_Pastes._ Ordinary flour paste is made by mixing flour and water to the
consistency of a thin cream, taking care that all knots are rubbed out,
and boiling over a slow fire with constant stirring until it becomes
translucent. It can be made of almost any thickness and toughness, and
by the admixture of a little glue very strong paste is obtained. A few
drops of oil of cloves, creasote, or corrosive sublimate, or a few grains
of salicylic acid will preserve flour paste for a long time if it is
kept in closely covered vessels. The office paste called “Stickphast” is
a variety of this preparation, and is much better than gum. There are a
number of firms in London and elsewhere who make flour pastes which will
keep, and these may be had through any bookbinder or direct from the
makers at a cost as small as the home-made kinds, and of a much superior
quality. There are various preparations of starch also used as paste, but
they are best adapted for mounting photographs. A clean compound called
“gloy” used to be sold in bottles, and was found useful for mounting fine
plates or for office purposes. Mr. Zaehnsdorf recommends a paste made of
rice flour, mixed with cold water and gently boiled, as one admirably
adapted for delicate work. For all purposes of book patching which can be
accomplished by the library staff Le Page’s soluble glue will be found
handier and better than the ordinary kinds.
_Stains_ caused by writing-ink may be removed by (1) Equal quantities of
lapis calaminaris, common salt, and rock alum, boiled in white wine for
half-an-hour, and applied with a brush or sponge. (2) A small quantity
of oxalic or muriatic acid diluted with water, applied with a camel’s
hair brush, and dried with clean white blotting paper—two applications.
(3) Solution of oxalic acid and water, after which the leaves should be
dipped in a weak solution of chloride of lime and water, and thoroughly
dried, after washing in clean water. (4) Aniline ink stains can be
sponged off with warm water, or completely removed by a bath of alcohol.
Grease spots or oil stains can be removed by (1) washing or dabbing
the part with ether or benzoline, and afterwards placing between white
blotting paper, over which pass a hot iron. Keep the ether and benzoline
away from burning lights. (2) Put the leaf between two pieces of white
blotting paper and carefully apply a hot iron to both sides. (3) When the
stain is caused by a slice of bacon having been used as a book-mark, or
by contact with a paraffin lamp, the borrower should be asked to remove
it and supply a new copy of the work! (4) In general oxalic, citric,
and tartaric acids are safe agents to use for removing stains in books,
as they do not affect the letter-press. (5) Water and damp stains are
removable by the application of boiling water and alum. (6) Foxing may
be removed by dipping the leaves in a weak solution of hydrochloric
acid, half ounce of acid to one pint of hot water, or by a weak bath of
chlorine water. (7) Mud stains will yield to washing in cold water, then
in a weak solution of muriatic acid, and finally in a weak solution of
chloride of lime; dry well. For many practical hints on these and other
subjects, see the admirable _Art of Bookbinding_, by J. W. Zaehnsdorf,
issued as one of Bell’s “Technological Handbooks”. The receipts given
in Power’s _Handy Book about Books_, Brannt and Wahl’s _Techno-Chemical
Receipt Book_, and Cooley’s _Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts_ will also
repay a little study.
_To repair torn leaves_: lay the torn leaf upon a piece of tissue paper
of the same colour as the leaf itself. Touch the edges of the torn
pieces, lightly, with good paste, _applied by the finger_,—bring them
carefully together in proper position and place on top another piece of
tissue paper; then put the volume under a heavy weight or in a press and
leave it till next day. Finally, with great care, tear off the tissue
paper which will adhere wherever it has touched the paste. The fibres of
the tissue which remain, together with the paste, result in an almost
invisible union of the torn fragments.