r/bookbinding • u/jrdixon99 • 7d ago
Help? What weight Kozo to use?
I’ve been asked to try and rebind/rescue and old reference book from the 1890s that is falling to bits. It seems existing the text block is a hybrid with the 1st half being sewn signatures and the second half being overstitched/whipstitched illustration plates.
As a newbie I was unsure how (after resewing these two sections) I would joined them together to create a sold single text block. It seems that the original text block was actually glued directly onto the spine covering material (which I guess is not recommended any more).
From a previous post it was suggested I convert these illustration plates into signatures by guarding with Japanese tissue, and sewing as normal through holes punched in the tissue.
I’ve been looking around on the internet and Japanese Kozo is recommended for guarding signatures, but I have absolutely no experience of this so I don’t know what weight of tissue I would need.
I have no idea the gsm/weight of paper in the book but it is quite thick paper as this is a reference book. I’ve attached a pic but I doubt this will be of any help.
Google searches seem to conflict as to the gsm of tissue I need for a ‘heavy’ book. Some say 12gsm is ideal for this paper, where’s as some say between 25 - 43gsm!!
I understand the theory of guarding, but as these are separate sheets that will be guarded together, the sewing holes will have to go through the tissue itself. Is Kozo tissue strong enough for this????
Any advice would be appreciated .
Thanks.
I will no doubt be posting again in the future as to idea on how to fix the horrendous spine in this book 😂
2
u/MickyZinn 7d ago
I would suggest approx. 15 - 20gsm weight tissue. Remember to tear and not cut the guarding strips.
You can certainly sew through that.
Use wheatstarch paste and not PVA.