My daughter has taken up binding so I made a small press for her, then a bigger one. I just finished a plow to run on the big press and she's Very Happy! She used to use my paring chisels.
I've been trimming edges with a utility knife for _years._ It's the only part of the process I hate. This is *such* an improvement. Thank you for opening my eyes to this technique.
I started bookbinding a few months ago and my very first book I trimmed with a box cutter, everything became very difficult to control and at the end it looked more like a massacre site than a nicely trimmed book. I'm still learning though and I'm getting better at it!
Great, thanks. Even as a starter without many tools, that way of making the book stable is a way lot better than cutting while pressing a ruler with fingers like I saw in other videos.
I discovered your channel very recently, and you don't know how much you've helped me ! I must say, I'm impressed by your work, and by the quality of your tutorials ! Also, I was looking for exactly this very specific tutorial yesterday, you came right in time !! Thanks for having introduced me to bookbinding ! (as a hobby)
Excellant advice if I just had a press. Towels over heavy cement bricks might help for the moment but I love your idea. I better get some clamps and chisel. Excellant advice.
what did you end up doing? i made the Cockerell diy press DAS showed in one of his videos,and combined with a wood chisel(and some sanding afterwards) they produced excellent results(for an amateur,that is)
these tutorials are amazing. I’m a bookbinding noob and watch your videos at least five times before and between every steps of projects and some parts in slow motion :D I’ve only done three different bookbinding projects so far + your home-made press design. you’re already my favorite youtuber. just wanted to share my admiration for your work on books and videos.
DAS this ABSOLUTELY made my day!!! I started bookbinding about a year ago and i became so discouraged when i learned about trimming edges. I tried the xacto knife and ruler method you demonstrated and i made a drunken text block. I sloped my knife inward undercutting the text block, the ruler shifted, each corner was a uniquely not-square angle. I tried sanding and botched that too. I gave up and pursued other hobbies for about eight months. Finally I began to make some cases for my drunken text blocks, trying to build up momentum. I had purchased some lovely cardstock from a paper supplier and some end sheets from Hollander's before the trimming debacle and I really wanted to use it. I even picked up woodworking (thanks Rex Kruger!) to make a bench press in a similar design to your videos. All of this to say I HAVE a chisel. I even have a press, and once I sharpen my chisel i can clean up those textblocks. Without a plough. Thank you so much for all your videos and particularly this one
I really hope this works out for you. Those French style knives aren't very expensive but they make this work really well. But they do need to be very sharp. My fingers are cross for you. Darryn
@@lucykeiko2339 120gsm paper is almost a standard weight for good quality book paper and it trims fine with a plough. I think in the video I was using a lighter paper, but I'm sure the papers you mention will trim well with this method too. But if you are making a lot of book you might watch for a good quality second hand guillotine. The German made Ideal brand ones come up regularly at a fraction of the original price. Of course the blade will need sharpening, and that can be $100, often as much as the guillotine. But a sharp guillotine blade is the difference between a happy bookbinder and a very angry one. All the best, Darryn
I feel your frustrations when it comes to the practicality of trimming edges without specialized equipment. I think the need for edges to appear completely smooth is enforced by seeing machine-manufactured books with those types of edges. But I've come to learn to love my slightly staggered fore-edges. They show that my books have been handbound, and they can still be gilded before binding for a look that was still very respected and admired up to and including the 19th century.
I've been looking for a way to trim my books for months now, and this solutions are brilliant. I used an utility knife and it was a disaster, I ended up cutting diagonally and... it was a mess. Thank you very much, will give a try to some of these soon!
Thank you so so much!! I've been swearing over my terrible trimming for weeks, trying to get the right knife/right technique/etc - I'm definitely going to give this a go!
I am SO happy to have seen this before going to the expense of buying a plough! I’m going to use the 2 boards and clamp method and give it a go. Now I just need to find a good sharp tool! 😁
I found this channel while looking for a better option to finish the edges on a gift (I never did binding before embarking on that journey). This is worth a lot to the dabbler and people starting out.
Thank you!! I've been trying my first bookbinding of a very old woodworking book downloaded from pdf format. This chisel trimming technique worked beautifully. Much better than paying hundreds of dollars for the original book. I'm having fun & even subscribed to your channel.
Thanks for these techniques. I've got a tiny flat to work in that doesn't have room for any kind of large equipment, and I've had immense trouble getting an edge on the books. Ima try out the one with the clamps as it seems the cheapest and more portable of them all.
I hope it works well for you. I was just thinking those French style knives are almost cheaper than a chisel. They are a bit tricky to sharpen, but they work really well for this. Good luck! DAS
Look, I just made a punching cradle and a sewing frame two days ago and just stitched a block. I've got two pieces of hardwood with c clamps holding my block and have been wracking my brain on how to cut it, I know I can't use a circular saw and a track, a tablesaw, a band saw, a jig saw, a router.... honestly I had nothing that I could think of doing. Enter your video, this is a godsend
Thank you so much for this. I have been trying to figure out for a while now how to trim my edges without a plough. It never occurred to me to use these techniques. I love your channel. I've learned so much watching your videos.
Thank you. I enjoy and learn from your videos, and appreciate the effort you pour into them. I had tried with box cutters and clamping between boards and had unacceptable results with that so I bit the bullet and bought an inexpensive guillotine. If I had seen this video first, I might not have done that, but the ease of the guillotine means that I will probably not hand trim again.
Excellent! I don't have a press but I do have some wood, clamps, and chisels... I trimmed up a small notebook with a box cutter the other day and absolutely butchered most of the sides. Next time I'll try this instead, get some practice in before I work on Christmas gifts and personal projects.
I have not yet started my first binding; I'm watching videos in preparation. Your videos have been extremely helpful. The first books I will bind are important to me because of the content, more than the binding but your videos will help me at least try to give them the binding they deserve.. Ok, my first ones, I am sure, won't be as good as they deserve so their quality will come from the content but, still, thank you for your great videos on trimming; I could not find anything on this before your videos.
I had seen another bookbinder use the chisel and was somewhat in awe of how sharp that tool would have been since it looked like the proverbial hot knife through butter watching him clear the path. Now to learn how to sharpen these tools 🙂and also to price clamps - Bunnings is going to love me 😂and work out how I can utilise boards I have here to maybe make a press since my little book press was not quite what I needed for the job. A press would sure save all that pressure on the fingers holding down that metal ruler to trim with a knife.
Thanks so much for this information. I’d been wondering about this myself. I’m a novice bookbinder, and am watching videos to further my education since my classes were canceled.
I just finished making a lying press with my grandpa. I’m really excited to add this to the list of uses for it. I’m going to have to buy a chisel now. Thank you so much!
I used a Stanley knife with a fresh blade. I've got a narrow cutting board, roughly 4 inches wide and a foot long. For the fore-edge I put the cutting board underneath the first ~30 pages and cut using a metal ruler. Then put the cutting board underneath the next 30 pages, aligned the ruler with the previously cut pages and cut again. If you're careful to keep the blade straight, it gives a good result. For the head/tail I used an "F"-clamp to clamp the metal ruler to the book, I used some boards to compensate for the swell in the spine and carefully cut in a straight line. It worked quite well.
Skipped trimming entirely until i decided to use the wood chisel(i was horrible with the utility knife). The press i had build(the aweful one) made me want to burn it,as you have mentioned doing to yours..! i decided to build the Cockerell diy press you showcased and the combination of the two produced very sweet results. DAS delivering as promised!
