This is the first hardcover case binding that I’m doing. Is this fraying along the edge of the book cloth normal? Should I be able to do something about it? Is it because I used scissors instead of a rotary cutter? Do I need to repair this or do something about the fraying before I glue in the text block?
I picked up these old coverless books cheap so that I could have some cool rebinding projects to look forward to. I’m wondering if anyone in the rebinding/restoring hobby knows if the pages can be cleaned at all. I don’t really expect to be able to, but if anyone knows how to lighten that dark stain on some pages that I really hope is cola or coffee. Or to whiten these old pages in any way. I really don’t mind the character and implied history it adds, but if I can lighten it up, I would like to know what the possibilities are.
Thanks!