Just hit 500 books bound with my homemade paste and it actually works

I made my own wheat paste from a recipe I found online about two years ago, thinking it was just a fun side project. I started using it for every repair and rebind in my home shop, keeping a simple tally on a sticky note. I hit number 500 this morning on a 1950s cookbook spine repair, and the binding is still solid and flexible. I was sure a store-bought adhesive would be better, but this cheap mix has held up through everything. Has anyone else stuck with a homemade glue for that long, or did you switch back?

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3 Comments

stone.sarah6mo ago

Stick with the paste, it's clearly working for you lol.

5

grant.lee6mo ago

My buddy tried to switch from paste once (bad idea, @stone.sarah). His whole project just fell apart, like a sandcastle. He's back to the blue tub now, no questions asked.

5

mary6145mo ago

Wait, you can really mess things up by switching? I used to think all paste was the same, but stories like that make me think twice now!

10