Changing Trends of Bookbinding – Then and Now...

In the historical times, books were sewed, placed between wooden boards and wrapped with leather covers to keep them safe. The invention of paper made from wood pulp changed the quantity of book production to multi-fold times. Later on, printing as an activity was introduced and this also led to an increase in a number of books produced. Where a printing machine was used to print the ideas and theories, a binding machine was used to compile the printed pages and turned it into a book and used leather cover to protect the printed books. There were different colours of leather being used and also, gold designs were embossed on the covers to make them look more attractive. But, this had its huge costs. In order to protect such expensive books with decorative covers gave rise to tying through chains of books to the bookshelves. The early phase of bookbinding was done with cold glue and that led to the fragile binding which broke with multiple use of books. Hence, in the 1940s to increase the durability of books, binding was started with hot melted adhesive. Further, in the 1950s, documentation increased due to the development of office management and it became imperative to save those documents.Then came bounding with wires through punch and bind system and spiral binding started. Technological advancement led to the development of binding and machines were being used. Wires and sewing were replaced by cloth tapes. There were techniques of bookbinding which involved craftsmanship in a shop and also, there were big factory units with large machines that produced bound books in high volumes. This binding activity through large machines came to be known as commercial binding technique. This further got modernized to make books look smarter and safer. Hardbound cover with high durability came into existence as a commercial technique of bookbinding. Earlier cloth-bound books were used, but later hardback bound books made of thick cardboard were used. After the hardbound cover came perfect binding which is quite similar to paperback books, we find in stores these days. The perfect binding made cover heavier through layers of papers glued to each other to make it strong. There is a method of binding that leads continuous thread-wire through pages of paper and is mostly used for keeping children’s other than course-books intact. This technique has...

Modern bookbinding vs old bookbinding: The pros & cons...

Bookbinding is considered to be an art which depends on elements of measuring, cutting and sticking or sewing. A well-bound book is completed by more than two dozen operations, which may increase with customizations depending upon particular style and materials. Traditional manner of bookbinding The first and foremost books known to the humankind were the clay tablets of the Babylonian era, which were scribed with a blunt instrument on moist clay and dried in the sun. It was followed by palm books, which were in actual form like books. These were made out of narrow strips of palm leaves or barks. The writings were scraped on it and filled with lamp black. These stacks of leaves were sewn together using cord or leather thread and wood was used as cover, which was usually decorated with carvings or inlay work and even studded with gold or silver. The arrival of papyrus led to making of scrolls or papyrus rolls, by slitting the plant stems into strips, which were hammered into sheets and polished to make a smooth writing surface. However, the problem was faced due to the brittle nature of papyrus. Since in old times, the books were only transcribed on handmade materials, their sizes and styles changed considerably and there was no consistency in the process. It was only in the fifteenth century that books were bound to the spines connected with hardcovers as are used today. The vellum (or calf-skin), which was used traditionally for bookbinding, usually reacted to humidity in the atmosphere and bloated the book. It was then secured with wooden cover using straps or fasteners. Later this form progressed into the extravagant style, where bright colors, stamps, gold leaves, gems, etc. were used. Modernisation of bookbinding The advent of paper started the process of advancement in bookbinding. It resulted in books being lighter, sewn with silk, bound with cowhide to spines and secured with glue sheets. It was a revolutionary change from the continuous papyrus rolls to the books made up from separate sheets of paper. The invention of the printer and its usage gave the necessary boost to...

The Benefits of Binding Your Thesis Spirally...

Also known popularly as coil binding, spiral binding is a method of joining the cover and the pages of a bound document. The coil joins the pages and the cover of the document. Spiral binding is one of the most popular forms of binding since it is not as expensive as the other forms of binding and is much easier to do so. Here are some of the benefits of spiral binding your document. Accommodates Any Page Count Spiral coils come in a variety of sizes and can easily accommodate any page count. The larger the book, the higher would be the diameter of the coil for aesthetics and function. The coils can either be made of metal or plastic. However, they are preferably made of plastic since they come in a wide variety of colours. Moreover, coils made of plastic resist better than coils made of metal. So, you would need to keep this in mind before going for spiral binding. It Is Readily Available Spiral binding is so appealing that it is particularly used for shorter production runs too. Since it is a straightforward process, it is highly popular. Also, the coils are available in different colours, shapes, etc. to complement a wide range of documents. The Pages Turn Easily The pages of a spirally bound document can turn quite easily when the book is opened. So, unlike the other binding methods, this method has absolutely no spinal tension in them. This allows you to keep the book continually open and you do not have to keep opening the book all the time. You can easily even hang the document on the wall since the document would show least resistance. This is why spiral binding is highly popular with almost everyone. You should, therefore, consider spirally binding your document as compared to any other...

