heresy

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heresy

1kdweber
Mag 27, 2020, 12:02 pm

My copy of Robinson Crusoe has a near fine text block but the blue sailcloth binding is very faded and really flimsy. I have periodically considered rebinding it a la Don in half leather with marbled boards. On a different note, I have used some of my shelter in place time to finally treat some of my worn older leather books (not LECs) that were deteriorating. I had bought some Klucel G and finally mixed up a batch and treated some low priced old books. I am pleased with the results. I noticed the Klucel G really stiffened up the leather and it got me to wondering if perhaps it wouldn't stiffen up the cover of my LEC Robinson Crusoe. To make a long story short, I did it and I must say it came out better than I expected. I can't see the Klucel G at all and it did not change the color of the binding but the binding is noticeably stiffer.

2Glacierman
Mag 27, 2020, 12:22 pm

>1 kdweber: Well, maybe not so much heresy as inventive. The binding on that book is a bit flimsy, to be sure. I prefer the boards to be thicker not being a fan of limp bindings. Stiffening the thing is surely cheaper than a re-bind. A purist might cringe, but not I. I say 'Well done!'

3NYCFaddict
Mag 27, 2020, 1:50 pm

You are a braver man than me! Well done!

4dlphcoracl
Mag 31, 2020, 11:33 am

>1 kdweber:

Instead of Klucel G, use this instead for preservation of clean(ed) leather:

https://www.schmedt24.de/en/products-a-z/maroquin-leather-care/425/maroquin-leat...

5booksforreading
Giu 1, 2020, 4:10 pm

>4 dlphcoracl:
It says "to preserve cleaned leather and parchment". Wow! Even parchment??
Also, how do you clean leather on the bindings?

6dlphcoracl
Modificato: Giu 2, 2020, 4:48 pm

>5 booksforreading:

Maroquin also makes a product specifically for cleaning the leather prior to applying the ledervaseline (leather vaseline). It is called leather balm and it is a milky liquid whereas the leather vaseline is much thicker, similar to vaseline! See link below for leather balm cleaner.

https://www.schmedt24.de/en/products-a-z/maroquin-leather-care/1851/maroquin-lea...

Regarding parchment or vellum bindings......... good luck with that. I have never attempted it on vellum and never will. Similarly, I only apply the leather vaseline to smooth leather, never on suede or suede-like leathers or surfaces. I have never used the leather balm cleaner because the books I buy invariable have clean, well maintained leather bindings. If the leather binding looks as if it needs a good cleaning, I do not purchase it and I wait for a nicer copy to appear. The ledervaseline (leather vaseline) does an outstanding job of treating and restoring dull and dried leather bindings and it will also prevent them from drying or cracking in the future, especially if you make protect them with clear Dura-Lar dust wrappers.

7Glacierman
Giu 2, 2020, 5:20 pm

I make my own leather dressing. Works well. It is a mixture of neatsfoot oil and anhydrous lanolin. I have used this formula for over 30 years. "Leather vaseline" makes me wonder just what the heck is in that stuff. If it has petroleum distillates (like the real Vaseline), it should never be put on book leather. I know, I know. the stuff is sold as a bookleather treatment, etc., but I would still want to know what is in it.

>6 dlphcoracl: You are absolutely correct: do not treat suede or similar leathers with a leather dressing!

8kdweber
Giu 12, 2020, 2:12 pm

Since my Robinson Crusoe survived my depredations I decided it deserved a slipcase. With shelter in place I've been hacking away at my slipcase backlog.

9GusLogan
Apr 30, 2021, 4:56 pm

Well, here’s a bit of heresy submitted for your thoughtful inquisition:

The Quarto-Millenary is bound in black Morocco, but susceptible, or so it seems to me, to corner rubbing resulting in loss of colour. I’ve worked it over with the leather vaseline recommended above - and how satisfying that was! I was planning to now give the crown and base of the spine a Klucel G treatment, but I can’t help but think… mightn’t there be some way to add a touch of black? Bear with me - black shoe polish? It’s made for leather, right? I was thinking before the Klucel G, so as to ”encapsulate” it. Is this the daftest thing you ever heard? At least I’m not proposing taking a sharpie to it…

10laotzu225
Apr 30, 2021, 5:45 pm

>9 GusLogan: I don't think there is much if any difference between a good shoe CREAM or CREME (not wax polish) like Meltonian or Fiebing's and leather preservatives, except the pigment. Meltonian comes in a variety of colors.
I've used black or burgundy shoe creme to touch up spots on a leather binding , including on the Quarto-Millenary.

11GusLogan
Mag 1, 2021, 3:29 am

>10 laotzu225:
Thank you very much!

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