Binding Types: Glued, Sewn, or Hybrid?

One of the reasons I started the Bible Design and Binding Blog was to serve as a clearing house for information. Over the years, I've corresponded with a lot of people who share my interests, and I've learned a lot from them. I hope this blog will become a community where that kind of information exchange thrives. A perfect example from over the weekend is Dave's comment on glued and sewn bindings, which states the differences much more clearly than I've managed to do. I want to reproduce it here as a guide to others, along with an invitation to add what you know in the comments:

I freely admit that I also don't know much about the sewing methods, but there are a few varieties that I've run across in my searchfor the "perfect" Bible. The first is the typical glue binding where the end of the signatures are cut flat (usually with some grooves cut into them transversly to help the glue hold), pressed together, and glued.

The second is what I call the "hybrid" glue binding, where the individual signatures are sewn in the middle, so if you open the Bible and find the middle of the signature, you can usually see the threads if you pull it open far enough. These signatures are then pressed together and guled like the completely glued bindings. I believe they also cut grooves transversly into these as well. The advantage of this is that you are less likely to have individual pages come unglued, but if you open the binding too far, you can get the whole signature to come out. You can usually tell these from the normal, fully sewn bindings if you look at the edge of the spine. Ther you will see the sewn signatures, but there will be glue holding them together. If you open the book, usually the signature will be so tightly pressed together and held by the glue that they will stay in a straight line.

Finally, the fully sewn bindings have sewn signatures like the ones above, but they have strips of fabric holding the signatures together. I believe on the really nice Bibles, these are sewn to the signatures somehow and on the lesser nice ones, they are glued to the signatures. Either way, these will let the book open flat, and if you look at the edge of the spine with the book open, they will usually leave a gap between the spine cove and the text block, since they are not tightly pressed and glued together. Crossway's journaling Bible, as near as I can tell, is of the type that has the sewn signatures with the fabric strips glued to them.

After reading Dave's description, I wonder if some of the bindings I've been calling sewn because of the visible stitching are actually the glued/sewn hybrids he's observed. Thanks, Dave, for sharing your observations. As always, the floor is open to anyone who can fill in more details ...

Comments

[aloysious]

I've been looking for pocket KJV text bibles that are sewn, in leather. I started out looking for one; now I want to get a few.
I like the World Publishers "Smallest Bible". They're out of business, Cambridge doesn't make their nice wallet size, with the flap front; or without it. Oxford, I don't know what happened to them, as long as they print scofield, and not text, they won't be getting any business from me.
Anyway, If anybody can help me find an out of print copy of a leather bound, text pocket Bible, printed by World, Cambridge, or Oxford, I would sure be thankful. [email protected]
I've been looking for months, from Bible stores; and hours online. There is a famine of The Word, And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of THE LORD and shall not find it. Amos 8:11-12

[Ron Parish]

@aloysious: What about trying http://www.discountbible.com/bible-study-software/0521160472.html. I just ordered this Bible, and already have a black-text only just like it.

[Pastor Ron Parish]

I see why the link doesn't work. Let's try again: http://www.discountbible.com/bible-study-software/0521160472.html It should be fine, now.

[Paul]

Interesting Site! Not sure how I ran across it, but I found it very intriguing. I have, for a long time, been very intersted in Bibles, covers, translations and types. I have so many bibles that one could have good cause to call me obsessive. A little over a year ago, I became interested in how bibles were constructed and leather that is used on them; so I began investigating the same. Through self study and advice from some in the business as well as various publications, I have developed my craft of rebinding and leather working to produce, what I believe to be, some nice restorations using veg-tanned calfskin that I hand, cut, custome dye and custome emboss. Check out my little site www.biblerestoration.blogspot.com and let me know what you think.

[Alan Young]

If you are looking for a nice small Cambridge imprint pocket Bible,
Trinitarian Bible Society have a new line of pocket reference Bibles
www.tbs-sales.org
which are reduced Pitt Minion Bibles with centre references available
in Calfskin semi yapp, snap closure or zipper. Allan's (Bibles-direct.com)
sell the semi yapp and zipper edition. TBS also sell the semi yapp and
zipper edition with the Scottish 1650 book of Metrical Psalms bound at
the back (Psalms set to rhythmic metre for singing). Regards, Alan.

[Kimberly Battle]

Hi, I was reading through some of your old and new posts, and saw this one regarding Binding.
My question is: Is it possible to have a bible that is currently glued - sewn ? (in order to extend the life of the bible). I want to have my glued bible sewn, but I can't seem to find anyone who does this. Is this not a possibility ?

[Bill]

Kimberly,
Depending on the binder, they might be able to do side-stitching. This basically sews the volume through from the side much like a velo-bind clamps pages together. The threads then act like the plastic velo fingers holding it all together. This is the typical way cheap pew bibles are bound. It's actually very durable, but of course the pages don't lie flat when open like smyth-sewn signatures do in better bindings. If you already have narrow inner (gutter) page margins, this can make reading very unpleasant.

I think you're better off buying the Bible you like in a quality (smyth-sewn) binding and then sending it for rebinding after it's well-worn.

