Of all the great knaves, and of all the great fools
That ever yet handled a bookbinder’s tools;
Of all the big boobies that ere met my view–
Thou lank-haired and crooked-backed ninny, ’tis thou
Oh, well may the maidens all giggle and laugh.
To see such a carcase well bound up in calf,
Oh! Believe me, for ever and ever you’ll whine,
Ere you press to pour chops a gay young Valentine.
Everybody’s Valentine Writer was a nineteenth century self-help book of sorts, to assist smitten romantics overcome stressful Valentine’s Day writer’s block. Some of the messages were quite targeted, even tailored to those in specific trades like bookbinding. There is another mid-nineteenth century valentine about a bookbinder with a wild image that I wrote about a few years ago. Both of these “vinegar valentines” share a common theme: bookbinders are undesirable foolish losers. Happy Valentine’s day, my dearest bookbinder colleagues!
Thanks to John Townsend for sending me to this Valentine!
Making tools is not only engaging and fun, but entirely practical since the result is set of tools you can use daily. Book conservators, photo conservators, paper conservators, bookbinders, and others will find this workshop valuable. Filing, scraping and polishing are meditative activities, no previous experience required. Working Delrin and bamboo is a great way to start toolmaking and we will make folders, lifting tools, microspatulas, hera, creasing tools, tongs and more. This workshop also is a great way to learn how to maintain and modify your existing tools. Fair warning: making your own tools is highly addictive!
As a class, we worked through the process of making bamboo tongs, which turned out to be a great introduction to mechanics by jumping into the deep end!
OVERVIEW
All aspects of making tools with delrin and bamboo will be discussed in detail: design considerations, thinking through working procedures, cutting, filing, rough shaping, final shaping, and polishing. The workshop consists of two 3- hour synchronous zoom sessions with PPTs, videos, discussion of handouts, demonstrations, Q&A chat sessions, and working together. Also included is two week access to the workshop website, which contains information, links, videos and PPTs. The workshop includes a kit with enough materials to make nine tools with a retail value over $300. A set of hand tools is also included: a cherry bench hook, scraper, burnisher, a file for plastics, and a variety of sanding and polishing supplies. All you need is a stable work surface, some time to work, and an interest in making tools.
Using a Delrin lifting tool upside down to apply pressure to a paper repair.
SCHOLARSHIP
A generous patron has offered a scholarship for the “Delrin and Bamboo Toolmaking Workshop”, session to be held April 10 + 17, 2021. The award is intended for a book conservator or bookbinder with less than five years working experience, who are in need of financial assistance. International applications are welcome. To apply, contact me with the subject heading “Tool Making Scholarship (your name)”. The message should consist of two paragraphs, the first explaining why this scholarship is necessary to you, the second detailing how it would benefit your work. Applications are due February 20, and the successful candidate notified on February 27. Submissions not adhering to this format will not be considered, and unsuccessful candidates will not be notified.
SCHEDULE
Two 3-hour sessions for each workshop. The workshop will be offered three times on Saturdays. February 13+20, March 13 + 20, and April 10 + 17. 12-3pm Pacific, 1-4pm Mountain, 2-5pm Central, 3-6pm Eastern, 8-11pm GMT, 9-12 CET, 10 – 1am EET, 5am – 8am (+ 1 day) JST, 6am – 9am ( +1 day) UTC
INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS
Email me for an invoice to pay by credit card. I will hold your place for 24 hours after I send the invoice.
COST
$375 US ($425 Canada, $445 other countries, includes shipping)
Image courtesy The Cary Graphic Arts Collection, RIT, 2020.
If the idea of spending a month at the Cary Graphic Arts Collection of Rochester Institute of Technology — home to the incomparable Bernard C. Middleton Collection of Books on Bookbinding — quickens your pulse and makes your hands sweat, first you should wash your hands before even thinking about handling these rare materials.
Then, you should find out more about a fellowship opportunity during this upcoming roundtable discussion. I’ll briefly discuss Edward Walker’s The Art of Book-Binding…, 1850.
Each summer, the Cary Graphic Arts Collection hosts a scholar for a one-month summer research fellowship. Join us to learn more about this unique research opportunity as applications are due on January 15th. Curator Steven Galbraith will provide information and join former Cary Fellows Dori Griffin, Jeff Peachey, Shani Avni, and Robert Gordon-Fogelson for a casual discussion, who will share some of their experiences and exciting discoveries.
December 15, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET. Zoom
Register here at least 24 hours in advance. Open to all.
Peachey Conservation 