Thank you so much for this video. Unfortunately, I found it just days after trying to trim the text block from my first bookbinding attempt. That attempt left some uneven cuts at one end of my text block. I was dismayed, as I wanted the first book I made to be a gift to my son who is expecting his first baby. My carpenter husband said, "No problem," and took the text block to his belt sander and quickly fixed the uneven cuts. I'm sure the text block isn't perfectly squared up, but it isn't really detectable. I'll certainly use your technique for book number two!
Thank you sooo much! I've been having hard time finding a good guillotine paper cutter for trimming book blocks. I have most of these items. This method will fit nicely in my studio apartment!
I love your channel and I’ve subscribed, it’s very true, as a beginner and self-taught, I don’t want to be discouraged, I find this step very crucial because it’s the finishing touch of the book, thank you ♥️
Not being a bookbinder, the times that I dabbled making text blocks and notebooks involved a method similar to the horizontal arrangement at the end here, except even more awkward; instead of clamping everything down, I pressed a ruler on the edge & did the cutting with a kiridashi (which is very similar to that English paring knife). On watching this video, I see how at least the edge of a plank of wood could help keep the cuts more perpendicular to the paper/parallel to the edge.
I trimmed my first text block yesterday, before I saw your video !. I used the last technique with great success but a different grip. I put my thumb behind the chisel and curled my forefinger below the board. The forefinger keeps the pressure on the knife onto the board. The thumb pushes the knife onto the the hand. I used a kitchen chopping board as the guide. It worked very well and the trimmings fell away keeping the surface clear.
Great to hear! I knew I had to include that even if I wasn't very good at it. I'd heard too many success stories about this method to ignore. Thanks for confirming how good that approach works, and a tip on how to do it well. All the best, Darryn
I tried the ruler and cutter method on a disintegrating sketch-book last week. Only there was no thick board or anything to guide my cutter and keep it straight. Just about managed to get it 'unnoticeable but horrible'. It was the smallest size retractable cutter that's available, with a decade old blade. :-S I am going to get a chisel at some point-would be useful for the expanding door frames as well. I'm glad I saw this demonstration first. Now I know all the possibilities.
Thanks very much for this and your other videos. I've been working on an amateur setup in my home for about a year, and trimming really seems to be the most challenging part for me. I have a good homemade finishing press that I made to the specs I found in the Watson Home Bookbinding manual; it has 4x4 oak jaws, so there's a nice 3.5" surface on the top for sliding a chisel. The cutting part works well for me. The problem I have is lining up the signatures to cut straight across the text block when I'm trimming the fore edge. Especially if I've used thick thread and so have more swell at the spine, I typically have a hard time judging the alignment of the spine inside the press such that it would keep the top square to the spine as I cut it. I mark a trim line on the front and back before I start, but the cut-against obscures the back line, so I can't use the rear jaw of the press for alignment. (I typically have less trouble with alignment after rounding takes out the swell, so trimming the head and tail goes more easily.) Any advice for clean, square alignment when trimming the fore edge?
Use some "compensation boards". Cut a couple of pieces of thick (maybe 3mm) greybeard that is not as wide as the book. Put these boards along the lines you mark and lower the book in the press so the edges of the boards are just (really just a bit) below the face of the press. I use these all the time when using a plough. I have thicker ones too which I made by laminating pieces of greybeard together.
@@DASBookbinding I've been doing something like this already: I've got greyboard in the front and back, but the back one is what I've been using as a cut-against, so it protrudes above the book... and the back is generally where I have this problem. Do you use one greyboard for compensating and then another to cut against?
When I first started, I used a common plane blade from a cheap carpenters block plane from the hardware store. I think it was like $10 or something. It was flat, with an edge on 1 side, did not flex, and didn't have a handle to get in the way if the book was thicker. With a regular lying press (or as you've shown 2 boards and some clamps), it produced a perfect cut edge. And while I've since upgraded to a professional quality plow, I still highly recommend that for new binders looking to trim their books. You can get a professional result, without the expense. In fact, sometimes I still use it because it's often less hassle than using my bigger press & plough.
I use a B&D workmate with boards, one of which has a 70mm flat porch on which I can rest a 1 inch sharp chisel. I find that it cuts very satisfactory edges.
I recommended your tutorials to 2 large FB groups. One is for watercolor over 8000, the other for pastels almost 10,000. Pastel books with glassine inserts in between the pages is the key. I liked the idea of top ring coptic style that could be flipped over and could take the full sheets becoming a 11 x 15 book. I know that you have all that knowledge but I couldn't help myself by passing it on. I enjoy them. Thank you.
Thanks for the recommendations! Also good tip on the glassine inserts. I'm not sure what you mean by "top ring coptic style". Do you mean a coptic style but designed to open with the spine at the top? Maybe my knowledge isn't that good:) All the best, Darryn
@@DASBookbinding yes to flip over at the top since many pastelists find that style easier and plenty sturdy to attach to plein aire (outside) boxes. I have only found one inch rings but maybe that would work but it would be mostly visual. I could just make it a one page at a time plus the glassine to flip or maybe reinforce a bit more with cloth muslin underneath. I guess the spine would really have to be quite strong and flexible or done in a coptic form. I will have to think about that one. You probably already know.😁🤗
@@jenniefrench1338 I'd love to see a photo of what you come up with. Have you seen the fold-back sketchbook? I don;t think it's what you're after, but may give some ideas. ruclips.net/video/yQaLY5uze0o/видео.html DAS
@@DASBookbinding sorry I didn't see your response. Yes that is a lovely idea but pastel can come off easily. I think doing the book to open on the top would be the key. But the pages couldn't bend so maybe one at a time than the glassine would have to do. Some use a fixative on their pastel work but the sheets would do fine with firm boards like Lineco board on the ends. I would imagine that if pastelists knew a book was available like this it would be popular and hold their portfolio. I make my sanded pastel paper by priming 140lb hp watercolor paper with Art Spectrum clear pastel and multimedia primer using a sponge brush. A pack of 5 watercolor sheets Fabriano Artístico (16 x 20) would cost almost $15 US dollars. 4 full sheets cost $17. Anyways I have too many ideas and not enough experience. I am just a painter but am thoroughly impressed with your book making skills. And I ran out of PVA and patiently waiting on a shipment. When this lot gets finished I will show you. I do have my 7 x 10 done. The rest are 5 x 8 gifts of watercolor books 30 count. I had to use a razor. Maybe I could draw a picture of a pastel book idea.
@@DASBookbinding it is thank you.. a bit pricey for a knife though. I will look around for alternatives i may have to sharpen a wood chisel.. Try a few different things. There is a leather edge cutter that looks like it may work too. Thanks as always
This is great! I’ve tried the utility knife multiple time and I’ve always failed miserably. I’ll try this option with the chisel, maybe even using a makeshift moxon vise to hold it a little more securely. Thank you so much!
There's a lot to be said for technique and experience. I just did a large paperback book using the chisel method and had a hard time keeping it from riding up despite cleaning the trimmings away. Finally turned out pretty good. I have a nice piece of 2" x 4" x 1' aluminum block for keeping the chisel flat. Still not an easy job. If I ever have to do another book, I might try to find a paring knife like the one here. Longer and flatter might be easier to control.
