My first attempt at a leather hinge was a disaster six months ago, but now they turn out clean every time.

Back in January I tried to make a leather hinge for a journal I was binding. The leather was too thick and I cut it way too short, so the whole thing fell apart after two opens. I watched a tutorial from a guy in the UK who said to use 2 ounce leather and wet form it first. Now after about 15 tries I can get a hinge that flexes perfectly and lasts. Has anyone else had luck with a specific leather weight for hinges?

2 comments

2 Comments

hall.ruby12d ago

Oh man, that wet noodle comment cracked me up because I've been there too. It's wild how a tiny change in leather weight can make or break a hinge. You know what I started doing after that UK guy's tip? I take the 2 ounce stuff and dampen it just enough to mold it around the spine, then let it dry under weight for a full day. That extra step stopped the warping problem I had before. But your 3 ounce success makes me wonder if I'm being too picky about the weight. Maybe the grain and temper matter more than I thought. I've got a scrap of 3 ounce veg tan here that feels way more flexible than some 2 ounce I've used, so maybe it's all about the specific hide.

sean_foster5212d ago

I tried the wet forming trick once and ended up with a hinge that looked like a sad wet noodle, so props to you for sticking with it for 15 tries. My first hinge was so bad it snapped before I even got the cover closed, which was actually impressive in a "how did I mess up that badly" kind of way. I always thought 2 ounce was the sweet spot but then I tried some 3 ounce on a bigger book and it's been holding up fine so far. Maybe I just got lucky or maybe the leather I used was extra forgiving, who knows. But yeah, you keep that UK guy's advice handy because he clearly knows what he's talking about.