There is an SCA event called Ducal Challenge where to get into the tournament you need to submit a homemade item. These are often made by the fighter but sometimes fighters are sponsored by an artist. Of course, I just make something as my entry pass and this year I decided to make girdle book.
This girdle book is a mix of traditional and modern. The leather is a chrome tanned deer skin split (so it has a soft suede feel to it). I also used PVA glue instead of wheat paste because I am running a bit low on wheat paste and I want it for another project I am hoping to do in the near future (there is a worldwide shortage due to supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine). I used 1/4 inch quarter sawn oak for the book boards. The boards were hand sawn to size and I carved and shaped them by hand as well.
A quick list of materials: machine manufactured paper, linen thread waxed
with beeswax, linen cord, ¼ inch quarter sawn oak boards, real parchment (for spine lining), PVA glue, wooden toothpicks (to peg the sewing cords in to the holes on the cover boards),
14 gauge brass wire (for the clasp), two small brass nails, and chrome tanned dear skin split leather.
Anyway, here are the pictures of the process and the finished book. As a note, I forgot to take picture of text block on the frame but it looks like any old text block on a frame.
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| Parchment spine linings dying on the spine. |
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Bead on spine endband #1
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Bead on spine endband #2
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More parchment spine lining to cover the endband tiedowns.
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Front cover with sewing cords laced in.
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Back cover with the sewing cords laced in (note the channel carved into the fore edge for the book clasp).
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Front cover all glued and neatened up.
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Back cover all glued and neatened up.
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Leather cover and clasp on the book and read for a press.
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Back cover read for press. Note that I added a nail to the strap to help keep it attached.
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Turk's head knot for the tail.
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Front cover of the finished book.
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Spine of the finished book.
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Top edge of the finished book.
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Back cover of the finished book.
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Fore edge of the finished book.
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Pastedown on the front inside cover of finished book.
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| Pastedown on the back inside cover of finished book. |
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Endband at the bottom of the book.
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