Had to pick between a rounded spine or a flat back for a client's custom journal

I went with the rounded spine even though everyone in the bindery group swears by flat backs, and the book opened like a dream but now I'm stuck fixing a slight cockeyed cover. Has anyone else dealt with that trade off?

2 comments

2 Comments

janaw116d ago

Wait, everyone in the bindery group avoids flat backs? That's surprising, I always figured flat backs were the standard for stability. How bad is the cockeyed cover looking?

patel.leo5d ago

Oh, it's bad. I've been binding for about 15 years now, and I still cringe seeing this one on my shelf every single time. The whole spine is twisted maybe three or four degrees off square, so the front cover is just a little crooked. It drives me nuts because it was a real sentimental project, too. I actually tried to fix it later with a heat gun and some gentle pressure, but I only made it a tiny bit better. Now it's just a permanent reminder to never trust a flat back unless I'm absolutely sure the grain is right and the spine is prepped properly. I feel your pain, really.