My neighbor asked if I could 'laminate' his favorite paperback for durability

He brought over a well-loved copy of 'The Old Man and the Sea' and was genuinely surprised when I explained the difference between lamination and proper rebinding. I ended up showing him how to make a simple pamphlet stitch with some scrap paper instead. Has anyone else had a client or friend completely misunderstand what our craft actually involves?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_paul7d ago

Totally get where fiona332 is coming from, but protecting a book the right way matters. Lamination seals in all the acids and moisture that will eat the paper from the inside. A proper stitch or rebinding gives it structure and lets it move, so it can actually handle being read again. It's the difference between putting a book in a plastic coffin and giving it a new spine so it can live a longer life.

fiona3327d ago

I mean, was he really that far off? He just wanted his book to last. Isn't that the whole point of bookbinding anyway, to protect the pages? You showed him a stitch, which is cool, but was the lamination idea really such a crime?

terryr467d ago

To protect the pages" is the key part you're missing. Lamination destroys them over time with chemicals and heat. A proper stitch lets the book breathe and actually last for decades, not just look tough for a few years.