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That $8 bone folder I used for 5 years was actually a scoring tool for paper crafts, not bookbinding.
A guy at a bindery workshop in Portland last month showed me his proper bone folder and I felt like an idiot when he pointed out the rounded edge on mine was meant for creasing greeting cards, has anyone else been using the wrong tool without knowing it?
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corap211mo ago
Wait, so @ivanbell are you saying the tapered point is the REAL game changer here? Because I've been using my rounded one for YEARS and never understood why my spine creases looked like garbage until now. Did you find that the polished surface thing actually matters for delicate papers, or is it more about control? I'm genuinely curious because I've seen some folks swear by cheap bamboo folders and I'm wondering if they're actually missing something.
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ivanbell1mo ago
The rounded edge thing is actually pretty common, a lot of us start with those cheap craft store tools not knowing any better. I had the same moment of shame when a bookbinder at a guild meetup watched me try to fold signatures with a pizza cutter style wheel, it was like she was trying not to laugh. The real bone folders have that tapered point that lets you get into the spine creases without tearing the paper, and the polished surface won't leave scratches on your covers. Once you switch over, it's a night and day difference, the way the tool glides through the folds feels way more controlled.
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the_drew1mo ago
Honestly though, nobody talks about how the cheap folders often have visible mold lines from the manufacturing process that can microscratch your paper over time. A good polished bone folder is smooth all the way around so you don't get those random drag marks. Did you ever notice fine white dust collecting on your tool after a bunch of folds?
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