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March 8, 2010 This book is one of many books that needs to be re-backed. Note the split in the binding in the hinge area.

Here is what I found when I opened the book. The end sheet has torn and the mull also has given way. So this one will have to have a complete re-backing. The cover will come off completely and I will have to rebuild the spine of the cover. Clean the text block and put new Mull on (that is a fabric that helps to keep the cover on the book and the end sheets intact.

Step one is to carefully cut the spine strip off of the text block. Then the cover will be removed from the book.

Here I am juicing up the spine with paste to soak all the spine lining paper and the old glue off of the text block.

Placing a piece of plastic wrap over the wet paste to keep it from drying out while it is softening the old paste/glue so that it can all be scraped off.

12 March 2010 Here is one of the books completed. I work on several books all at the same time so that while I am waiting on one of the other steps so as to keep things moving. Soaking off the text block takes the longest before I can move on to the next step.