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.
How to treat your brand new Bible
Discussion in 'Books & Publications Forum' started by Abiyah, Aug 7, 2002.
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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 ] -
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. ;)
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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.
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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.
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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 ] -
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. -
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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. -
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. -
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