Some really good options for trimming! I’m actually at this stage now as I write this! Oh what to do, I don’t want to mess up the work on the text block I’ve already done, but I Suppose it’s a learning process so I must be brave and try one of the options you’ve kindly show! Have you got reorganised after your flood? Hope so and hope we have more tutorials soon, really missing them there so helpful! Thank you 🤗
Thanks for the ideas, thought you might be interested to know that I've just tried using a 2" Stanley style plane iron. The cutting edge has a gentle camber - as a properly set up jack plane should have - which may be better than a straight edge, the width of the iron makes it very easy to use and result was so good I might make a handle for it.
@@DASBookbinding Thanks , I'll try that - I renovate and sell old woodworking tools, so I have more than enough irons to choose from! I'll also have to look up 'Swiss style paring knife now - fantastic!
This video started my exploration. I found a strange knife I have no idea what the purpose was. The blade was thin stainless so much too floppy and it was a curved blade and left handed so when I used it, I was forced to stand at one end of the press and draw it towards me with my left hand on top holding it flat, my right pulling the blade along the top of my finishing press which is 1 1/2" so if affords a lot of surface guidance but doesn't get in the way of the handle. I think this lefty pulling toward gives me a lot more control and doesn't tip the press. Now I use an English paring knife (Barnsley) without any handle cover and it works well. I plan to get another one and reshape the blade into a shallow curve so I can distribute the cut along more of the edge rather than almost exclusively at the point.
I do a little woodworking and know close to nothing about bookbinding, but allow me to make a suggestion. Two hardwood strips added to the top of your press with flat head screws would cover up that bevel and provide a better surface for your chisel. After watching the first 4:37, I just had to stop and add this comment. Thoroughly enjoyed this video and will spend some time here. Cheers!
Thanks. It works fairly good like that. Adding strips of wood to the top of the finishing press would stop it being used for its intended purpose. Happy New Year! DAS
I guess one thing that really helps is to screwglue two boards together at a right angle so the blade has about 2 inches of flat perpendicular surface to rest on. Have to try that.
Incredible. I must try it, because I haven't been having much success with my guillotine :( Could you do a video on the right way to trim book edges on a guillotine, especially the head and tail? I've been trying so had to stabilize the block, to compensate for swell with scrap paper, to put it in with boards... it still TWISTS. The topmost page gets cut well, and then they get more and more trapezoidal.
It does sound like a guillotine problem, either not enough clamping pressure or blade not sharp enough. I usually leave it too long between blade sharpening and the issue is forced by cuts starting to go off vertical. What brand of guillotine do you have? Take care, Darryn
Cutting big stacks of folded roll cloth can dull a guillotine knife, and having it sharpened to an edge bigger than about 24 degrees will slow it down too. If the knife is sharp, perhaps clamping pressure is low . . . but from your description it sounds like excessive spine swelling is the big culprit. Sometimes the book block is composed of such soft paper (cartridge paper) that the glue-reinforced spine is uncompressed while the balance of the block yields to clamp pressure, causing movement during operation. Here, some well-placed scrap paper can work . . . but if the paper is normal or heavy weight, you have to find a way to bring down the swelling. Of course a hydraulic nipper press is not found in most small shops (and even then there's no guarantee), so lighter thread and more extensive pre-sewing flattening of signatures is the direction to look for answers -- presumably thinner volumes are not an option?
Felt like the fame is coming before watching this video because of the idea of using chisel I shared on older video few weeks ago, but then I saw the video from Glenn Malkin. Apparently I am not the first one ;-)
How do you sharpen the French style paring knife? I just bought one for about $10 from J. Hewit & Sons but have no idea how to sharpen it! All the tutorials I have seen require expensive equipment, so I was wondering if there is a way to do it just with emery cloth, or with a cheap sharpening stone? I saw your video on sharpening an English style paring knife and that’s exactly what I’m looking for - but for the French style knife.
How would you trim the edges of a book that has been bound with raised cords? How do you clamp it without crushing the cords or damaging the spine? Thanks! Great video!
Traditionally, this structure belongs to before the 19th century. The paper guillotine was invented in the mid 19th century. So this style of book would have been cut using a plough. If the edges are trimmed before the boards are attached, the cutting boards used to hold the book in the laying press during ploughing only compress the fore-edge, thus the spine is not affected. Most modern binders binding in this historical style will also use a plough. More likely, pre-19th century, the book would be trimmed "in-boards", once the boards are attached. This is documented by Arthur Green in the latest edition of Sauv Mechanicals. But you can use a guillotine by using a compensation pad of scrap paper to pad out the fore-edge to the same thickness as the spine. Hope this makes sense. DAS
I have a question. I skimmed through the comments and couldn't find this question specifically. If it has been answered, I do apologize. I wanted to know if you trim before you glue or after? I tried trimming the top and bottom and had a hard time with the glued edge. I'm wondering what I might be doing wrong.
Very helpful, thank you. I wonder if one might still use a box knife, but with the blade extended so that it can ride on the flat surface in the same manner as the chisel. I suppose that there is a risk of the blade bending, but extra strong utility blades seem to do so less.
Better to use a single bevel blade such as a wood chisel. Just cheap one very well sharpened will do. A box cutter has a double bevel blade and doesn't;t reach very far.
I did try this, not having any of the types of blades listed--it sort of worked at first, and you can extend the blade quite far out--but it got wonky on the deeper layers as the blade bent a bit and I couldn't get it to go straight across ...my new project is learning how to sharpen knives lmao, since I haven't really done that before and I will need to sharpen the chisel before I can use it
Have you ever considered or heard of anyone using a woodworking plane and maybe a jig of some sort with a leveled slick surface for gliding the plane along? i could see how it might need a backing block to avoid tear out but i dont really see why it couldn't work. Or possibly a tool like this one "Swpeet 10'' Adjustable SpokeShave with Flat Base, Metal Blade Wood Working Hand Tool. Perfect for Wood Craft, Wood Craver, Wood Working"
Give it a try. I've been asked this a number of times and I don't think it will work very well. This is why ploughs exist. They work better than anything else.
_nice._ I will definitely be using this. Most likely the second to last one, with the chisel and the boards-- I can get those fairly easily. A question on your bricks: Did you wrap them in that green coating, or did they come that way?
The chisel works really well. Just need a sharp chisel. As soon as I'm making videos again I'll do a video on sharpening chisels. Yes, I wrapped the bricks. Funny you ask. My bricks have gone missing since the flood. I suspect they got unwrapped and then someone thought they were construction debris and they got thrown in a skip. I've had them so long I can't remember where I got them from. But it's harder to get suitable bricks than I expected! I might even do a video on what to look for in bricks for weights. Old solid clay bricks are the best. Nice and heavy and level surfaces. DAS
@@DASBookbinding I looked up tutorials on sharpening chisels, and it does not look too hard. I'll just need to get some sharpening stuff. Probably can get it from the same hardware store I get the chisel from. I'd definitely love to see a video from you on it, since you'd be doing it for bookbinding purposes specifically, rather than for woodworking, so any differences in what's important, you'll cover. (one tutorial I watched said having a flat back wasn't too important, cause it's usually used at an angle. I imagine that's one difference.) Oh, that's unfortunate about your bricks! I hope you have a stroke of luck and find good replacements soon. What did you wrap them with?
