What Is The Best Way To Wear In The Spine Of A Book?

[Gherkins]

Hello. I have a lovely piece of new reading material. I was wondering what others did to help wear in the spine before reading? Sometimes if I do not wear in the spine, the pages can fall out and the spine will deteriorate.

[bookbinder]

You might find this interesting:
https://lifehacker.com/break-in-a-hardcover-book-without-ruining-the-spine-1509842301

[Gherkins]

That is very interesting. Thank you Bookbinder. Do you happen to know what process you would take regarding a paperback?

[bookbinder]

Some more information on paperbacks here:
http://booksville.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/how-to-break-in-new-book.html

[bookbinder]

Regarding paperbacks, there is a greater risk of pages falling out than there is with 'cased-in' [bookbinding term for hardback] books. Paperbacks usually begin life as a collection of folded sheets, which form the pages. These folded sheets are passed through a machine that cuts off the folded edges that form the spine, thus leaving the pages with no stitching to hold them together. The cut spine is glued and the cover is glued on. If this process is not done correctly, or unsuitable paper/glue is used, the pages will, at some stage, begin to fall out. This can happen early in the book's life, or later.

[jourdain2]

Wow! Bookbinder, you know your stuff. I am also grateful for the information.

[Gherkins]

Stretching the binding is really simple and will keep the spine from breaking and the book in much better shape for a much longer time:

1. Stand the book on a flat surface on its spine.

2. Holding the book vertical, open the front cover a full 90 degrees and press your fingertips along the crease the length of the page.

3. Keeping the front cover open, now open the back cover a full 90 degrees and press your fingertips along the crease the length of the page.

4. Retaining the current sides open, return to the front of the book and fold three or four pages open together 90 degrees, pressing your fingertips along the crease.

5.Repeat this at the back of the book.

6.Alternate this for more and more pages between the front and back of the book. Although you could go all the way to the center of the book, I find a quarter of the way sufficient.

Once you break in the ends of the book, the middle will naturally follow as you open the pages.

This information is very helpful thank you Bookbinder. I have tried to copy and paste the information into my answer so that I can find the information at a later date.

[bookbinder]

I'm glad that I could help.

[Tilly2]

Thank you, Bookbinder. That's a really good link. I like that.

[bookbinder]

Thank you, also, Tilly2.

[Mexican18]

Why post a question and then answer it yourself?It sounds like reading a book is an adventure!Just read it! The pages won't fall out.