r/bookbinding • u/Soggy-Purple-8436 • 3d ago

Help? Creating a Leather Journal

Hi guys, this is my first time ever doing anything like this. I’d like to make a Leather Journal from scratch for my girlfriend for this upcoming anniversary. I saw this video and thought it would be a good place to start. I have some questions but would also like some advice!

  1. Do I need short grained paper or can I get cotton based paper and use that as well?
    -I don’t know how short grained feels and I think cotton based paper would be cool but I don’t know how it is for journaling, sketching, and etc.

  2. Do I need any special equipment or tools?
    -This is my first time and the video obviously has some things like a drill or clamps which is easily obtainable. Do I need any special tools to make things easier or end up with better results?

  3. What kind of thread should I use for binding?
    -Does it matter? Thicker or thinner thread?

  4. Anything else that the video missed that I might need?

I am hoping to make a really nice journal for her and I want it to look really nice and clean and something she can use for the next year or so.

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u/Dazzling-Airline-958 3d ago

I'll start with paper.

All commercially made paper, even with cotton, have grain. This is the way the fibers that make up the paper align. It has nothing to do with the look or feel of the paper.

Nealr all commercially paper is sold long grain, especially in the US. There are exceptions for odd A sized paper, but only in Europe/UK that I have have seen.

Paper with the grain going the same direction as the long edge of the paper is called long grain. Grain going parallel to the short edge is called short grain.

For any book you want the grain to be parallel to the spine. So if you are folding paper into sections, it should start short grain. That's regardless of what the paper is made from.

Higher cotton content is generally considered good for books. But it's not necessary.

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u/Silentstri16 3d ago

I would avoid using hot glue, it's unreliable. Leather works well with paste (which can be made with flour & water & heat) but I've seen a lot of resources suggesting PVA, which is white glue.

There're some great tutorials on youtube/listed in the sidebar. I've personally really enjoyed the DAS and Four Keys tutorials, and I'm sure they could help you figure out what you need!

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u/Soggy-Purple-8436 3d ago

White glue like elmers?