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Michael Keller / Bookbinding and Restoration

Private and Institutional Hand Binding and Restoration
in Southern Ontario, Canada since 1974.

PLEASE NOTE:   I regret to inform all who may have considered securing my professional services, that I now am "semi-retired" and no longer accept every private commission offered.  I am still occassionally lured by the unusual or particularly challenging however.  I will be maintaining this website for the time being in the hope that it continues to be a source of some aid to those seeking advice and information on matters relating to the restoration and repair of books and paper materials.  Please refer to my "annotated Links" page for possible restoration / repair alternatives in Southwestern Ontario.

last revised: February, 2012.
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Binding; Repairs; and other services


Binding Restoration Document Restoration Boxes, Slipcases, etc. New Binding

Standards and Materials

Michael Keller - Bookbinder is committed to archival standards and practices. In addition, the quality and permanence of all restoration materials far exceed the originals in most cases. As a result, for example, the life expectancy of a typical family Bible, which has had a complete restoration, can be measured by the longevity of the book paper which is usually the only part of the book remaining untreated.

Cost

As of February, 2012, the Bindery rate is $ 40.00 (Can.) per hour [unchanged since 2006]. Materials required for most restorations represent only 5 to 10% of the total cost; therefore this is not usually represented separately in the invoice.
The Bindery does not accept any credit cards.

Binding Restoration

Please refer to " Restoration Advice" for more information.

Document Restoration

Paper repairs are done with a variety of acid-free tissues/papers and reversible adhesives. As always, archival standards and techniques are employed.
"Encapsulation" is also available. This procedure uses a double-sided tape and clear plastic sheets to sandwich the item in a transparent, sealed environment. Unlike lamination, absolutely no adhesive is in direct contact with the item and the process is completely reversible.

Boxes, Slipcases, etc.

Custom slipcases and folding "clamshell" or nesting boxes can be created for most books.
These may not be appropriate however for large items (i.e. Family Bibles) as their size and weight usually require a more rigid structure, such as wood.
It is Bindery policy to create custom boxes and slipcases directly from the physical book, never relying solely on dimensions given. This precludes any problems with the final 'fit'.

New Binding

Please refer to "Custom Publishing" for more information regarding binding styles and materials available;
And the FAQ section for answers to a wide variety of binding related enquiries.
A selection of cloth, leather, paper and traditional binding styles are available for previously bound or unbound material. It is often possible to bind with cloth supplied by the client (i.e. family tartan, cotton print, etc.), or specially printed and formatted paper. In those instances, special materials cost(s) may be included in the estimate.