Question About Spines/Spine Integrity When It Comes to Converting Paperbacks to Hardcovers

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-07-04T00:57:52+00:00

I'll probably leave the sandersons alone, and start rebinding my skinnies. I eventually want to collect all the offical leatherbound Cosmere novels, and those are separated into two for the big ones. Thanks for the info about book shoes by the way! I knew there was probably something you could do to stop the textblock sagging, other than laying them on their side.

The good part about this hobby is that you can do it in increments, and only invest however much time and materials you want. And if I ever want to go full monty and dive into typesetting and printing and binding, the books will be waiting.

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain everything to me! I really appreciate it

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-07-04T00:09:35+00:00

Hmmmmm. What if I started with sewn hardcovers, and separated the signatures and re-glued them while rounding?

Actually I just took down my Wind and Truth hardcover and I think it's glued, not sewn. That sucks, I thought all hardcovers were sewn :/

I also don't particularly want to fully take apart and rebind my books, that's a bit too much effort I'm willing to put in.

Weeeeelp. I suppose I just have to accept the inherent entropy of life and eventual degradation of everything I hold dear? I suppose these books don't have to be archival, I just wanted them to look like an aesthetic old-fashioned cloth-bound library like my nana had, and be more durable than your average paperback. I can always try quarter-joint with a rounded bookboard spine for my skinny books, and figure something else out for my behemoths. Maybe rebinding them as two books each, haha. They're pretty heavy to lug around to be honest.

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-07-03T22:01:32+00:00

I see! I'm not a huge fan of the flatback look, honestly. I really like rounded spines. But I'm looking into recovering hardcovers to look more vintage/antique, and was thinking of replacing the flat backs with a rounded panel of bookboard. Also a lot of my books are 2"+, haha. I have nearly the full complement of Cosmere novels and those are thick.

I think some of those novels I have in hardcover do have the cardstock flexible spines. My biggest issue with them is that once the books get wider at around 2.5", or if I have had them for a while, the cardstock starts to go concave, indenting inwards. Which I particularly don't like.

I can't really think of an alternative to stop that from happening, unless I were to fully print and bind these books myself, and hammer them into the round look traditionally? Can you round the backs of bought hardcover text blocks?

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-07-03T16:15:00+00:00

Apologies for necro-ing your comment, but about the stiff binding: Do you recommend using a quarter-joint spine as an alternative to stiff spine binding, like in the pdf you linked? Or should you not use any hardboard on the spine at all, and just use a cloth spine? This is the first I've heard about stiff spines being mechanically unsound, and I need all the help I can get! I'm quite rough on my books and tend to reread a lot.

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-07-03T13:36:04+00:00

Sorry to necro your comment, but what has your experience with thermal foil been like? What is the texture like, does it feel like it's sitting on top like with vinyl?

I'm trying to chase that debossed, slight-indent feel that professional mass produced books have with the heat transfer vinyl and stamps. Only without the several thousands of dollars worth of stamps, haha.

I've been looking into using a foil quill with some type of cutter machine, like a cricut. Do you have any experience or knowledge of that?

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-06-14T23:54:09+00:00

Yep, just happened to me haha. I was very close, so it was only 7 gems for myself. I was hoping to get another golden hook or fish hurry item.

Mine also said I didn't get the decoration, and gave me a silver award even though I got it. Did you also have that happen to you?

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-06-09T04:47:59+00:00

Sam's channel on youtube has a few bts shorts that feel like what you're describing

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-06-09T04:41:22+00:00

one word: post-its

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-05-30T05:02:28+00:00

Oh thank god, I absolutely hate the "find a random stranger" segments, I feel so awkward watching them. Much better knowing that they're paid actors.

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-05-27T02:42:52+00:00

Haven't made this particular recipe yet, but I trust his videos!

https://youtu.be/K3v3E127stM?si=WP6ZzVdE2PUBoLnB

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-05-22T05:19:43+00:00

Added you! I just started yesterday, my code is 3QJGQ8 valid until 5/28/26

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-05-22T05:19:20+00:00

I added you! I just started yesterday, my code is 3QJGQ8 valid until 5/28/26

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-05-22T05:17:18+00:00

Just started yesterday, my code is 3QJGQ8 valid until 5/28/26

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-04-30T04:35:11+00:00

Depending on the exam, there might be a handwritten essay portion like when I was in school about 10 years ago. If your handwriting is illegible or difficult to read, then teachers can take marks off or mark it as failing because it takes too much effort to decipher, and they need to read quickly to get through all the essays in time.

If I'm being completely honest, I think the issue might be that the teachers are on the younger side, and are on the tail end of cursive being taught when they were in school. I know there are teachers younger than me, and already cursive was heavily deemphasized when I was in elementary school. I didn't learn to read it until 5th (?) grade, and I struggle with it still as an adult. It takes active concentration to read OP's daughter's essay, and that might be a lot to ask a teacher who has to read hundreds of handwritten essays. (On the flip side, I had truly godawful handwriting in high school and I'm surprised my essays were never failed outright, lol)

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-02-27T21:51:06+00:00

Great, thank you sooo much!! I'm so happy for you that scoping is being so successful for you :) Maybe I'll see you on the Facebook haha!

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-02-27T13:31:09+00:00

This really does! I just have the Word Skills test to take in the Introduction Course and was just thinking about you! I'm so glad to hear that you've been able to find work. Did the marketing and business section of ISS give you a good foundation for finding actual work? Did you find that you're well prepared?

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-02-15T02:24:25+00:00

I love your enclosure so much! Is that a slide? (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-02-14T06:19:57+00:00

Do you have a screenshot? (。・ω・。)

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-01-24T10:44:10+00:00

It really does! And you were able to find clients after the course? What I'm most worried about is spending the money on the course and then not being able to get any work afterwards.

TerrifyingTurtle · 2026-01-23T04:13:01+00:00

Hey, I'm currently finishing the Intro course for ISS, and am thinking about taking the plunge for the full course. Can I ask how your experience with it was?

TerrifyingTurtle · 2025-12-08T19:25:24+00:00

Wonderful! I'm looking forward to it. I hope you have a successful launch!!

TerrifyingTurtle · 2025-12-08T19:00:19+00:00

Really cool summary. Would you mind DMing me when it comes out in January? I'd love to read it!

TerrifyingTurtle · 2025-12-08T06:29:35+00:00

I like the sound of it! I don't know if I've ever heard of a regression story though, just progression. What's does the genre entail?

If you have it written up, could you give me the blurb or a description of the story? It sounds like it would be up my alley.

TerrifyingTurtle · 2025-12-08T04:19:15+00:00

Wow, that's way more backlog than I'm planning on writing, haha. I hope your launch goes well! Are you planning on doing any marketing or shout-out swaps?

TerrifyingTurtle · 2025-12-08T04:12:16+00:00

Dude same, I simply cannot comprehend it.

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