When I was thinking about a topic for an article, I decided on "What is the bookbinder's best friend?" and I immediately thought a Bone folder, or perhaps paper. Mainly a bone folder.
A bone folder is very versatile and it can be used for so many things. Before I got into bookbinding I had a bonefolder and actually used it a lot for sewing. It was very helpful for pushing out corners in handbags.
Is it made from real bone?
Yes! They can be. According to Wikipedia the are often made with a leg bone of a cow, moose, deer, elk, etc. I believe they also used to make them out of ivory but I don't think that happens anymore since it's typically illegal to harvest ivory from animals. You can still purchase actual bone folders, here are some websites I found
I'm sure you can find some on Etsy as well.
What do you use it for?
Making those lovely creases you see in paper. A bone folder is perfect for folding paper and helping it have a nice even crease. You can also use it when you need to score paper with a score board. You can use it to smooth paper. Smooth out bookcloth with glue. So many uses for getting that smooth and perfect look.
What other materials are they made with?
You can find them as acrylic, wood, and plastic. I'm sure there are metal ones but I haven't seen one. I have all three and honestly I use them all for different purposes. If I had a preference it would probably be the heavy smooth acrylic type of bone folder. You can also find them with different tip shapes. I prefer bone folders with more of a point at the end.
Which one did you start with?
I actually can't remember when and where I purchased my first bone folders it has been a very long time. It has definitely been over ten years since I've done it. If I can find its closest look it is probably this one...
It is very affordable and should be at the top of your list for bookbinding supplies.
I also suggest you buy different shapes. I do think it depends on the person and what they prefer so trying different shapes will give you a different feel for how you make folds and creases.
Here are a list of places you can find a bone folder. You also may be able to find them at your local craft store.
- Amazon
- Hollander's
- Talas
If you are new to bookbinding, let me know how it goes. If you are a seasoned bookbinder, what is your favorite tool?
-Ayla.