I have an extravagant sharpening system. For this video I used the same system as my paring knives. For normal wood chisels I wouldn't go that far. In this case I went to very-very-fine DMT diamond stone (I think it's 10000 equivalent) and then stropped with chromium oxide compound. So a mirror polish.
Hello from Bundaberg! I LOVE your videos and have learned so much and watched them while doing my own binding. I'm still learning but I have been hunting for a guillotine. I was wondering if you had a recommendation for one? I can't believe the amount of them and the difference. I have no real idea what I should be looking for when purchasing one. They all cut of course but I'm sure there are specs to be looking for.
Keep an eye out for German made Ideal guillotines on Gumtree. They come up fairly often. There is 4700 that has seen better days listed now. It's missing the safety guard and the front depth adjuster handle is broken. But it is a very good model that is about $5k new. Too bad it is such a dirty state. DAS
Thank you for posting this excellent video! I am curious if your results for the edges of the head and the foot of the book were as smooth as the fore edge. I trim books similar to this method but find the results for the head and foot sections not as smooth. I wonder if it is due to the grain direction being cross grain? Just curious. Thanks again for sharing so much on RUclips. All best. Jim
Hi Jim! Interesting question. I was thinking of trimming an end but the video was already longer than I wanted. I assumed it wouldn't be interesting. I'll give it a go today and see if I get the same result as you. Head and tail usually have the complication of swell. Glenn Malkin covered this in his video, explaining the trimming and rounding sequence so I didn't want to dwell on it too. I've not noticed a difference between trimming fore-edge and ends with the plough. But the plough does take the feel of the cut away from the hands to an extent. Sorry we didn't cross paths while I was working at UW-Madison years ago. I wasn't doing much binding at the time being very focused on IceCube. All the best, Darryn
@@DASBookbinding Thanks Darryn! I have been working with books for many years. But have never had the chance to use a plough. I suspect when cutting "against the grain" it would be slightly different regardless of the method. It seems to me that it will be slightly different simply due to the paper's make up. As I suspect trimming Japanese Mulberry paper, is different than a true handmade paper and so forth. Thank you also for Glenn Malkin's video. I had seen the "Men in Sheds" video, which I enjoyed very much. Great discovery to learn he has a channel. It is a small world to think you were here in Madison. The Ice Cube project is impressive. I have only met one person that has actually traveled to the frozen site. I am off to sign up on your Patreon! Be well. -Jim
Things I've learned: don't use a razor blade. It seems like a super-sharp blade like that would work, but they're too flexible and beveled on both sides. The edge will slant up toward the back. I didn't have any of the tools you demonstrated, so I pulled the blade out of my hand plane. I stopped and stropped often as I went. Got a perfect edge first try with this tool. Thank you for the time and effort you're taking to do these videos. Your delivery is so much better than 95% of all you-tubers, and your content is spot-on. I'm a fan.
You're a handy guy. How long do you think it would take to make a finishing vise with 2 pieces of hardwood and some all-thread, heh. Sounds like a pleasurable Saturday to me.
About 30 years ago I spent about this much time making a press, and maybe half a day getting the materials together. And I used that wobbly press for years. Once I could afford a beautiful Wiesner finishing press I burnt the old home made one:) DAS
i wonder if a woodworking plane might work. and i wonder what i pull of with just sandpaper. edit: nevermind the plane. the chisel works great. amazing.
For hours I've tried finding a french style paring knife online. But I'm in germany so if i put that into google i get knifes for peeling fruits and veggies.... Any tips how i could find the right kind of knife? If i put in leather knife i only get the ones with a straight edge
@@Angelika5378 Different names it has: HSS parting tool, HSS cut-off blade. Just a rectangle steel bar 3 or 4mm thick and different widths. It is already hardened to 62 HRC or more so perfect for a knife. I bought a 3x16x200mm for 5$. You can grind it on simple wheel grinder but have to cool it in water every few seconds. It can not turn blue from heat - if it will, you have to grind this part away. It's very easy but you have to do it slow. I grind for 10 to 15 degrees straight bevel angle (skewed and slightly rounded). The handle you can do as you like - leater like pairing knives or wood (I suggest to make a rectangle ones, not round like woodworking chisels).
@@riza-annbarrera3898 Yes, please don't:) Bookbinders have a bad rep for trimming book-edges. Use a firm bristled brush to brush the edge firmly while held in some sort of press. This will clean it up a lot. Good luck! DAS
Not on a rough edge. I occasionally do this after trimming the edge in prep for edge gilding. It is very messy and dust gets everywhere in the bindery. One day I might invest in one of the expensive mesh sanding systems.
My daughter has taken up binding so I made a small press for her, then a bigger one. I just finished a plow to run on the big press and she's Very Happy!
She used to use my paring chisels.
I've been trimming edges with a utility knife for _years._ It's the only part of the process I hate. This is *such* an improvement. Thank you for opening my eyes to this technique.
I started bookbinding a few months ago and my very first book I trimmed with a box cutter, everything became very difficult to control and at the end it looked more like a massacre site than a nicely trimmed book. I'm still learning though and I'm getting better at it!
Great, thanks. Even as a starter without many tools, that way of making the book stable is a way lot better than cutting while pressing a ruler with fingers like I saw in other videos.
I discovered your channel very recently, and you don't know how much you've helped me ! I must say, I'm impressed by your work, and by the quality of your tutorials ! Also, I was looking for exactly this very specific tutorial yesterday, you came right in time !!
Thanks for having introduced me to bookbinding ! (as a hobby)
Happy binding! DAS
If you are a starter starter like me. Then you will probably wwnt to skip to the second last section. But the whole video is actually really helpful!!
This was really helpful for someone with zero space like me!! Excited to try it with my clamps!!
Excellant advice if I just had a press. Towels over heavy cement bricks might help for the moment but I love your idea. I better get some clamps and chisel. Excellant advice.
Did you check out the option at 09:10? A trip to Home Depot for some clamp, wood, chisel and a couple of bricks and you're set! Have fun, Darryn
I use a low tech book press: two kitchen cutting boards with a couple of small wood clamps, and you'd be surprised at how well it works
what did you end up doing? i made the Cockerell diy press DAS showed in one of his videos,and combined with a wood chisel(and some sanding afterwards) they produced excellent results(for an amateur,that is)
these tutorials are amazing. I’m a bookbinding noob and watch your videos at least five times before and between every steps of projects and some parts in slow motion :D I’ve only done three different bookbinding projects so far + your home-made press design. you’re already my favorite youtuber. just wanted to share my admiration for your work on books and videos.
DAS this ABSOLUTELY made my day!!!
I started bookbinding about a year ago and i became so discouraged when i learned about trimming edges. I tried the xacto knife and ruler method you demonstrated and i made a drunken text block. I sloped my knife inward undercutting the text block, the ruler shifted, each corner was a uniquely not-square angle. I tried sanding and botched that too. I gave up and pursued other hobbies for about eight months.
Finally I began to make some cases for my drunken text blocks, trying to build up momentum. I had purchased some lovely cardstock from a paper supplier and some end sheets from Hollander's before the trimming debacle and I really wanted to use it. I even picked up woodworking (thanks Rex Kruger!) to make a bench press in a similar design to your videos.
All of this to say I HAVE a chisel. I even have a press, and once I sharpen my chisel i can clean up those textblocks. Without a plough.
