Old timer at the shop told me my grain direction was all wrong

Been binding for about two years now. Thought I had it down. Then this retired bookbinder came into the shop I work at part time. He saw me gluing up a text block and just shook his head. Said I was fighting the grain on every single sheet. I had no clue what he meant. He showed me how to test paper grain by curling a sheet between your fingers. Changed everything. Now I check every batch of paper before I cut. Saves me so much warping and frustration. Has anyone else had an old pro just drop some knowledge on them like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

verab2815d ago

Oh man, I gotta push back on this a bit. I've been binding for like 15 years now and I pretty much never check grain direction. I mean, maybe I'm just lucky or something, but I use a lot of cheap copy paper and textured artist papers from the craft store and I've never had warping issues that ruined a book. It feels like one of those rules people cling to because they read it in a book once, not because it actually matters for every project. Like, if you're gluing up a thin pamphlet or a small notebook, I seriously doubt the grain is gonna make or break your spine. Maybe it's just me, but I think a lot of paper these days is made well enough that you don't need to be so precious about it.

the_anthony15d ago

Man that old timer was doing you a solid. Grain direction is one of those things where you don't realize it matters until you see the difference side by side, like a warped cover after a week vs one that stays flat forever. Your 15 year binder friend might just be getting lucky with dry climates or small projects, but once you start doing larger books or using handmade papers, ignoring grain will bite you every time.