelines.

beth_anderson1mo ago

Whoa, that sounds risky to me. @casey787, that heat can dry out the old glue and paper way too fast, making it brittle. In my experience, even low heat from a distance can cause damage you won't see until the spine cracks later. I always stick with weights and just give it a full day to set.

ivancoleman18h ago

Exactly, the heat changes the moisture content in the paper and glue, making it stiff instead of flexible. Your mileage may vary, but I've seen old spines snap clean in half after being heated, even from a safe distance. That extra day under weights just gives everything time to settle naturally without any of that risk.