Thank you so much for all your videos and particularly this one
I really hope this works out for you. Those French style knives aren't very expensive but they make this work really well. But they do need to be very sharp. My fingers are cross for you. Darryn
@@lucykeiko2339 120gsm paper is almost a standard weight for good quality book paper and it trims fine with a plough. I think in the video I was using a lighter paper, but I'm sure the papers you mention will trim well with this method too. But if you are making a lot of book you might watch for a good quality second hand guillotine. The German made Ideal brand ones come up regularly at a fraction of the original price. Of course the blade will need sharpening, and that can be $100, often as much as the guillotine. But a sharp guillotine blade is the difference between a happy bookbinder and a very angry one. All the best, Darryn
Mine all still look slightly drunken but it's alright.🤗
I feel your frustrations when it comes to the practicality of trimming edges without specialized equipment. I think the need for edges to appear completely smooth is enforced by seeing machine-manufactured books with those types of edges. But I've come to learn to love my slightly staggered fore-edges. They show that my books have been handbound, and they can still be gilded before binding for a look that was still very respected and admired up to and including the 19th century.
Great ideas for my students!! Thanks
I've been looking for a way to trim my books for months now, and this solutions are brilliant. I used an utility knife and it was a disaster, I ended up cutting diagonally and... it was a mess. Thank you very much, will give a try to some of these soon!
This is going to be a game-changer for so many people ... good onya!
Thank you so so much!! I've been swearing over my terrible trimming for weeks, trying to get the right knife/right technique/etc - I'm definitely going to give this a go!
I am SO happy to have seen this before going to the expense of buying a plough! I’m going to use the 2 boards and clamp method and give it a go. Now I just need to find a good sharp tool! 😁
You explain and demonstrate things so very well.
I discovered your channel just trying to do a simple craft project, but your detail and passion are turning a project into a hobby for me.
I found this channel while looking for a better option to finish the edges on a gift (I never did binding before embarking on that journey). This is worth a lot to the dabbler and people starting out.
Thank you!! I've been trying my first bookbinding of a very old woodworking book downloaded from pdf format. This chisel trimming technique worked beautifully. Much better than paying hundreds of dollars for the original book. I'm having fun & even subscribed to your channel.
This video popped up in my suggested feed and I am glad it did. Super cool video on something that I was unaware of.
This video is an absolute life saver, I’m just starting out and I thought I could pull off the ruler + knife technique but my wrists could not take it
Thanks for these techniques. I've got a tiny flat to work in that doesn't have room for any kind of large equipment, and I've had immense trouble getting an edge on the books. Ima try out the one with the clamps as it seems the cheapest and more portable of them all.
I hope it works well for you. I was just thinking those French style knives are almost cheaper than a chisel. They are a bit tricky to sharpen, but they work really well for this. Good luck! DAS
Look, I just made a punching cradle and a sewing frame two days ago and just stitched a block. I've got two pieces of hardwood with c clamps holding my block and have been wracking my brain on how to cut it, I know I can't use a circular saw and a track, a tablesaw, a band saw, a jig saw, a router.... honestly I had nothing that I could think of doing.
Enter your video, this is a godsend
Thank you so much for this. I have been trying to figure out for a while now how to trim my edges without a plough. It never occurred to me to use these techniques. I love your channel. I've learned so much watching your videos.
As I say in the video, it's something that had passed me by until recently too. Take care, Darryn
Thank you. I enjoy and learn from your videos, and appreciate the effort you pour into them. I had tried with box cutters and clamping between boards and had unacceptable results with that so I bit the bullet and bought an inexpensive guillotine. If I had seen this video first, I might not have done that, but the ease of the guillotine means that I will probably not hand trim again.
A guillotine is very handy. I still plough for edges I'm going to finish, such as gilding. All the best, DAS
Tried the chisel and it worked really well. Thank you!
As someone with a small hobby space, this is awesome to see how good the quality of the edge is when using this technique.
_off to buy a chisel_
There is never enough space! I'm trying to work out how to ask my wife if I can turn a bedroom into a stock room... All the best, DAS
Excellent! I don't have a press but I do have some wood, clamps, and chisels... I trimmed up a small notebook with a box cutter the other day and absolutely butchered most of the sides. Next time I'll try this instead, get some practice in before I work on Christmas gifts and personal projects.
I guess it's that time of year already - well not quite, but getting close. DAS
I have not yet started my first binding; I'm watching videos in preparation. Your videos have been extremely helpful. The first books I will bind are important to me because of the content, more than the binding but your videos will help me at least try to give them the binding they deserve.. Ok, my first ones, I am sure, won't be as good as they deserve so their quality will come from the content but, still, thank you for your great videos on trimming; I could not find anything on this before your videos.
I had seen another bookbinder use the chisel and was somewhat in awe of how sharp that tool would have been since it looked like the proverbial hot knife through butter watching him clear the path.
Now to learn how to sharpen these tools 🙂and also to price clamps - Bunnings is going to love me 😂and work out how I can utilise boards I have here to maybe make a press since my little book press was not quite what I needed for the job. A press would sure save all that pressure on the fingers holding down that metal ruler to trim with a knife.
Thanks so much for this information. I’d been wondering about this myself. I’m a novice bookbinder, and am watching videos to further my education since my classes were canceled.
I hope your classes start back up soon. All the best, Darryn
I just finished making a lying press with my grandpa. I’m really excited to add this to the list of uses for it. I’m going to have to buy a chisel now. Thank you so much!
I bet that's the best lying press ever. You'll never have better! Have fun. Darryn
Oh boy, something to look forward to! I got a job finally so I haven't been binding recently. Time to get to it this weekend.
Have fun! Darryn
I used a Stanley knife with a fresh blade. I've got a narrow cutting board, roughly 4 inches wide and a foot long. For the fore-edge I put the cutting board underneath the first ~30 pages and cut using a metal ruler. Then put the cutting board underneath the next 30 pages, aligned the ruler with the previously cut pages and cut again. If you're careful to keep the blade straight, it gives a good result. For the head/tail I used an "F"-clamp to clamp the metal ruler to the book, I used some boards to compensate for the swell in the spine and carefully cut in a straight line. It worked quite well.
Skipped trimming entirely until i decided to use the wood chisel(i was horrible with the utility knife).
The press i had build(the aweful one) made me want to burn it,as you have mentioned doing to yours..! i decided to build the Cockerell diy press you showcased and the combination of the two produced very sweet results.
DAS delivering as promised!
Thank you so much for this video. Unfortunately, I found it just days after trying to trim the text block from my first bookbinding attempt. That attempt left some uneven cuts at one end of my text block. I was dismayed, as I wanted the first book I made to be a gift to my son who is expecting his first baby. My carpenter husband said, "No problem," and took the text block to his belt sander and quickly fixed the uneven cuts. I'm sure the text block isn't perfectly squared up, but it isn't really detectable. I'll certainly use your technique for book number two!
Thank you sooo much! I've been having hard time finding a good guillotine paper cutter for trimming book blocks. I have most of these items. This method will fit nicely in my studio apartment!
I love your channel and I’ve subscribed, it’s very true, as a beginner and self-taught, I don’t want to be discouraged, I find this step very crucial because it’s the finishing touch of the book, thank you ♥️
Good luck with your binding! Darryn
Not being a bookbinder, the times that I dabbled making text blocks and notebooks involved a method similar to the horizontal arrangement at the end here, except even more awkward; instead of clamping everything down, I pressed a ruler on the edge & did the cutting with a kiridashi (which is very similar to that English paring knife). On watching this video, I see how at least the edge of a plank of wood could help keep the cuts more perpendicular to the paper/parallel to the edge.
looking forward to try this thank you very much sir. I was destroying the foreedge of my book with my olfa knife...
