What Is The Difference and How To Tell What My Bible Is-
Over the past 5 years I’ve been asked a number times what the difference is between a sewn binding on a Bible and a perfect bound binding.
In this short little blog I’m going to attempt to explain the difference. It’s possible you are curious as to whether your bible has a sewn bound binding or perfect bound binding. Let me see if I can clarify the two.
What Is A Perfect Bound Binding?
A perfect bound binding is a technique bible and book publishers use in order to bind books at a cheaper cost. The binding of a perfect bound bible or book is fairly sturdy but does have some limitations.
A perfect bound binding is a binding which is comprised of the pages of three book or bible stacked together, pressed tight and sealed with a thick layer of glue. All the pages are glued individually. Picture, a stack of papers/pages, pressed tight and secured by glue along the edge or spine.
Limitations of perfect bound binding
Many books use the perfect bound binding method as it’s the most economical method to quickly produce books, however, they do come with limitations.
If you’ve ever seen a book or bible with large sections or pages which have completely fallen out it’s very likely it is a perfect bound binding. In some situations the Bible completely breaks loose from the spine.
The binding and glue shows great vulnerability over time. When the glue is heated the pages pull away easily from the binding. This creates major issues when you have a book with as many pages as a Bible. If the glue is heated to the point of failure on a Bible this results in nearly 1500 pages which come loose. It is possible to get all the pages back together but not without a lot of patience!
Advantages of sewn binding
The advantages of purchasing a Bible or book with a sewn binding should be fairly obvious. A sewn binding is a book whose pages are comprised into a collection of booklets or signatures. These signatures are then sewn together at the spine. Once all the signatures are all sewn they are sewn into one complete book. Sewn pages, signatures and spine results in a book or Bible which is very sturdy. Most of the vintage, high quality books use this method of binding.
So, if you are in the market for a new Bible don’t be lured into purchasing a value model. Always check to see if the binding is sewn, smyth sewn or perfect bound. I highly recommend if you are in the market for a new Bible that will be used for many years save your self some trouble and purchase a sewn bound Bible.
How to tell if your Bible is a perfect bound binding
The simplest way to discern what type of binding method is used on your Bible is look at the bottom side of the spine or top side of the Bible where the pages form together at the spine.
A perfect bound binding typically has a flat spine or even an irregular shaped spine. It’s possible it looks like a backward C. This is a result from the glue heating over time and with use, the Bible’s spine forms this odd shape. It’s also very likely that if you have started losing pages or section of your bible then you have a perfect bound binding.
A sewn binding should be easy to recognize. Simply follow the same method as before. Look at the bottom side of you bibles spine or top side where the pages join together at the spine. If you have a sewn binging you should be able to see very small individual booklets.
It is possible, of course, to lose pages on a sewn binding. Typically, this happens when the pages wear through the thread or if the thread on the binding breaks.
Hopefully this has helped you determine what type of binding your bible has.
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