Honestly, I'm still torn on using PVA glue vs animal glue for a 16th century style rebind I started three years ago in my Boston workshop.

Last month I finally finished the text block, but I keep going back and forth because the PVA is stronger and faster, while the animal glue is more period correct and reversible, so what's your take on authenticity versus practicality for a project like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

riverperry3mo ago

What's the end goal for this book? If it's a showpiece for historical accuracy, you gotta go animal glue, even with the fuss. I used PVA on a 17th century style ledger once and the stiffness still bugs me, it just doesn't move right. But if this thing needs to survive daily use, modern glue wins. The reversibility of animal glue is a big deal though, lets the next person fix your work in fifty years.

emerycarr2mo agoTop Commenter

Start with the storage question, that's the real dealbreaker. In my own shop I had a PVA bound spine get brittle as hell in a heated basement over one winter. Meanwhile animal glue just breathes with the seasons, it's saved me more than once. Go animal glue for peace of mind.

hannaht293mo ago

Have you thought about how the book will be stored? I've seen old books glued with PVA crack along the spine in really dry rooms because it can't flex at all. But if your workshop gets humid, would the animal glue hold up or get too soft?