Re: [BKARTS] Brittle leather

[Bill Minter <wminter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Many years ago, I was working on some leather bound books that had  
been near a fire. The books were being rebacked, but some of the  
original leather was hard and brittle, similar to your situation.  
Lacking the necessary chemicals that might have worked, I went to the  
local shoe repair shop. The repairman told me about   "Cavalier Shoe  
Stretch" made by Kiwi Brands Company, a shoe polish manufacturer here  
in the US. The proprietary chemical is used on "All types of  
leather..." products that have shrunk and are too tight. The shoe  
repairman said that the "Shoe Stretch" will soften the leather on  
sports balls, i.e. soccer balls and footballs. If you can find a  
similar product in your country, it may do the job as it worked for me.
Good Luck,
Bill Minter


> From: Book_Arts-L [BOOK_ARTS-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Erik  
> Haagensen
> Subject: [BKARTS] Brittle leather
>
> I have an old leather back cover that I would
> like to attach on a repaired book that now has
> new leather back - at least some part of it as a title label.
>
> However the old leather (1910) is very thin and
> "soaked" with some kind of glue that makes it
> extremely brittle when dry - almost like an eggshell.
> When it is moistened it becomes flexible and can
> be handled, though very carefully.
>
> It seems like I ought to get rid of the glue.,
> but I don't know how to deal with this.
>
> --
> rgds
> Erik Haagensen
> Oslia
> NO-2550 Os i Østerdalen
>
>
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******************************

William Minter Bookbinding & Conservation, Inc.
4364 Woodbury Pike
Woodbury, PA  16695
814-793-4020
Fax:   814-793-4045
Email:    wminter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx




                                   
            ***********************************************
                                   
      NOW ONLINE, Volume 5, No. 2, Spring 2009 of The Bonefolder
      <http://www.philobiblon.com/bonefolder/vol5no2contents.htm>
                                   
 Please note that attachments to listserv messages are not permitted,
           and are automatically removed by the listserver.
                                   
For all your subscription questions, go to the Book_Arts-L FAQ and Archive.
        See <http://www.philobiblon.com> for full information.
                                   
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