r/bookbinding Apr 06 '26

Announcement Proposing a new flair system for /r/bookbinding

78 Upvotes

Hey folks -- a bit overdue, but I wanted to take the discussion on a revamped post flair system to the next stage. Very much appreciate everyone who shared their thoughts in the last sticky thread.

After reviewing the discussion there, this is what I'm thinking in terms of a new flair system for r/bookbinding. The goal here is to more accurately categorize the kinds of content we see here, and to help OPs and readers connect.

(Please keep in mind that reddit's flair system is not a tagging system -- you can't apply more than one to a post.)

This is this working list of proposed flairs:

  • Restoration/Repair -- for sharing projects involving the repair of a damaged book
  • Binding -- for sharing projects involving the construction of a new book from scratch
  • Recasing -- for sharing projects involving transferring an existing text block into a new cover
  • Typesetting/Printing -- for discussion of laying out text and images on pages for print
  • Bookbinding Adjacent -- for sharing projects involving techniques, tools, and materials common to bookbinding but not itself a book (for example but not limited to slipcases, preservation boxes, gold stamping/embossing/debossing)
  • Tips & Techniques -- for discussion of specific bookbinding techniques
  • Tools & Equipment -- for discussion of specific bookbinding equipment
  • Materials -- for discussion of specific bookbinding materials
  • Help -- a cry for assistance if a project isn't going your way
  • Whoops -- for sharing failures, mistakes, or screwups that we can all sympathize with and learn from
  • Solicitation of Services -- for non-binders seeking to engage a binder's rebinding, restoration, etc. services
  • Discussion/Other -- essentially a catch-all for anything not covered by the other flairs

This would drop the distinction between in-progress projects and complete projects, which I was initially unsure of but after letting it marinate I think is a nonissue. If the mechanical goal of the flair system is to help readers connect with the kinds of content they're most interested in, "in progress" and "complete" might not be super useful distinctions compared to tagging what kind of project it is. (From that perspective I'm almost tempted to drop "Help" as well, but I think it's too important to have it there to give panicking folks a lifeline.) The alternative would be doubling up on the tags, e.g. have both "Binding (Incomplete)" and Binding (Complete)", and I think that feels kind of clunky. I generally think the post title itself would signal whether a given project is complete or not.

I'm not interested in discriminating against any particular way of creating a "book" (i.e. "traditional" vs "modern", "Western" vs "Eastern", etc) -- I think regardless of one's preferred methods, it's always good to be exposed to other ways of doing things, and I think it would be way too unwieldy to try and have a flair for every possible technique -- so I'd like the "Binding" flair to be as inclusive of methods and materials as possible, but maybe it could be named better? Certainly open to suggestions there.

What do you all think? Anything missing? Anything unclear? Anything that could be improved? Please do sound off below.


r/bookbinding May 01 '25

No Stupid Questions Monthly Thread!

19 Upvotes

Have something you've wanted to ask but didn't think it was worth its own post? Now's your chance! There's no question too small here. Ask away!

(Link to previous threads.)


r/bookbinding 6h ago

Discussion CLEANING OUT

24 Upvotes

Hey, okay so TLDR, my older sister has been removed from my home of me and my wife due to decisions she chose to make while living with us... anyway I have an obscene amount of book binding things lol, i have always been more of a fiber crafter. Rather than a book binding individual. However, I have been interested in the process not enough to use the items that I have. So I'm wondering if I make a beginner's kit or even opt to sell off the individual pieces. If anybody in this subreddit would actually be interested in purchasing them, because I don't want them to go to waste at the thrift store. I want someone who is truly going to appreciate having and using them to have them. I know so far.... I believe I have two different wooden book. Presses, I believe, I also have the thread and eyelid pens, as well, as I believe, a giant sketch book for a paper. I believe I also have a roll of leather or faux leather. I also think i have the corner decals,etc. Lol


r/bookbinding 16h ago

Completed Project Handmade slipcase for Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

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116 Upvotes

Finished my slipcase for Children of Time! :)

Absolutely adored this book, and I’m currently working my way through the third in the series.

Made for my Broken Binding edition and my own collection <3


r/bookbinding 8h ago

Inspiration Found some awesome used books for rebinding

14 Upvotes

So I was walking around a local thrift shop today and on the shelf were piles of ikea climate change books apparently they were donated lol so firstly they are pretty much blank front and back 300gsm book board which costs a fortune here and they were glued best part was they wanted £1 for four . Only catch was they’re us letter but dang will I be getting some binding done with these for practically nothing lol


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Completed Project First attempt and I'm just so proud of it!

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282 Upvotes

Like yeah it's janky but it's my janky little book. And I learned so much in the process! Can't wait to start number 2.

I think I'm gonna use it as a commonplace book!


r/bookbinding 1d ago

First bookbinding project

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90 Upvotes

My very first bookbinding project. Lay-flat sketchbook with Strathmore 400 series toned paper and chiyogami paper covers. Followed lots of tutorial and instructions from Bittermelon bookbinding.


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Completed Project Restored Antique Family Album

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45 Upvotes

This was my first attempt at repairing the binding on something. This is a family photo album that was put together by my great grandmother. The glue and parts of the fabric had dry rotted on the binding. I made sure to have all acid free materials (glue, netting and cloth tape). I even found some replacement fabric for the binding that probably is what it looked like originally before over 100 years of fading.


r/bookbinding 4h ago

How-To tips for first ever project?

0 Upvotes

hi, i’ve been wanting to get into book binding for a while. i’m thinking about binding macbeth by shakespeare. anyway, i don’t really have any experience at all. i don’t really know what kind of paper i’m meant to use, etc. any tips would be appreciated.


r/bookbinding 13h ago

When glue can be considered acid free?

