Forgot to add mull to a batch of case bindings and they actually turned out fine

I was cranking out a rush order of 8 hardcover journals last Thursday and realized halfway through gluing the spines that I'd completely skipped adding the mull layer. The covers feel a tiny bit looser than normal but nothing fell apart during my stress test. Has anyone else skipped a step by accident and found their books held up better than expected?

2 comments

2 Comments

perez.mia7d ago

Darryl from the bindery guild said at a workshop last year that some historical bindings didn't even use mull and held together for decades with just tight-jointed spines. Did you use a heavier glue than normal to compensate?

seth_allen7d ago

You said they felt "a tiny bit looser than normal" and I think that's a bigger deal than you're letting on. Skipping mull removes the layer that ties the spine to the cover and spreads the stress across the whole book. Without it, those covers are going to start pulling away after a few months of regular use, not just a stress test in your shop. I've seen too many bindings fail at the hinge because someone rushed and left out that reinforcement. The fact that it held up now doesn't mean it'll hold up for the person who buys it and uses it every day. Are you really okay with that risk for a rush order?