Hand Bookbinding: A Manual of Instruction (Paperback)

by Aldren A. Watson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Expert guide to creating fine books by hand. Thorough, detailed instructions, with over 270 helpful illustrations, cover materials, tools and equipment, making a slipcase, rebinding an old book, more. Also, 8 specific projects: dust jacket; blank book, single signature; folio; manuscript binding, music binding, three more. Introduction.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (July 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 048629157X
• ISBN-13: 978-0486291574
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,101 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Graphic Design > Desktop Publishing
  #8 in	Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Book Making & Binding
  #44 in	Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Papercrafts

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

159 of 160 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Above the crowd, February 20, 2000

By	R. Watts (Lewisville, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have several books on bookbinding but have not found a single book with all of the information I need. This book comes the closest but is weak on doing leather covers, split covers, and alternative sewing methods. The Craft of Bookbinding by Manly Banister covers those subjects nicely but does not help you on making tools, which this book treats reasonably well. I recommend you obtain both of these books for a complete treatment of bookbinding in a fair amount of detail. I'm still looking for that all-encompassing book, though...

110 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to hand bookbinding., July 10, 1998

By A Customer

The author covers the basic skills of hand bookbinding using clear, concise language and illustrations. He shows you how to build your own equipment using elementary woodworking skills for a small fraction of the cost of commercially made equipment. I have built all of my own equipment based on his plans and have successfully used it to bind books. Several example bookbinding projects are covered step by step. I found the chapter on binding manuscripts particularly useful for binding some academic work. The headbanding chapter is quite interesting as it explains how to add to the aesthetic appeal of your book as well as its structural integrity. I think that this is one of the best how-to manuals that I have read on any subject. I highly recommend this book for those wanting to get started in bookbinding with a small investment. Building your own equipment and binding books with it is quite a rewarding experience.

53 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One Half of a Great Set of Instructions on Bookbinding, June 29, 2004

By	Roger R. Cousineau (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book, and "The Craft of Bookbinding" by Manly Banister, on the advice of other reviewers. These two books really compliment each other. This book has great, easy to follow instructions for binding books in several different styles, as well as instructions for making slip covers and boxes for boxing sets of books. There is a chapter on making many of the basic bookbinding tools you will need. The illustrations that go with the instructions are large, clear, and easy to follow.
The book by Banister has instructions for making some tools not included in this book. In addition, Watson makes the statement that "perfect bound" books, which include most of the trade paperbacks we own, cannot be rebound. Banister, on the other hand, has a ten page section on perfect binding, and how to rebind your favorite paperback.
Aldren Watson has put together a wonderful book, clear, easy to understand, clearly illustrated, and depending on what you are trying to accomplish, it may be the only one you ever need. I gave it four stars only because it did not cover "perfect binding".
Buy both books and you should be able to tackle just about any bookbinding situation that comes up.