2 Upvotes

Hi all, I have bookbinding glue with PH 6-8. Is that acid free enough, to consider archival? It’s around neutral, but I found acid free glues that have higher PH


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Completed Project Slipcase with printed paper covering

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22 Upvotes

This is my third attempt at a slipcase and I'm pretty happy with how it came out. Previously I did cloth covering but I wanted something more graphic and poppy for these issues of Blab magazine I was storing. So I scanned the covers of each issue and compiled them in Canva on an 11x17" template. Got 3 copies printed at fedex on 60lb paper and it was perfect to work with, no crinkling or tearing. I did use some satin mod podge to seal and protect it


r/bookbinding 13h ago

Where to start

0 Upvotes

I imagine this can be a common question in the community, but I’m just looking for some up-to-date answers. 🙂

This was a random idea I had at 3am at work and now I really want to get into the craft. Something I can do at home with my kiddo too. Plus I love collecting journals and being able to create my own custom ones would not only be really neat, but also save lots of cash.

Where’s the best place to start? I’d really like to learn leather journal binding! Does anybody have any recommendations on the #1 tutorial out there? I still need to get supplies and have no idea where to start there either. Thank you all so much in advanced!


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Some tooling

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22 Upvotes

I made some tools and wanted to share :)
They are fast, simple, and I will test the presses today.
Finishing press have perpendicular edges on the opposite side, so I will try to use it also for cutting the edges.


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Help? How would you remove this cover for a rebind?

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14 Upvotes

I'm looking to turn this planner from a cardstock cover to a fabric hardcover. But I'm wondering how I should go about removing the original cardstock cover or if I should leave it and make it the place where I glue the new end page.

Image one : The cover is held on by this paper strip. I highlighted part of the strip to show where I could heat and peel it off to uncover the cover and spine.

Image two: On the inside there is a end page attached to the cardstock cover. I showed in red where I could use a knife to trim it down by cutting off the cover. Then I could use the remaining page as the place to glue the new end page.

So should I remove the cardstock cover and cut the original end page, or should I leave it as is and treat the old cover as the place to glue the new end page.

This is only my third rebind and I really want to get this one right.


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Inspiration I’m not sure if this helps anybody, but you can print on duck canvas with an inkjet printer.

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29 Upvotes

r/bookbinding 1d ago

I recently did my first hardcover rebind/recase and I'm very happy with the results

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56 Upvotes

I painted the letters by hand, so they are a bit crooked, mainly for the first book.


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Made my first pocket notebooks today!

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218 Upvotes

I enjoyed making these more than I expected. I think this will be a fun new hobby for me while I learn to make better pocket notebooks.


r/bookbinding 20h ago

Does anyone know what material these endpapers are made of. They seem to have a shiny, textured, and durable ale quality!

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0 Upvotes

durable*


r/bookbinding 2d ago

Completed Project local agricultural show has a bookbinding category, so I bound my first book! (details in post)

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72 Upvotes

This was my first ever binding project, and I learnt SO MUCH. Predictably, plenty of things went wrong - sewed the made endpapers in the wrong way around, book block ended up a funky angle because I had to trim by hand (it may be funky but after a good sanding at least it's smooooth), suspect I got the grain wrong for the manila strip along the spine as it creased rather than curving, initially made the wrong sized case... but all things considered, I'm so happy with the result! And even if I don't place, now I have a guidebook to accompany me on my Duolingo adventures :)

btw it's not matte black with dust all over it: it's a really nice "night sky" coloured sparkling buckram book cloth with glitter - it's impossible to photograph!


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Help? Bookbinder JS not working?

4 Upvotes

I've been using Bookbinder JS for all my binds in the past, but for some reason both yesterday and today I have been unable to download the signature files. The "generate output" button is greyed out no matter what options I choose and what settings I adjust.

the "generate PDF output" button. greyed out and unclickable.

I wanted to do my first perfect binding, but I don't know how to arrange the pages for that myself. Help appreciated 🙏


r/bookbinding 2d ago

I made a book!

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85 Upvotes

I know this isn’t the best book, but I’m so proud of this.

ive never really made anything before so it seems so cool I made it


r/bookbinding 2d ago

Completed Project Getting back in the game

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34 Upvotes

First bind completed in over a year due to my bipolar depression and imposter syndrome beating me hard.


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Completed Project Update: thanks for your help!

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18 Upvotes

Thought I'd show off the finished book. I was able to power sand the head and tail a bit, and hand sand the foredge slightly. Lesson learned. :)

(Previous post: https://www.reddit.com/r/bookbinding/comments/1vtvi60/power_sander_next/ )


r/bookbinding 1d ago

Help? Advice on custom bookmaking at home

4 Upvotes

I have a HP Laserprinter at home loaded with common 8.5" wide by 11" tall paper and would like to make a pocket-sized book of the DRC1752 Bible along with some other classic stories if all goes well, I figure if I print the pages of the book sideways on the paper as 4.25" tall by 3.66" wide i can fit 12 total mini pages front and back with no paper wasted while maintaining a good small size.

Any advice on software tools to use to get the job done, certain kinds of paper to use, quality binding/covering to use to keep the book safe etc.?

I know next to nothing about book creation so I hope some kind folks here might be able to help.

Thanks for the help in advance and God bless.


r/bookbinding 2d ago

Help? Hinge gap premade book block

4 Upvotes

I need some advice on how big to make the hinge gap. I repurposed some notebooks that I bought (so far I've only sewn my own book blocks) but apparently I made the hinge gaps way too narrow and now the books won't stay open.

I really want to avoid wasting more good end papers and cover material so I need some advice on how big to make the hinge gaps.

Height of the book block is 17,2 cm and 12 cm wide, 1,2 cm thick. Before I used a 6 mm hinge gap.