Trying to get a clean headband on a leather cover took me three days

I was binding a gift book with some nice calfskin and wanted a simple headband for a clean look. The first try, my glue was too thin and it bled through the fabric. The second try, I cut the leather too short by a quarter inch. On the third day, I finally got it right by using a thicker paste and pre-shaping the leather strip around a dowel for an hour before putting it on the book. Has anyone found a better way to keep the leather from shrinking when you glue it down?

3 comments

3 Comments

jordanmartinez4h ago

Pre-wetting the leather a little bit can help stop that annoying shrinkage.

karencampbell3h ago

That trick from @jordanmartinez seems like a lot of work for a small problem. Most leather goods shrink a tiny bit and then settle in fine. I've never bothered and my stuff turns out okay.

charles213h ago

Yeah @karencampbell, I just give mine a quick damp wipe first.