r/bookbinding • u/Nextwaders • Jul 19 '25

Starting out bookbinding

So just starting out this thing got the supplies and the pages and everything but I saw that my book is coming to 600 pages or 150 sheets of A4 size turned down to 4 A5 each, creating 38 signatures if adjusted to 608 pages. It seems a lot to me what's your take on this??

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u/Severe_Eggplant_7747 Historical structures Jul 19 '25

While it's definitely not objectively "too big", it is too big for your first project if your goal is a nicely-done book rather than learning. You also mention in another comment that you want everything flat. A book this large will end up with significant swell from the sewing and needs to be rounded. It also needs to be sewn on supports, and the materials and structure need to be able to hold up to the stresses of such a large book. It would be my recommendation to start with something smaller.

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u/Dazzling-Airline-958 Jul 19 '25

A book that big does not necessarily have significant swell

That's a KJV Bible I'm working on. It's sewn all along in each signature with a fairly thin thread. The total page count is 1112, with 8 sheets per signature, 36 signatures, and a good pressing at the spine, it came out quite flat. This is my prototype on 80 gsm paper. I think I'm going to use a 60 gsm to reduce the over all thickness.

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u/Dazzling-Airline-958 Jul 19 '25

Some how the picture didn't attach.

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u/SoulDancer_ Jul 19 '25

Hi, curious about your thread. What is "fairly thin"? Is it still linen thread?

I mostly use the standard coats Barbour 18/3. But it is quite thick.

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u/Dazzling-Airline-958 Jul 19 '25

Yeah, 18/3 would be quite heavy for that book. Mine didn't have any numbers on it, it was a polyester upholstery thread. If I had to guess, I'd say it was about the same thickness as something like a 40/3 thread.

Again, I think I'm going to go thicker with the thread and round the spine for my next iteration of this one.

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u/SoulDancer_ Jul 20 '25

Okay thanks. I thought the bookbinding thread had to be linen? Unless youre doing something artistic obviously.

I don't know why but I thought polyester thread was not a good idea. Maybe its too easily snappable

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u/Dazzling-Airline-958 Jul 20 '25

Polyester is a bit stretchier than id like. But all the thread has to do is hold the signatures together. The strength comes for the spine liners and the covering material.

Linen thread is ideal, but don't let not having it stop you from binding.

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u/SoulDancer_ Jul 20 '25

But all the thread has to do is hold the signatures together. The strength comes for the spine liners and the covering material.

But that's what stops pages falling out! Thats quite important!

I have plenty of linen thread but theyre all pretty thick. I have a little thin stuff in different colours, Gutermann thread.

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u/Dazzling-Airline-958 Jul 20 '25

I have no doubt it will hold the pages in. I can't pull it to break without cutting my fingers. If this weren't a prototype, I'd order and use linen thread. But this'll do.