I definitely got a lot out of this video, thank you for sharing! It’s helped me a lot!!
Glad it was helpful! DAS
I trimmed my first text block yesterday, before I saw your video !. I used the last technique with great success but a different grip. I put my thumb behind the chisel and curled my forefinger below the board. The forefinger keeps the pressure on the knife onto the board. The thumb pushes the knife onto the the hand. I used a kitchen chopping board as the guide. It worked very well and the trimmings fell away keeping the surface clear.
Great to hear! I knew I had to include that even if I wasn't very good at it. I'd heard too many success stories about this method to ignore. Thanks for confirming how good that approach works, and a tip on how to do it well. All the best, Darryn
Simple and efficient
I tried the ruler and cutter method on a disintegrating sketch-book last week. Only there was no thick board or anything to guide my cutter and keep it straight. Just about managed to get it 'unnoticeable but horrible'. It was the smallest size retractable cutter that's available, with a decade old blade. :-S
I am going to get a chisel at some point-would be useful for the expanding door frames as well.
I'm glad I saw this demonstration first. Now I know all the possibilities.
My personal opinion trimming books and rounding edges shows the skills of bookbinders.
As someone who just ruined an 800 page book by trimming it poorly - confirm
@@Obrezochki in my case, not 800 pages...not at once at least :V
Thanks very much for this and your other videos. I've been working on an amateur setup in my home for about a year, and trimming really seems to be the most challenging part for me. I have a good homemade finishing press that I made to the specs I found in the Watson Home Bookbinding manual; it has 4x4 oak jaws, so there's a nice 3.5" surface on the top for sliding a chisel. The cutting part works well for me. The problem I have is lining up the signatures to cut straight across the text block when I'm trimming the fore edge. Especially if I've used thick thread and so have more swell at the spine, I typically have a hard time judging the alignment of the spine inside the press such that it would keep the top square to the spine as I cut it. I mark a trim line on the front and back before I start, but the cut-against obscures the back line, so I can't use the rear jaw of the press for alignment. (I typically have less trouble with alignment after rounding takes out the swell, so trimming the head and tail goes more easily.) Any advice for clean, square alignment when trimming the fore edge?
Use some "compensation boards". Cut a couple of pieces of thick (maybe 3mm) greybeard that is not as wide as the book. Put these boards along the lines you mark and lower the book in the press so the edges of the boards are just (really just a bit) below the face of the press. I use these all the time when using a plough. I have thicker ones too which I made by laminating pieces of greybeard together.
@@DASBookbinding I've been doing something like this already: I've got greyboard in the front and back, but the back one is what I've been using as a cut-against, so it protrudes above the book... and the back is generally where I have this problem. Do you use one greyboard for compensating and then another to cut against?
When I first started, I used a common plane blade from a cheap carpenters block plane from the hardware store. I think it was like $10 or something. It was flat, with an edge on 1 side, did not flex, and didn't have a handle to get in the way if the book was thicker. With a regular lying press (or as you've shown 2 boards and some clamps), it produced a perfect cut edge. And while I've since upgraded to a professional quality plow, I still highly recommend that for new binders looking to trim their books. You can get a professional result, without the expense. In fact, sometimes I still use it because it's often less hassle than using my bigger press & plough.
The No 4 plane iron makes a really good paring knife too. Sometimes referred to as a Swiss style knife. All the best, DAS
I use a B&D workmate with boards, one of which has a 70mm flat porch on which I can rest a 1 inch sharp chisel. I find that it cuts very satisfactory edges.
I'm going to have to get my WorkMate back from my father! DAS
I recommended your tutorials to 2 large FB groups. One is for watercolor over 8000, the other for pastels almost 10,000. Pastel books with glassine inserts in between the pages is the key. I liked the idea of top ring coptic style that could be flipped over and could take the full sheets becoming a 11 x 15 book. I know that you have all that knowledge but I couldn't help myself by passing it on. I enjoy them. Thank you.
Thanks for the recommendations! Also good tip on the glassine inserts. I'm not sure what you mean by "top ring coptic style". Do you mean a coptic style but designed to open with the spine at the top? Maybe my knowledge isn't that good:) All the best, Darryn
@@DASBookbinding yes to flip over at the top since many pastelists find that style easier and plenty sturdy to attach to plein aire (outside) boxes. I have only found one inch rings but maybe that would work but it would be mostly visual. I could just make it a one page at a time plus the glassine to flip or maybe reinforce a bit more with cloth muslin underneath. I guess the spine would really have to be quite strong and flexible or done in a coptic form. I will have to think about that one. You probably already know.😁🤗
@@jenniefrench1338 I'd love to see a photo of what you come up with. Have you seen the fold-back sketchbook? I don;t think it's what you're after, but may give some ideas. ruclips.net/video/yQaLY5uze0o/видео.html
DAS
@@DASBookbinding sorry I didn't see your response. Yes that is a lovely idea but pastel can come off easily. I think doing the book to open on the top would be the key. But the pages couldn't bend so maybe one at a time than the glassine would have to do. Some use a fixative on their pastel work but the sheets would do fine with firm boards like Lineco board on the ends. I would imagine that if pastelists knew a book was available like this it would be popular and hold their portfolio. I make my sanded pastel paper by priming 140lb hp watercolor paper with Art Spectrum clear pastel and multimedia primer using a sponge brush. A pack of 5 watercolor sheets Fabriano Artístico (16 x 20) would cost almost $15 US dollars. 4 full sheets cost $17. Anyways I have too many ideas and not enough experience. I am just a painter but am thoroughly impressed with your book making skills. And I ran out of PVA and patiently waiting on a shipment. When this lot gets finished I will show you. I do have my 7 x 10 done. The rest are 5 x 8 gifts of watercolor books 30 count. I had to use a razor. Maybe I could draw a picture of a pastel book idea.
Darryn you are a prince. Thank you for this. I have to find that knife you mentioned sold for that particular purpose
Link in the description. Happy binding! DAS
@@DASBookbinding it is thank you.. a bit pricey for a knife though. I will look around for alternatives i may have to sharpen a wood chisel.. Try a few different things. There is a leather edge cutter that looks like it may work too. Thanks as always
This is great! I’ve tried the utility knife multiple time and I’ve always failed miserably. I’ll try this option with the chisel, maybe even using a makeshift moxon vise to hold it a little more securely. Thank you so much!
There's a lot to be said for technique and experience. I just did a large paperback book using the chisel method and had a hard time keeping it from riding up despite cleaning the trimmings away. Finally turned out pretty good. I have a nice piece of 2" x 4" x 1' aluminum block for keeping the chisel flat. Still not an easy job. If I ever have to do another book, I might try to find a paring knife like the one here. Longer and flatter might be easier to control.
Some really good options for trimming! I’m actually at this stage now as I write this! Oh what to do, I don’t want to mess up the work on the text block I’ve already done, but I Suppose it’s a learning process so I must be brave and try one of the options you’ve kindly show! Have you got reorganised after your flood? Hope so and hope we have more tutorials soon, really missing them there so helpful! Thank you 🤗
Thanks for the ideas, thought you might be interested to know that I've just tried using a 2" Stanley style plane iron. The cutting edge has a gentle camber - as a properly set up jack plane should have - which may be better than a straight edge, the width of the iron makes it very easy to use and result was so good I might make a handle for it.
