Update: I switched from a bone folder to a Teflon folder for my leather work

Everyone says bone is the only proper tool, but after six months, my leather is smoother and my hands don't ache. The Teflon glides without catching the grain. Has anyone else made a switch they were told not to?

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3 Comments

brianfox6mo ago

Bone folders are classic, but the "only proper tool" thing is just gatekeeping. If the Teflon one works better for you, that's the proper tool.

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shane_perry296mo ago

Totally agree. I saw a bookbinder online who swears by a simple plastic card for most folds, says it's gentler on some papers. Whatever gets the job done.

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foster.dylan4mo ago

A plastic card though? Like an old gift card or something? I'd be scared it would snap in half on a thick stack of signatures, but I guess if it works for that binder, more power to them. Maybe it's just me but I'd probably end up with a bunch of bent cards and a half-finished book.

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