Question about using a bone folder for endpaper creases

I was fighting with endpaper creases for months on my projects in Philly. They always looked sloppy or had these tiny ripples near the hinge. Then a guy at the local guild meetup told me to wet the bone folder slightly before burnishing. I tried it on my last rebind of a 1940s mystery novel and the creases came out flat and sharp with zero tears. Has anyone else tried this trick or do you have a better method for stubborn endpapers?

3 comments

3 Comments

paul2519d ago

Oh man, that sounds like one of those tricks that seems too simple to actually work. I guess I've been over here fighting with dry bone folders like a caveman or something. I mean, it makes sense though - a little moisture probably helps the fibers settle without all that cracking nonsense. Kind of embarrassed I never thought of it myself, honestly. Definitely giving this a shot on my next project, that's for sure.

troyreed9d ago

Dude that is a GREAT tip! I've been having the SAME issue with my endpapers lately, so I'm definitely trying this on my next project.

abby_wilson518d ago

Funny you mention wetting the bone folder. I had a neighbor back in my apartment days who restored old postcards and she would lick her finger before rubbing down the edges of paper. Looked disgusting but the results were flawless. Tried it myself once with a paper I was trimming for a dust jacket and ended up with a blotch that looked like a coffee stain. Probably helps more with creases than trimming. I just stick to a slightly damp cloth now, less risk of wrecking the paper. The bone folder trick works best if you barely wet it, like barely, and wipe it off before the paper gets too much moisture.