Vintage Paperback Repair - Can Forbidden Planet Be Saved? Cleaning + Restoring A 50's Classic! 

Nice to see some attention to paperbacks. One or two suggestions, though... Do NOT use Pritt stick, the glue isn't especially reliable but more importantly the solvent used is hydrogen peroxide. Infusing old paper with bleach isn't going to do it any good at all. Restoring the semi-gloss finish is pretty easy, a quick rub down with beeswax will do that. Failing that a rub down with the parafin was from a tea-light will do, it'd just be very slightly flammable and not smell as nice. Also, areas where the paper has eroded will infill a bit, hiding the damage a tad, and, it tends to relaminate weakened areas. It's a no-lose option, I'df recommend doing that even if you don't think the cover really needs it. IMHO, brown parcel paper is a better choice for rebuilding the spine, especially if you cover the entire jacket. Thinner than most other papers and matches the aged paper better. Shouldnt need the strength for support if you glue it properly Adding the wraparound paper sleeve to the pages is completely unhelpful. Wasn't done originally, doesn't need it now. To reseat loose leafs I've had great results with securing the entire block in a clamp with two to three millimeters proud. I use a basic dack and blekker workbench, doesn't have to be fancy, just longer than the book. Use a basic normal wood saw to cut five or six notches across the entire block, not deep, just enough to give a binding point. Brush off dust. Paint with PVA, place spine on top, stack entire thing with very heavy items and wait 24 hours. This will absolutely adhere the pages directly to the spine as they would be originally. This also restores the structural strength of the spine. I could mention other better options, such as using heat activated mylar sheeting, getting a really spiffy guillotine for edge restoration and methods for recreating entire covers but I'm getting the impression you'd generally go for the quick and easy fix (understandable if you're doing a LOT of books) rather than a deep restoration, so, only mentioning those options that would be as quick and cheap as the ones you're already doing. Had a fair amount of success doing the above on paperbacks including a first paperback of starship troopers. Hope this is taken as useful tips rather than scathing criticism; I don't bother writing this much to tell someone I think theyre being a knob ;-)

bookbinder's gauze to join the two sections of cover, then acid-free white glue to join the block to the cover

Thank you! I had a vintage book I'm using to teach a class split in half when I got to the middle chapter--and I mean completely just fell in two in my hands. This method was so simple, and the book is now back in good form.

Great video Jules. How about using a cotton bud and lighter fluid to remove the old sellotape residue? Works great and won't damage the cover. A tip I learned from toypolloi😉

Decades ago I used to have a lot of paperback novels which were all bought used. These were mostly 70's prints, some even 60s. Many of them were in this condition some in even worse conditions. Bookworm though I am, I know nothing about book repair and conservation. Thus I did not use anything more than cellophane tape.

Where does the browning and yellowing of the pages come from? I have a book from 1983 that looks similar. Unfortunatley the front cover cracked off the spine, the back cover is ready to do the same

Why did you cover a portion of the text on the last page with the second re-enforcement paper? Should the paper be a little less wide?

Generally speaking, how does this affect the monetary value of a book?

So relaxing to watch

Shout out to the Bob Ross of book repairing

Nanobristle toothbrushes may be good for this. They are extra soft but clean very efficiently and would be kind to the paper. Great info here!

Hi Jules. Just wondering which Mr Sheen you use for cleaning?

Thank you for making this video. The result looks great! I feel inspired to do some repair work on a few old paperbacks we have that are falling apart! Who knew that all it took was some copier paper and a Prit stick? I was wondering how robust is the final article? It seems to me that given how small the surface area of the edge of a page is, is the glue sufficient? I would love to see how far you can safely open the book without any danger of the pages falling out again. Many thanks again for sharing your skills and knowledge with us.

I was listening to an audiobook of King’s “The Gunslinger” by Frank Muller. And in this video your microphone quality sounds exactly like the microphone quality of the audiobook by Frank Muller. So you sounded like him only without the American accent.