Importance of book binding services

Books must be bound to keep them safe and secure over a long time. Having them bound from a professional agency is the best option. Book binding is a tedious job, which involves several processes like – cutting, folding, gluing, stitching, sewing, and wrapping. It can be very tedious task, if done by own. Hence, one should approach a reliable service provider, who can help you in producing a perfect book. Basically, the process of binding books required wrapping the documents into a book. One can find a variety of method to bind a book. Some of the common techniques include – coil binding, spiral binding, stich binding, thermal binding, perfect binding etc. Depending on your requirements, you can choose an appropriate technique.To get your book bind; you can approach any professional binding service provider who does this work in a perfect manner. The book binding service providers have different tools and equipment, using which they bind your books.You can also search on the internet to find the best binding service provider in your locality. You can also find online binding service providers who take your order online and provide different binding services. Bindingservices.in is one of the reputed and reliable binding service providers who will take orders through mails. By considering your requirements, they will do the binding work for you and send back the final copy. You need not have to pay any additional charges for shipment. In this way, online binding companies offer their services to the people at affordable rates. Apart from this, the online binding companies accomplish all your requirements and keep up their standards. The services provided by reliable binding companies are of top most quality. They can prepare covers as per the size and requirement of your document. Binding is very essential for students, researchers and scholars as they need to prepare a thesis, dissertation, journal, reports, research papers etc. Appropriate binding gives the academic papers a perfect look. PhD is considered as one of the complex academic papers and should be written with perfection. Binding of academic papers is of great importance, especially, if it need to be of high standards. Hence, there is a great importance of these binding companies. With the growth and development of the internet, it became very easy to hire a professional binding company. Book binding...

Use Book Binding Services to Restore Old Books...

Binding techniques are used to repair damage to existing books. In book binding parlance these techniques are known as conservation and restoration. The conservation technique slows a book’s decay and restores it to a usable state and at the same time the original look and feel either left unaltered or is altered as little as possible. The restoration technique, on the other hand, is used to return the book to its perceived original state. Bookbinders need to ensure that the changes made to a book during the conservation and restoration processes can be undone if such a need arises in the future. Conservation treatment is used for a variety of books – from the earliest of texts to contemporary books that have undergone heavy usage. The treatment a conservator chooses depends on the book’s value. Restoration, on the other hand is used only for texts that are hundreds of years old. It uses a technique of hand binding with great care and finesse. Restoration also involves the removal of foxing, ink and other stains, page tears, dog ears etc. As it is necessary to preserve ancient texts which are often of great significance, book binding processes are used by a number of societies involved in the study and preservation of ancient texts. Conservation and restoration of books is especially relevant in the Indian context as ours is a land of rich and varied history – from the Indus Valley civilisation to the modern times and with a lot of history in between – with a large number of ancient texts that are extremely significant. India was the land where the concept of zero was invented. The land abounded with literary figures like Kalidasa and scientists like Aryabhatta. Unfortunately, some of the ancient texts are long lost. A lot of the texts that still remain are in a dilapidated state. Modern technology that is now available can be used to restore these texts. The organisations and societies – both government and non-government- involved in the study of ancient texts have been making some headway in the restoration of these texts. However, a lot more needs to be done. The binding companies in the organised sector can play a very useful role in this regard. In recent times we have seen the growth of such binding companies. One that readily comes...

Modern Hand Bookbinding

The art of hand bookbinding which was in a state of decline during the 40s and the 50s witnessed a revival in the 1960s mainly due to the initiatives of a small number of craftsmen who worked to bring new life to the declining trade. The craftsmen included Edgar Mansfield, Bernard Middleton, Ivor Robinson, Bill Anthony, Hugo Peller, and Arthur Johnson. However, the revival notwithstanding, some of the consequences of the decline still persist. Perhaps the greatest consequence has been the drastic and undesirable changes in the training and work habits of binders which were primarily caused by a general collapse of the apprenticeship programs of the past. This consequence is noticeable even today. In today’s world, hand binders have, evidently, become less productive in spite of the increased know-how at their disposal. This could be due to trainings that emphasize on limited techniques and decision making, instead of speed and skill development based on repetition. BindingServices.in, an Indian bookbinding company, has a dedicated learning centre, which aims to address this issue. Hand binding plays a vital role in restoring old texts and it is imperative that the craft is practised with precision and speed. Hand bookbinders use a variety of specially created tools. The bonefolder is one such tool. It is used to apply pressure and crease paper. Other tools include a variety of knives and hammers. Brass tools are used during the finishing process. Modern bookbinding by hand deals with the formation of innovative bindings and the repair of existing bindings. In general, bookbinders are active in both fields. Modern hand bookbinders create new bindings made with materials that range from traditional to modern and from basic cloth-case bindings to full-leather fine bindings. The repairs to existing books similarly use a range of techniques, from minimally invasive conservation to the full restoration. Indeed, the most significant area of growth within hand bookbinding in recent times has been conservation, repair, and restoration. This development has been the result of interest shown by groups involved in the collection of ancient texts besides the interest of the craftsmen themselves. As awareness continues to grow regarding the preservation of ancient texts, there has been an increasing demand for hand bookbinding services. For a while now, this trend has continued to gain considerable momentum with no end in sight. Modern hand binders...