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How to treat your brand new Bible

Discussion in 'Books & Publications Forum' started by Abiyah, Aug 7, 2002.

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  1. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    We put out a lot of money for our Bibles, and
    having them fall apart when they are just months
    old is absolutely disheartening, especially if you
    are one who writes notations in them and enjoys
    reading/using those notes.

    I open this thread for your learned advice of
    how to treat your Bible when it is new--how to
    open it, how to prepare it for use. Maybe that
    next expensive Bible will last longer.
     
    #1 Abiyah, Aug 7, 2002
  2. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    From experience: don't buy bonded leather or
    hard-cover Bibles.

    Bonded leather, as I understand it, is pieces of
    thin leather bonded with a type of glue to a
    paper substance, then heat-stamped to give it the
    appearance and feel of leather. If I am incorrect,
    please correct me. I do know that it falls apart
    quickly on the edges and the spine's corners.

    Hard-cover Bibles are great on the shelf and for
    occasional use, but they do not carry well over
    long periods of time, in my opinion.

    Regarding the first time you open your new
    Bible, there are many wrong ways and few right
    ways. I think the best advice I got was from a
    paper that was inside one of my new Bibles. It
    said to place the Bible on its spine, always care-
    fullly holding it there, while the left hand opens
    the front cover down to the table. Then, while
    the left hand holds it, the right hand opens the
    back cover. Then, supporting it with the right,
    open the front inside cover, then support it while
    opening the back inside cover. Keep supporting
    the Bible while opening the first ten or so pages,
    the last ten or so pages, and continuing until
    you reach the middle of the book.

    This sounds tedious, but it said that this would
    add years of life to your Bible.

    One thing that will also break a Bible down real
    fast is folding it open so that the two covers
    meet, and the reader can see only one page.

    [ August 07, 2002, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: Abiyah ]
     
    #2 Abiyah, Aug 7, 2002
  3. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    Genuine leather good but not the best, find cowhide or goat leather. Genuine leather is most likely pig leather. When I buy a new bible I open it in the front and run my finger up and down each page on the inside of the binding. This loosens things up so to speak. I have never had a bible break down when I have done this. The folding the bible over onto itself is preacher/teacher thing that I used to do until my wide margin bible with all my notes fell apart. Now I just hold one side and let it flop around, much more dramatic this way. ;)
     
    #3 go2church, Aug 9, 2002
  4. Pete Richert

    Pete Richert New Member

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    I have learned to keep it in the box if it came with one. I just finished being a student of 6 years and this was key for sticking bibles in your back pack.
     
    #4 Pete Richert, Aug 9, 2002
  5. Farmer's Wife

    Farmer's Wife New Member

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    Abiyah, what about "French Morocco leather"? Have you had any experience with it? What is it anyway? :confused:
     
    #5 Farmer's Wife, Aug 13, 2002
  6. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    Farmer's Wife --

    I am no expert! 8o) I don't know. When I saw
    this stamped on the back of a Bible, though, I
    became suspicious of it, though, because it
    seems that too often, when a type of product
    is generally unfamiliar with the public, the
    maker will give it a fancy name, just to impress.
    But I could be So Out of Line with that thought!
    I'm sorry--I really have no idea.

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    Aah! I just looked it up. French Morocco
    leather is a sheepskin, while Morocco leather is
    goatskin. It is certainly not what I suspected.

    [ August 13, 2002, 08:20 AM: Message edited by: Abiyah ]
     
    #6 Abiyah, Aug 13, 2002
  7. Farmer's Wife

    Farmer's Wife New Member

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    Thanks, Abiyah! [​IMG]

    So, are there any goatskin vs. sheepskin experts out there? Go2Church, you recommended goatskin leather...have you had any experience with sheepskin? Is there a difference?

    In case y'all are wondering...I'm in the market for a new Bible and I've already decided on a black letter edition thanks to a recent discussion on this board. Now, I'm deciding what kind of cover to get. [​IMG]
     
    #7 Farmer's Wife, Aug 13, 2002
  8. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    Good. I thought I was the only one who did that.
     
    #8 Mike McK, Aug 13, 2002
  9. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    I'd just add an "amen" to getting a good binding. Don't stick pens or a bunch of papers in there because it only weakens the binding. Get a size that you'll feel comfortable carrying with you. Some study Bibles are great but should come with their own wheel-barrell to carry them around!

    If you're going to be putting a Bible in a backpack or the like, get an inexpensive hardback, personal size (like a pew Bible). Nothing will damage a Bible quicker than being tossed around a backpack. When I was in seminary, I used a softsided briefcase that had a shoulder strap for this very reason. I could stick my leather Bible in there and not worry about it getting damaged.
     
    #9 TomVols, Aug 13, 2002
  10. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    Tom, thank you for reminding us of this! While
    most would never stick a pen in their Bibles,
    those papers look so harmless, but they spread
    the pages farther apart than they were intended,
    breaking down the binding.

    I do keep my carrying Bibles all in one zippered
    Bible cover. This protects them well, whether I
    am traveling or at home.
     
    #10 Abiyah, Aug 13, 2002
  11. jmbertrand

    jmbertrand Guest

    Cambridge seems to consider "French Morocco" to be on the rung below calfskin, judging from their description at http://uk.cambridge.org/bibles/otherinformation/leathers.htm. In my experience, French Morocco is pleasantly flexible but not as hard-wearing. As with all leather products, though, there will be wide variations among examples, so your best bet is to handle the Bible you're planning to buy prior to purchase.

    Goatskin is top-of-the-line for a hand-sized Bible. It has a distinctive feel and is quite flexible. I have two Bibles bound in goatskin -- a Cambridge and an Oxford bound by RA Allan & Sons (www.bibles-direct.com) with full yapp edges. I much prefer the latter when it comes to quality binding, but they are both fine. If you are looking to invest in a 'lifetime' Bible, then give RA Allan & Sons some thought.

    Mark
     
    #11 jmbertrand, Aug 13, 2002
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