Lower the cutting angle and that is a proper Swiss style paring knife. DAS
@@DASBookbinding Thanks , I'll try that - I renovate and sell old woodworking tools, so I have more than enough irons to choose from! I'll also have to look up 'Swiss style paring knife now - fantastic!
Thank You ~ I really appreciate this!!
This video started my exploration. I found a strange knife I have no idea what the purpose was. The blade was thin stainless so much too floppy and it was a curved blade and left handed so when I used it, I was forced to stand at one end of the press and draw it towards me with my left hand on top holding it flat, my right pulling the blade along the top of my finishing press which is 1 1/2" so if affords a lot of surface guidance but doesn't get in the way of the handle. I think this lefty pulling toward gives me a lot more control and doesn't tip the press. Now I use an English paring knife (Barnsley) without any handle cover and it works well. I plan to get another one and reshape the blade into a shallow curve so I can distribute the cut along more of the edge rather than almost exclusively at the point.
I do a little woodworking and know close to nothing about bookbinding, but allow me to make a suggestion. Two hardwood strips added to the top of your press with flat head screws would cover up that bevel and provide a better surface for your chisel. After watching the first 4:37, I just had to stop and add this comment. Thoroughly enjoyed this video and will spend some time here. Cheers!
Thanks. It works fairly good like that. Adding strips of wood to the top of the finishing press would stop it being used for its intended purpose. Happy New Year! DAS
This was really great video! Wondering why google didn't show it, but youtube did.
Good question. It would be nice if Google noticed me. DAS
I guess one thing that really helps is to screwglue two boards together at a right angle so the blade has about 2 inches of flat perpendicular surface to rest on. Have to try that.
Incredible. I must try it, because I haven't been having much success with my guillotine :(
Could you do a video on the right way to trim book edges on a guillotine, especially the head and tail? I've been trying so had to stabilize the block, to compensate for swell with scrap paper, to put it in with boards... it still TWISTS. The topmost page gets cut well, and then they get more and more trapezoidal.
It does sound like a guillotine problem, either not enough clamping pressure or blade not sharp enough. I usually leave it too long between blade sharpening and the issue is forced by cuts starting to go off vertical. What brand of guillotine do you have? Take care, Darryn
Cutting big stacks of folded roll cloth can dull a guillotine knife, and having it sharpened to an edge bigger than about 24 degrees will slow it down too. If the knife is sharp, perhaps clamping pressure is low . . . but from your description it sounds like excessive spine swelling is the big culprit. Sometimes the book block is composed of such soft paper (cartridge paper) that the glue-reinforced spine is uncompressed while the balance of the block yields to clamp pressure, causing movement during operation. Here, some well-placed scrap paper can work . . . but if the paper is normal or heavy weight, you have to find a way to bring down the swelling. Of course a hydraulic nipper press is not found in most small shops (and even then there's no guarantee), so lighter thread and more extensive pre-sewing flattening of signatures is the direction to look for answers -- presumably thinner volumes are not an option?
@@robertphillips93 those are helpful tips thank you
So helpful, thanks
Felt like the fame is coming before watching this video because of the idea of using chisel I shared on older video few weeks ago, but then I saw the video from Glenn Malkin. Apparently I am not the first one ;-)
I have an old knife with a single bevel (I made it a few years ago from D2 steel)... have to try :-)
Update: I have made a dedicated knife from HSS 62HRC steel. Works like a charm and the book edge is almost perfect.
Thank you 🙏
A readily available, high quality single bevel knife is the Japanese Kiridashi marking knife. Around £20 in the UK, in 2024.
How do you sharpen the French style paring knife? I just bought one for about $10 from J. Hewit & Sons but have no idea how to sharpen it! All the tutorials I have seen require expensive equipment, so I was wondering if there is a way to do it just with emery cloth, or with a cheap sharpening stone? I saw your video on sharpening an English style paring knife and that’s exactly what I’m looking for - but for the French style knife.
I do it very similar to how I sharpen a plough blade, which I have a video on.
that is really cool , Thanks.
Thanks!
Thank you so much!!!
great - thank you very much
Use sandpaper to make the paper square after you have clamped in a homemade clamp
I dont have a press like that, the money or space for one (my desk is always cluttered with projects!) 😅 can you auggest an alternative?
How would you trim the edges of a book that has been bound with raised cords? How do you clamp it without crushing the cords or damaging the spine? Thanks! Great video!
Traditionally, this structure belongs to before the 19th century. The paper guillotine was invented in the mid 19th century. So this style of book would have been cut using a plough. If the edges are trimmed before the boards are attached, the cutting boards used to hold the book in the laying press during ploughing only compress the fore-edge, thus the spine is not affected. Most modern binders binding in this historical style will also use a plough. More likely, pre-19th century, the book would be trimmed "in-boards", once the boards are attached. This is documented by Arthur Green in the latest edition of Sauv Mechanicals. But you can use a guillotine by using a compensation pad of scrap paper to pad out the fore-edge to the same thickness as the spine. Hope this makes sense. DAS
I have a question. I skimmed through the comments and couldn't find this question specifically. If it has been answered, I do apologize. I wanted to know if you trim before you glue or after? I tried trimming the top and bottom and had a hard time with the glued edge. I'm wondering what I might be doing wrong.
Always glue before trimming. The sections will move around too much without glueing.
Obrigado pelo vídeo aula
You're welcome!
Very helpful, thank you. I wonder if one might still use a box knife, but with the blade extended so that it can ride on the flat surface in the same manner as the chisel. I suppose that there is a risk of the blade bending, but extra strong utility blades seem to do so less.
Better to use a single bevel blade such as a wood chisel. Just cheap one very well sharpened will do. A box cutter has a double bevel blade and doesn't;t reach very far.
I did try this, not having any of the types of blades listed--it sort of worked at first, and you can extend the blade quite far out--but it got wonky on the deeper layers as the blade bent a bit and I couldn't get it to go straight across
...my new project is learning how to sharpen knives lmao, since I haven't really done that before and I will need to sharpen the chisel before I can use it
Thabk you so much for this Darryn.
One question: was it easier with the French parint knife or the English paring knife?
The French. You can cut in both directions and less likely to take too aggressive a cut and get tear-out.
Have you ever considered or heard of anyone using a woodworking plane and maybe a jig of some sort with a leveled slick surface for gliding the plane along? i could see how it might need a backing block to avoid tear out but i dont really see why it couldn't work.
Or possibly a tool like this one
"Swpeet 10'' Adjustable SpokeShave with Flat Base, Metal Blade Wood Working Hand Tool. Perfect for Wood Craft, Wood Craver, Wood Working"
Give it a try. I've been asked this a number of times and I don't think it will work very well. This is why ploughs exist. They work better than anything else.
wouuuu awesome man
Love the less expensive technique...thanks...🎉
_nice._ I will definitely be using this. Most likely the second to last one, with the chisel and the boards-- I can get those fairly easily.
A question on your bricks: Did you wrap them in that green coating, or did they come that way?
The chisel works really well. Just need a sharp chisel. As soon as I'm making videos again I'll do a video on sharpening chisels.
