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Heated debate with my partner over using PVA vs wheat paste for a 19th century ledger repair
I went with the wheat paste for its long-term stability, and after a year the spine is still flexible with zero adhesive creep. What's your go-to for historical paper?
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laura_chen4123h ago
PVA's just fine if you mix it right, unlike @bennett.harper's thin paste that might not hold.
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bennett.harper1d ago
Read a conservator's blog post that really stuck with me. They argued modern PVA can get brittle and discolor over decades, while a good wheat paste recipe ages with the paper. Your result with the flexible spine after a year proves that point. For my own old family letters, I mix a thin wheat paste because it's reversible with water. What kind of paper was the ledger made from?
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