Picked up a tip from an old bookbinder about backing hammers

I was at a estate sale last weekend and this older guy who used to bind books for a university library told me something that stuck with me. He said most people pick a backing hammer that's too light and end up spending way more time on the spine than needed. I've been using one my dad gave me that weighs maybe 8 ounces and now I'm wondering if thats why my round spines never look quite right. Does the weight of your hammer really make that big of a difference in the final shape?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia3171mo ago

That old bookbinder probably also knew that the handle length matters just as much as the head weight. My neighbor restores antique furniture and swears by a 12 ounce hammer with a longer handle for better leverage, says it gives way more control than a short one.

oscar_ellis29d ago

Gonna disagree hard here. I've been messing with backing hammers for years and a lighter head actually lets you feel the spine way better, you can tap it into shape gradually without smashing the sections flat. A heavier hammer just forces you to use less force which is actually harder to control if you think about it lol. Longer handles on hammers are fine for demo work but for delicate bookbinding you lose all that fine wrist movement you need for round spines. Honestly I bet that old guy used a lighter hammer too but just wanted to sound like a pro with his heavy tool advice.