I finished the three blank books from the last post, forgot to photograph them, and gave one away already. Better luck this time! Another three blanks are in progress.

Two stacks of folded signatures, one stack of unfolded sheets, and a bone folder

I enjoyed using the Poelstra punching cradle, awl, and guide to punch my signatures, but ran into an issue with the guide: it’s made of aluminum, so it oxidizes at the drop of a hat and thus leaves black aluminum oxide marks on my paper.

Bookbinding awl being used to punch holes into signatures with the aid of an aluminum guide and scrap muslin

Hence the fabric underneath the guide: this prevented the guide from marking up my paper. I’d like to seal the guide with something (polyurethane?) to prevent that from happening, but that’s one more thing in a very long list of things to get done.

Book block in book press with mull glued to spine

Anyhow, I’ve stitched up the new blocks and glued the mull to the spines. This set will almost certainly be bound fully in leather with small paintings inset into the covers. I have one of the paintings finished, and the two others in progress. All of this is practice for a larger art book concept…

bookbinding tools