That binder at the Boston Public Library show who refused to use PVA

I was at the Boston Bookbinding Fair back in 2019, watching this older guy restore a 1800s atlas. He was using nothing but wheat paste and linen thread, no synthetic glue at all. Said PVA would 'rot the soul' out of old paper. I argued with him for 20 minutes about how modern adhesives are fine. But then he showed me a book he did 30 years ago with paste. Still held perfect, no yellowing. My PVA jobs from 10 years back? Some are already cracking. Been mixing my own paste ever since. Any of you run into a purist who actually proved their point with old work?

2 comments

2 Comments

wells.karen3d agoMost Upvoted

Brought a 20 year old book I did with pH-neutral PVA and showed him how it still laid flat. He just shrugged and said "wait another 50 years." Kinda stung because he was probably right.

viola_ward2d ago

My dad said the same thing about my 15 year old shiplap.