Talked to a retired binder at a guild meeting last night and it changed how I think about glue

He was 78 and had been binding since the 60s. He told me he never uses PVA on its own for spines anymore because it gets too brittle over decades. He mixes it 50/50 with wheat paste for flexibility and says it holds up way better after 30 years. I had never even thought about mixing adhesives that way. Been using straight PVA for 4 years on every project. Has anyone else tried mixing their glue like this or am I way behind the curve?

2 comments

2 Comments

ross.jessica3d ago

Has he ever had any issues with the wheat paste attracting pests or mold over time in humid conditions? I've heard that's the main downside people bring up when mixing natural pastes with modern glues. Would be good to know if he's got a trick for avoiding that.

jackson.wesley3d ago

That bit about "modern glues" got my attention, @ross.jessica. I think you might mean that people mix wheat paste with PVA glue or wood glue these days, not the other way around. The old paste is actually the additive to the modern adhesive, not the base. As for pests and mold, a lot of guys I know add a few drops of clove oil or tea tree oil to the mix. It keeps the bugs away and stops mold from growing in damp spots. Works better than any chemical preservative I've seen.