Hinge Tightening

About: Hinge tightening  tightens any slack that may have developed at either the head or tail of a book. This is a preventative repair that should help to bolster the structural integrity of the book and prevent the need for spine repair in the future. Hinge tightening is a very simple and quick repair.

Things You Will Need:

• Bone Folder
• PVA glue and a wooden skewer (look for a bottle of Dawn soap filled with PVA glue. This should be labeled “hinge tightening)
• Waxed paper
• Book press with edge boards

Overview:

Procedure:

Step 1: A book with a loose hinge.

Step 1: Pick up your book and spread apart the covers to check the hinge. This should allow you to see into the space behind the spine and give room to apply glue to the loose hinge.

Hinge tightening “kit”

Step 2: Coat a wooden skewer with glue. To do this, use the “Hinge Tightening” kit made from the Pamolive soap bottle. Simple place the skewer into the bottle and move it up and down a few times to coat it with glue. Remove from the plastic bottle.

Apply glue with a wooden skewer

Step 3: Starting with the head of the book, slide the glue-coated skewer into the space behind the spine. You want to apply glue to the loose hinge (see photo) and coat the loose hinge from head to tail. Rotate the skewer a few times and pull it out. Repeat this process until the whole length  of the hinge is coated with glue.

If both hinges are loose, apply glue to the other hinge. Then, flip the book over so that the tail is facing upward and repeat the glue application process.

Use the bone folder to work the groove.

Step 4: Place waxed paper between the inside cover and the textblock if needed. Using the bone folder, apply pressure to the groove in order to set the glue. Flip over the book and repeat this process for the other side.

Step 5: Place the book between 2 edge boards in the book press. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Step 5: Books in a book press: 1 using edge boards 1 using wooden skewers to simulate edge boards.