Yes, I wrapped the bricks. Funny you ask. My bricks have gone missing since the flood. I suspect they got unwrapped and then someone thought they were construction debris and they got thrown in a skip. I've had them so long I can't remember where I got them from. But it's harder to get suitable bricks than I expected! I might even do a video on what to look for in bricks for weights. Old solid clay bricks are the best. Nice and heavy and level surfaces.
DAS
@@DASBookbinding I looked up tutorials on sharpening chisels, and it does not look too hard. I'll just need to get some sharpening stuff. Probably can get it from the same hardware store I get the chisel from.
I'd definitely love to see a video from you on it, since you'd be doing it for bookbinding purposes specifically, rather than for woodworking, so any differences in what's important, you'll cover. (one tutorial I watched said having a flat back wasn't too important, cause it's usually used at an angle. I imagine that's one difference.)
Oh, that's unfortunate about your bricks! I hope you have a stroke of luck and find good replacements soon.
What did you wrap them with?
Hello, how do you sharpen the chisel? What coarseness of the sharpening stones do you use?
I have an extravagant sharpening system. For this video I used the same system as my paring knives. For normal wood chisels I wouldn't go that far. In this case I went to very-very-fine DMT diamond stone (I think it's 10000 equivalent) and then stropped with chromium oxide compound. So a mirror polish.
Is there any other material besides grey board that can be used to sandwich the book in the press?
Any solid stiff board I guess.
Hello from Bundaberg! I LOVE your videos and have learned so much and watched them while doing my own binding. I'm still learning but I have been hunting for a guillotine. I was wondering if you had a recommendation for one? I can't believe the amount of them and the difference. I have no real idea what I should be looking for when purchasing one. They all cut of course but I'm sure there are specs to be looking for.
Keep an eye out for German made Ideal guillotines on Gumtree. They come up fairly often. There is 4700 that has seen better days listed now. It's missing the safety guard and the front depth adjuster handle is broken. But it is a very good model that is about $5k new. Too bad it is such a dirty state. DAS
Thank you for posting this excellent video! I am curious if your results for the edges of the head and the foot of the book were as smooth as the fore edge. I trim books similar to this method but find the results for the head and foot sections not as smooth. I wonder if it is due to the grain direction being cross grain? Just curious. Thanks again for sharing so much on RUclips. All best. Jim
Hi Jim! Interesting question. I was thinking of trimming an end but the video was already longer than I wanted. I assumed it wouldn't be interesting. I'll give it a go today and see if I get the same result as you. Head and tail usually have the complication of swell. Glenn Malkin covered this in his video, explaining the trimming and rounding sequence so I didn't want to dwell on it too. I've not noticed a difference between trimming fore-edge and ends with the plough. But the plough does take the feel of the cut away from the hands to an extent. Sorry we didn't cross paths while I was working at UW-Madison years ago. I wasn't doing much binding at the time being very focused on IceCube. All the best, Darryn
@@DASBookbinding Thanks Darryn! I have been working with books for many years. But have never had the chance to use a plough. I suspect when cutting "against the grain" it would be slightly different regardless of the method. It seems to me that it will be slightly different simply due to the paper's make up. As I suspect trimming Japanese Mulberry paper, is different than a true handmade paper and so forth. Thank you also for Glenn Malkin's video. I had seen the "Men in Sheds" video, which I enjoyed very much. Great discovery to learn he has a channel. It is a small world to think you were here in Madison. The Ice Cube project is impressive. I have only met one person that has actually traveled to the frozen site. I am off to sign up on your Patreon! Be well. -Jim
Intersting, maybe next time you try a drawknife (was used in midlle ege for rough trimming)
You've been reading too much Jeff Peachey blog. I've never tried it, but maybe one day. All the best, DAS
@@DASBookbinding Yes :)
Genius.
Things I've learned: don't use a razor blade. It seems like a super-sharp blade like that would work, but they're too flexible and beveled on both sides. The edge will slant up toward the back. I didn't have any of the tools you demonstrated, so I pulled the blade out of my hand plane. I stopped and stropped often as I went. Got a perfect edge first try with this tool. Thank you for the time and effort you're taking to do these videos. Your delivery is so much better than 95% of all you-tubers, and your content is spot-on. I'm a fan.
You're a handy guy. How long do you think it would take to make a finishing vise with 2 pieces of hardwood and some all-thread, heh. Sounds like a pleasurable Saturday to me.
About 30 years ago I spent about this much time making a press, and maybe half a day getting the materials together. And I used that wobbly press for years. Once I could afford a beautiful Wiesner finishing press I burnt the old home made one:) DAS
I’ve distroyed some books already, trying to trim it with utility knife
Sorry to hear. Good luck! DAS
@@DASBookbinding thank you! I bought a guillotine now, hope it works
i wonder if a woodworking plane might work. and i wonder what i pull of with just sandpaper. edit: nevermind the plane. the chisel works great. amazing.
Can we do this with cutting file without using any knife
I think it requires a very sharp knife. Ciao, DAS
❤
For hours I've tried finding a french style paring knife online. But I'm in germany so if i put that into google i get knifes for peeling fruits and veggies....
Any tips how i could find the right kind of knife? If i put in leather knife i only get the ones with a straight edge
schmedt.com/tools-devices/knives-and-accessories/leather-paring-knives/
You can make it. It's just a knife with one bevel grind. Buy a flat HSS steel "turning knife" and regrind it slowly to any shape you want.
@@henrykg what is a turning knife? Googpe just shows me more food cutting knifes
@@Angelika5378 Different names it has: HSS parting tool, HSS cut-off blade. Just a rectangle steel bar 3 or 4mm thick and different widths. It is already hardened to 62 HRC or more so perfect for a knife. I bought a 3x16x200mm for 5$. You can grind it on simple wheel grinder but have to cool it in water every few seconds. It can not turn blue from heat - if it will, you have to grind this part away. It's very easy but you have to do it slow. I grind for 10 to 15 degrees straight bevel angle (skewed and slightly rounded). The handle you can do as you like - leater like pairing knives or wood (I suggest to make a rectangle ones, not round like woodworking chisels).
Please Price
It would not be much trouble to gring the chisel to a round edge like the French paring knife .
Chisels are fairly thick. Better to shape a number 4 plane iron. This is often called a Swiss style knife. DAS
@@DASBookbinding true that is a good idea
If I can just send you my Bible to trim it so I won't make a disaster out of it 😂 Anyway, great video!! ♥️
Unless it's a new bible I think it best not to trim the edges anyway. Good luck! Darryn
@@DASBookbinding ohhh..I sure better not to trim since it's an old one. Thank you for the advice. Appreciate it so so much!!!
@@riza-annbarrera3898 Yes, please don't:) Bookbinders have a bad rep for trimming book-edges. Use a firm bristled brush to brush the edge firmly while held in some sort of press. This will clean it up a lot. Good luck! DAS
@@DASBookbinding thank you!!!
What about a japanese saw
Got to cut not saw.
Couldn't you just use a portable belt sander or a palm sander?
Not on a rough edge. I occasionally do this after trimming the edge in prep for edge gilding. It is very messy and dust gets everywhere in the bindery. One day I might invest in one of the expensive mesh sanding systems.
Other thing I forgot is you have to be very careful of heating of the paper which can melt sizing in the paper.
Without what
When starting out people are always asking, how do I trim the edges of my books without a guillotine or plough. So, without these. DAS
Jesus Love you
this is so helpful, thank you so much!