Headbanding
HEADBANDS
Modern headbands are small pieces of vellum, gut, or cord sewn on to
the head and tail of a book with silk or thread. They resist the
strain on the book when it is taken from the shelf. The vellum slip or
cord must be of such a depth, that when covered with silk it will be
slightly lower than the square of the boards. The cut edge of the
vellum always slants, and the slip must be placed in position so that
it tilts back rather than forward on the book.
To start, ease the boards slightly on the slips and pull them down
with the top edges flush with the top edge of the leaves. If this is
not done the silk catches on the projecting edges as the band is
worked. Stand the book in a finishing press, fore-edge to the worker,
and tilted forward so as to give a good view of the headband as it is
worked. The light must come from the left, and well on to the work. A
needle threaded with silk is put in at the head of the book, and
through the centre of the first section after the end papers, and
drawn out at the back below the kettle stitch with about two-thirds of
the silk. The needle is again inserted in the same place, and drawn
through until a loop of silk is left. The vellum slip is placed in the
loop, with the end projecting slightly to the left. It must be held
steady by a needle placed vertically behind it, with its point between
the leaves of the first section. The needle end of silk is then behind
the headband, and the shorter end in front. The needle end is brought
over from the back with the right hand, passed into the left hand, and
held taut. The short end is picked up with the right hand, brought
over the needle end under the vellum, and pulled tight from the back.
This is repeated; the back thread is again drawn up and over the band
to the front, the needle end crosses it, and is drawn behind under the
vellum slip, and so on. The crossing of the threads form a "bead,"
which must be watched, and kept as tight as possible, and well down on
the leaves of the book. Whenever the vellum or string begins to shift
in position, it must be tied down. This is done when the needle end of
silk is at the back. A finger of the left hand is placed on the thread
of silk at the back, and holds it firmly just below the slip. The
needle end is then brought up and over the slip, but instead of
crossing it with the front thread, the needle is passed between the
leaves and out at the back of the book, below the kettle stitch, and
the thread gradually drawn tight, and from under the left-hand finger.
The loop so made will hold the band firmly, and the silk can then be
brought up and over the slip and crossed in the usual way. The band
should be worked as far as the end papers, and should be finished with
a double "tie down," after which the front thread is drawn under the
slip to the back. Both the ends of silk are then cut off to about half
an inch, frayed out, and pasted down as flatly as possible on the back
of the book.
The band should be tied down frequently. It is not too much to tie
down every third time the needle end of the silk comes to the back.
To make good headbands the pull on the silk must be even throughout.
When the ends of the silk are pasted down, the ends of the vellum slip
are cut off as near the silk as possible. The correct length of the
headband is best judged by pressing the boards together with thumb and
finger at the opposite ends of the band, so as to compress the
sections into their final compass. If the band then buckles in the
least, it is too long and must be shortened.
The mediaeval headbands were sewn with the other bands (see fig. 32),
and were very strong, as they were tied down at every section. Modern
worked headbands, although not so strong, are, if frequently tied
down, strong enough to resist any reasonable strain. There are many
other ways of headbanding, but if the one described is mastered, the
various other patterns will suggest themselves if variety is needed.
For very large books a double headband may be worked on two pieces of
gut or string--a thick piece with a thin piece in front. The string
should first be soaked in thin glue and left to dry. Such a band is
worked with a figure of eight stitch. Headbands may also be worked
with two or three shades of silk. As vellum is apt to get hard and to
break when it is used for headbanding, it is well to paste two pieces
together with linen in between, and to cut into strips as required.
Machine-made headbands can be bought by the yard. Such bands are
merely glued on, but as they have but little strength, should not be
used.
Where leather joints are used, the headbands may be worked on pieces
of soft leather sized and screwed up. If the ends are left long and
tied in front while the book is being covered, they may be
conveniently let into grooves in the boards before the leather joint
is pasted down. This method, I think, has little constructive value,
but it certainly avoids the rather unfinished look of the cut-off
headband.