Rolling Text Example
 
1st June 2018

Before learning bookbinding craft in Germany, I generally consider the glue bind with sewn sections as a good and the safest option for book projects, for one simple reason: books can be opened desirably and laid flat.

Last year I handled an exhibition catalog, which was supposed to be produced in an industrial bookbindery for 300 edition. However, the book dummy didn't convince me, like the cover paper was in a wrong grain direction, too much glue between the cover and ending-papers, stitching holes were a bit bigger than it should be...

Blessedly, being an intern at a craft-bindery (Buchbinderei Mergemeier), the best consultant is sitting right next to me. I asked my chief for advice, and she analyzed some key factors of producing books which can be laid flat. (will talk about it next time) ‘Why are you so determined to use the sewn binding?’ she asked. After hearing my simple thoughts, she smiled and said ‘Not really...’. She then made me a glue binding dummy on the same day. I was convinced and surprised by the fact that a fine glue binding can achieve such a neat and satisfying outcome, and eventually switched the whole production process to where I work.  

Since then, craft glue binding became my first priority. Here comes a recent project bound with Otabind technique.

Before learning bookbinding craft in Germany, I generally consider the glue bind with sewn sections as a good and the safest option for book projects, for one simple reason: books can be opened desirably and laid flat.

Last year I handled an exhibition catalog, which was supposed to be produced in an industrial bookbindery for 300 edition. However, the book dummy didn't convince me, like the cover paper was in a wrong grain direction, too much glue between the cover and ending-papers, stitching holes were a bit bigger than it should be... Blessedly, being an intern at a craft-bindery (Buchbinderei Mergemeier), the best consultant is sitting right next to me. I asked my chief for advice, and she analyzed some key factors of producing books which can be laid flat. (will talk about it next time)

‘Why are you so determined to use the sewn binding?’ she asked. After hearing my simple thoughts, she smiled and said ‘Not really...’. She then made me a glue binding dummy on the same day. I was convinced and surprised by the fact that a fine glue binding can achieve such a neat and satisfying outcome, and eventually switched the whole production process to where I work.  

Since then, craft glue binding became my first priority. Here comes a recent project bound with Otabind technique.


以前我唔信膠裝嘅書可以打得開⋯⋯

過去喺香港印書,只要成本許可我都唔會選擇膠裝,原因好簡單:我希望本書可以平坦地打開。因此通常平裝書都會揀用穿線膠裝。

機緣巧合下,上年有幸喺德國杜塞爾多夫參與一個展覽圖錄設計連製作嘅計劃,由報價到做白樣,我都毫不猶豫地堅持用自己過去相信嘅做法。收到白樣後以爲自己會鬆一口氣可以埋尾,但點知我覺得質素麻麻。(注:工業式大型機器釘裝公司)首先封面紙唔順紙紋揭開後反彈、封面同 ending paper 之間膠水過多、內頁穿線窿過大甚至爆開⋯⋯於是我攞返去當時實習嘅手工釘裝公司問老細意見。老細講左幾樣關鍵原因(下次分享),問我「點解你堅持要做穿線膠裝?」,我嘅答案亦無變。為左說服我,佢當日就做左個膠裝白樣比我睇。而被說服嘅我後來決定手裝300本展覽圖錄。

自此之後,只要時間成本許可、數量不多我一定會首選 Craft-Bind 膠裝。以上係剛剛完成嘅一個例子,個 technique 叫 Otabind。下次再分享其他野,包括書有咩原因唔能夠平坦地打開、自製 low-tech 釘裝工具、港德製書不同特色⋯⋯


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