Do you have a favorite Bible maker?

Does everyone break in a new Bible the same way we are supposed to break in a new book? They will last a lot longer. Also, it helps to rub some dubbin on the leather covers the same as we do on boots exposed to water.

Cheers,

Jim

 

How to break in a book?

Good day Jim,
Could you provide some insight and instruction on how to properly break in a new book? I must admit that I do not recall ever being taught how to do so.

 

Hard to tell how to do it, but, one does not pull the book fully open and bend it back..

lay book on table and open about 1/4 of book and gently bend,,,,than the same at back of book,,,keep doing this until reaching half way.

This is supposed to free the binding gently and naturally stretch it rather than break it.

A good book shop should know how and be willing to demonstrate.

Cheers,

Jim

I found this

Step1
Hold the book toward you on a flat surface, spine down flat, covers closed.
Step2
Lay the front and back covers flat. (This works for both hardbacks and paperbacks.) Crease.
Step3
Crease down the first and last 15 or so pages, until you reach the middle. Follow this procedure on the next 15 or so pages of each "end" of the book. With each crease, run your fingers firmly up and down the length of the pages.
Step4
Do the same thing once you reach the middle of the volume, then blow into it. Thumb through the volume. Repeat entire process once again. Use a bookmark thereafter, and congratulate yourself on not having "broken" a new artifact that will bring you and yours potential hours of joy!

 

I have seen these instructions with the last 2 leather Bibles I've bought.

 

And your new Bibles broke in the same areas each time,,about Gen 13?
Be interesting to write to the publishing house and hear what they say about that.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Marcia,,Did you heed the instructions? And did you find it benefitted?

Thermo......Your Mum had a clever son, and I wager you gained benefit.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Good advice on breaking in a Bible or any other book for that matter. It can take a little time, but it is well worth the effort.

Another thing to remember is to never put, sermon notes, papers, etc. in the front or back cover of your Bible, or in the middle for that matter. The binding was designed for the pages of the Bible not additional "pages" inserted into it.

I personally have not been very good at this until about a year ago when I started putting my sermon notes in a separate binder. This helped organize them as well since I preach almost exclusively expository messages through an entire book or portion of one.

 

Hard to say which is my favorite...

Oxford, in the past, was probably my favorite. I have an Oxford Reference Bible that I got back in 1975 that is still in good shape, but they don't always make them that tough anymore. My lastest Oxford Bible, purchased in 2005, is already beginning to fall apart. They started gluing the pages in instead of sewing them, at least on the hardback (it's a Catholic Study Bible).

I have several Nelsons, some of which are very well crafted, but I have also seen Nelsons that have leather covers but are glue-bound.

If it's one that I plan to read a lot, I look for a leather cover (although some of the new synthetic covers show some promise), smyth-sown binding, and whipstitching.

The two Bibles that I have used the most, and which have withstood the greatest abuse, are my wide-margin Oxford Reference Bible and my wide-margin NKJV reference Bible (Nelson).