Checked out the old library in Salem and saw something about their repair process.

They had a display case with a 19th century ledger that was being conserved, and I noticed they used a specific type of Japanese paper for hinge repairs instead of the usual Western stuff. The archivist said it was because the fibers were longer and more flexible for that brittle leather. Has anyone here worked with those papers for historical repairs?

3 comments

3 Comments

rubyschmidt1mo ago

Game changer" is right, I tried it once and my repair looked like a kindergartener did it lol.

the_oscar1mo ago

Yeah, the long fibers in Japanese paper are a game changer for that brittle leather... I used some for a family bible spine last year and it just moves with the material instead of fighting it. That archivist knows their stuff.

jamesf2626d ago

Question if this high end paper is really worth the fuss, @rubyschmidt, or if good old cloth tape works just fine for most of us.