ust then
be stood on its fore-edge and the bands again nipped up with a pair of
nickeled band nippers, and the panels between the bands well pressed
down with the band stick to cause the leather to stick at every point.
A piece of thread is tied round the back from head to tail, squeezing
the leather in the gap caused by the corners of the board having been
cut off. The book is then turned up on end, resting the tail on a
folder or anything that will keep the projecting leather for the
head-cap from being prematurely flattened. The head-caps (fig. 67)
must now be set. To do this the first finger of the left hand is
placed behind it, and a sharp folder is pressed into the corners of
the head-cap between the headband and the thread. The leather is then
tapped over the headband, and the whole turned over on the stone and
rubbed at the back with a folder. This operation requires great
nicety. The shape of head-cap is shown at fig. 67. The nice adjustment
of head-caps and corners, although of no constructional value, are the
points by which the forwarding of a book is generally valued.

[Illustration: FIG. 68.]

If the book is a large one, it will be best to tie it up. The method
of tying up is shown in fig. 68. The tying up cords will make marks at
the side of the bands, that are not unpleasant on a large book. If
they are objected to, it is best to tie the book up for about
half-an-hour, and then to untie it, and smooth out the marks with the
band stick. Even with small books, if the leather seems inclined to
give trouble, it is well to tie them up for a short time, then to
untie them, to smooth out any marks or inequalities, and to tie them
up again.

MITRING CORNERS AND FILLING IN

A book that has been covered should be left under a light weight until
the next day, with waterproof sheets between the damp cover and the
end paper to prevent the sheets of the book from cockling through the
damp. When the cover is thoroughly set the boards should be carefully
opened, pressing them slightly to the joint to ensure a square and
even joint. If, as is sometimes the case, the turn-in of the leather
over the joint seems to be inclined to bind, the cover should be
merely opened half-way, and the leather of the turns-in of the joint
damped with a sponge, and left to soak for a short time, and then the
cover can usually be opened without any dragging. A section of a good
joint is shown at fig. 69, A, and