[Kimberly Battle]

@ Bill......
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, the bible I just purchased does not come sewn - only glued. It's the new Nelson NKJV Study Bible in Large print (2009 Edition) - and its pretty hefty (3000+ pages). I really like this bible, and I would like to go ahead and have it sewn before it starts experiencing visable wear and tear.

I guess I was hoping that maybe a binding company could just remove the current cover, SEW the pages together, and then rebind it with a nice calfskin leather cover; but it doesn't sound like that's even a possibility huh ?
That's too bad, b/c I really like this bible.

[bill]

Sorry Kimberly I wasn't clearer. What I called side-stitching can be done on ANY binding, any collection of pages. You just might lose some of the inside margin. When ALL books were saddle-stitched-in signatures, bookbinding included binding the pages as well as the covers. Now days, as printing has become more mechanized, printers pretty much handle the pages through to a finished bound text block, and a "bookbinder" just finishes up the edges and applies the covers. So a modern "bookbinder" may not have access to the machines necessary to side-stitch a cheaper, mass-produced binding together. But they tend to be small businesses specializing in special orders so why not give a couple of them a call? Worse-case, you'll have to pay some two-way postage to send your Bible to a few of them so they can inspect it and give you some options and prices. If you don't like your options, you can enjoy the Bible as is. Even perfect binding (the all-glued, cheapest binding of all) can give years of service if carefully broken in and combined with notches and tapes, which any binder can do. Mark lists several in the right side column. Give them a call and let us know what you decide to do.

[bill]

Me again Kimberly. Is that Nelson LP NKJV SB either isbn13 9780718014421 (black bonded) or 9780718014438 (red bonded) or 9780718014582 (hardcover)? Why do you think that its binding is only glued? For that size and retail price, I'd be quite surprised if it's not already side-stitched, which like I said is quite durable even if it doesn't open up delightfully flat. In other words, it's a prime candidate to just have the cover you most desire put on it just like it is. Talk to some binders! Even without mailing it to them, they can lead you through some simple tests on the phone to determine more about your options.

[Kimberly Battle]

@ Bill,
Hi Bill, the Burgandy Bonded Leather is: ISBN: 1418542628/ISBN-13: 9781418542627. And the Hardcover is: ISBN: 1418542083/ISBN-13: 9781418542085. I purchased the Bonded Leather for myself, and the Hardcover for my mother who pretty much stays at home. Neither of them "looks" like they are sewn. I don't see any pronounced signatures in the spine. I, like you, "assumed" that a bible of that size (3000+ pages) would automatically be sewn to keep it together, but like I said, neither of them "appear" to be sewn to me; but I could be wrong. (And hopefully I am (smile).
Also, would it be better (or easier) to have the bonded leather rebound and sewn or the hardcover (I can always switch copies with my mother). The paper in the hardcopy is white and the paper in the bonded leather looks more see-through (although Nelson claims they are the exact same paper). I don't understand that either (how they could both be using the exact same paper, when the paper is obviously different appearance wise. The paper in the bonded leather version looks nothing like the paper in the hardcopy version.

Anyway, Thanks again Bill for all of your help. I really appreciate it. I haven't purchased a "new" bible in quite a few years (as my old bible is about 17 years old - and literally falling apart; it looked so bad that I was just too embarrased to carry it to church looking like that any more...LOL)

[Bill]

@Kimberly,
Side-stitching by its nature doesn't necessarily require large folio pages to be folded into signatures, like saddle-stitching (smyth-sewn) does. You literally can side-stitch a bunch of 7x10 sheets. But because modern printing presses are huge things, the printing probably truly was done on large sheets, cut & folded into signatures, side-stitched, but then the folds (even on the side-stitched side) could have been cut clean before binding so most of the "telltale signs" of a sewn binding wouldn't be apparent. I'll still bet you a coffee your bibles are both side-sewn and will hold up a long time, so if you'd really enjoy a custom binding, you could justify the expense to yourself over many years.

And modern mass-produced bindings almost always use the same print blocks for both hard-cover and leather covers so any variation you see between yours and your mom's is probably due to just a different roll of paper being loaded into the press. Bible paper quality is a big pet peeve of mine...with the exception of a few Crossway bibles, no one really advertises what paper they're using so printers apparently feel free to change to just about anything of comparable "weight" thickness throughout a printing "run".

So if the paper in the hardcover appears superior, it truly might be. So that's the one to get rebound, right? However, I doubt your mom's hardcover has gilded page edges while your bonded leather copy does, am I correct? A lot of custom re-binders DON'T do page edge gilding so that might swing your decision as to which one to send in. Again, just something to ask about. (I think I've read here that the rebinder in Mexico--Abba I think it is--does do edge gilding.)

I'm a big fan of rounded edges, and just about any binder can do that, so if you do send in a square-edge volume, I'd urge you to get the edges rounded--they hold up a lot better with time that way.

Good luck!

[soft cialis]

I jsut found your blog via Lori Joy Smith's home tour on CafeMom. What a gorgeous space you have here! Off to explore the rest of your blog...

[Jim McDonald]

I am looking for a sewn binding of a leather Amplified Bible or Amplified Topical Reference Bible. I can't find one anywhere. One seller advertises a topical bible with sewn binding but I don't believe it since other sellers don't mention it.
Zondervan denies selling it. I am tired of using 2 falling apart Amp. Bibles made of leather.