Watched a pro use a bone folder for 10 minutes and it changed how I work

Last Tuesday I was at a local bookbinding workshop here in Portland and this older guy named Dave was showing us how he does his spines. I've been using my bone folder the same way for 3 years, just pressing down folds. He showed me he actually uses the curved edge to burnish the paper before folding, then again after. It makes the crease so clean I can't believe I missed it. He said he learned it from a bookbinder in the 80s. Has anyone else picked up a simple trick like that from watching someone in person?

3 comments

3 Comments

jason_stone5911d agoMost Upvoted

Can't believe I never thought to burnish before folding. That's the kind of thing you feel dumb for missing.

matthew37111d ago

Fold along a bone folder first, @jason_stone59, makes the crease way cleaner.

robert_ross9511d ago

Man I've been folding paper with my hands like a caveman for years.