I have removed vintage cellotape residue from very old book-covers with eucalyptus oil. You have to be a bit careful as it is quite a powerful solvent. But it doesn't attack paper, or (most) of the types of ink used in "the olden days" (pre-70's). It also evaporates completely within 24 hours, leaving no residue.

love the content inspired me to look for the ebook version lol

'Why bother'? The craftsmanship alone - having it, learning it, passing it to others - makes it worth it. This helped me with repairing my own precious Puffin version of Rumer Godden's 'The Dolls House', gifted me in 1977 and with enormous personal value. Then new skills to learn for old cloth, leather, etc etc books to restore. Many thanks!

I love this video. Super relaxing. Thank you

Fabulous restoration advice!

You'll be pleased to know that some of the 1930s classic crime novels have been republished by the British Library including Freeman Wills Croft's Death in the Channel (SO many red herrings in that one!); Ethel Lina White's The Wheel Spins (the basis of Hitchcock's film The Lady Vanishes) and Christianna Brand who wrote Green is for Danger (filmed with Alistair Sim) AND the Nurse Matilda series (otherwise known as Nanny McPhee) Such a talented bunch!

As a book lover and a lover of historie in general i love that you putt the efford in!

... good ... although I suspect some rather dubious practice that would be frowned upon by the ‘paper conservation’ pedants ...

Hello Jules, I can understand a 65 yo paperback falling to pieces. I've just looked at the prices of the Forbidden Planet. 😳Those pages don't look too bad. They are not dark yellow to brown like some paperbacks. My book collection is old maths books, it's a much cheaper collection. I guess the subject matter isn't as desirable. LOL Right now, I'm going to attempt my first book repair. It is cheaply-made paperback from Hodder & Staunton, "Teach Yourself Trigonometry". It is disappointing as this is only 18 months old from new and it started falling to bits. It is doing exactly the same thing as your 65 yo novel.

Just a thought, would plasterers 'scrim' be any good? Not the modern self adhesive one but the original old school cotton/nylon sort, as it's a fine mesh and may be suitable for the spine. Like I said, no idea just a thought. Good vid though.

Link for the glue?

Brilliant video... How should I go about repairing a front cover that's ripped off its spine cover?

Im particularly interested in this now more than ever since seeing this on your channel. Here in Texas at my local Wal-Mart stores, they have put out a Forbidden Planet "Robbie" the robot. I wanted to ask you if yall have any stores similar, and if you had anything like that? (As far as any Robbie the Robot memorabilia?

Here from the Pure Unintentional ASMR channel and subscribed to your channel immediately! Lots of videos to catch up on now, thank you for the quality content!

Great video. Does anybody have tips for front covers that are ripping off? It's sort of a drying and cracking effect and the the front cover rips apart.

Great video, Jules! Fantastic to see a fellow Plymothian with a fantastic paperback collection.

Thank you! Just what I was looking for after a paperback fell apart in my hands this morning.

i started collecting paperbacks last year. I was wondering if the paper used will last for years. I mean I want to read the same exact book i had in my teenage years when im 80.

What kind of product do you use for clean at the minute 7?

This is Good 👍

Those vintage paperbacks are worth saving. They lasted longer before even needing repair than the equivalent book today. And I think the reason for that is also why they're excellent candidates for the kind of repair you just did. And that is that the older book will have been printed with a more generous left hand margin, so that reading it doesn't require wrenching it open so wide that it causes breaks in the glue bond. I'm almost 70; I've got very well-preserved paperbacks I ordered through my school book club when I was 14 and have read multiple times. Buy the equivalent off the shelf today and the spine is broken and pages are falling out after one reading. They narrowed that margin to fit in the extra "an" or "I", saving them production $$ on pages in the long run. If I had to guess further, it seems they also used to use a more flexible, less brittle glue on those spines back in the day.

👍

Beautiful job

I use sandpaper instead of brush

bit like watching an old blue peter

Very informative video Jules. Thanks for the tips. I'll most likely be needed them. I watched another good video of tips that Gary Lovisi's wife put out earlier today so I know more than I did. One more thing, I had never seen a paperback with a dust jacket. Amazed me. But I'm new to so much of this but I'm learning more every day thanks to yours and Gary's videos. Much appreciated.

Yes!! First again.