Trimming Edges before Sewing--Edge Gilding
TRIMMING BEFORE SEWING
When the sheets come from the press the treatment of the edges must be
decided upon, that is, whether they are to be entirely uncut, trimmed
before sewing, or cut in boards.
Early printed books and manuscripts should on no account have their
edges cut at all, and any modern books of value are better only
slightly trimmed and gilt before sewing. But for books of reference
that need good bindings, on account of the wear they have to
withstand, cutting in boards is best, as the smooth edge so obtained
makes the leaves easier to turn over. Gilt tops and rough edges give a
book a look of unequal finish.
If the edges are to remain uncut, or be cut "in boards" with the
plough, the book will be ready for "marking up" as soon as it comes
from the press; but if it is to be gilt before sewing, it must be
first trimmed.
[Illustration: Fig. 23.]
The sheets for trimming with end papers and all plates inserted must
first be cut square at the head against a carpenter's square (see fig.
7). Then a piece of mill-board may be cut to the size, it is desired
to leave the leaves, and the sections trimmed to it. To do this three
nails should be put into the covering board through a piece of
straw-board, and the back of the section slid along nails 1 and 2
until it touches No. 3 (see fig. 23). The board is slid in the same
way, and anything projecting beyond it cut off. When the under
straw-board has become inconveniently scored in the first position, by
shifting the lower nail (1) a fresh surface will receive the cuts.
Fig. 24 is a representation of a simple machine that I use in my
workshop for trimming. The slides A A are adjustable to any width
required, and are fixed by the screws B B. The brass-bound straight
edge C fits on to slots in A A, and as this, by the adjustment of the
slides, can be fixed at any distance from B B, all sizes of books can
be trimmed. As by this machine several sections can be cut at once,
the time taken is not very much greater than if the book were cut in
the plough.
[Illustration: FIG. 24.]
Considerable judgment is required in trimming. The edges of the larger
pages only, on a previously uncut book, should be cut, leaving the
smaller pages untouched. Such uncut pages are called "proof," and the
existence of proof in a bound book is evidence that it has not been
unduly cut.
Before gilding the edges of the trimmed sections, any uncut folds
that may remain should be opened with a folder, as if opened after
gilding, they will show a ragged white edge.
[Illustration: FIG. 25.]
EDGE GILDING
To gild the edges of trimmed sections, the book must be "knocked up"
to the fore-edge, getting as many of the short leaves as possible to
the front. It is then put into the "lying press," with gilding boards
on each side (see fig. No. 25), and screwed up tightly. Very little
scraping will be necessary, and usually if well rubbed with fine
sand-paper, to remove any chance finger-marks or loose fragments of
paper, the edge will be smooth enough to gild. If the paper is very
absorbent, the edges must be washed over with vellum size and left to
dry.
The next process is an application of red chalk. For this a piece of
gilder's red chalk is rubbed down on a stone with water, making a
thickish paste, and the edges are well brushed with a hard brush
dipped in this mixture, care being taken not to have it wet enough to
run between the leaves. Some gilders prefer to use blacklead or a
mixture of chalk and blacklead. A further brushing with a dry brush
will to some extent polish the leaves. It will then be ready for an
application of glaire. Before glairing, the gold must be cut on the
cushion to the width required (see p. 200), and may be either taken up
on very slightly greased paper, a gilder's tip, or with a piece of net
stretched on a little frame (see fig. 26). The gold leaf will adhere
sufficiently to the net, and can be readily released by a light breath
when it is exactly over the proper place on the edge.
When the gold is ready, the glaire should be floated on to the edge
with a soft brush, and the gold spread evenly over it and left until
dry; that is, in a workshop of ordinary temperature, for about an
hour. The edge is then lightly rubbed with a piece of leather that has
been previously rubbed on beeswax, and is ready for burnishing. It is
best to commence burnishing through a piece of thin slightly waxed
paper to set the gold, and afterwards the burnisher can be used
directly on the edge. A piece of bloodstone ground so as to have no
sharp edges (see fig. 27) makes a good burnisher.
[Illustration: FIG. 26]
[Illustration: FIG. 27.]
There are several different preparations used for gilding edges. One
part of beaten up white of egg with four parts of water left to stand
for a day and strained will be found to answer well.
After the fore-edge is gilt the same operation is repeated at the head
and tail. As it is desirable to have the gilding at the head as solid
as possible, rather more scraping is advisable here, or the head may
be left to be cut with a plough and gilt in boards.