What should I use to cover this book?

[epiphanist1248]

Oh great hive mind, lend me your wisdom:

I want to make a book cover/dust jacket for a great big slab of a book (like college textbook sized) and I'm not sure what kind of material to use. I really like working with oil tanned but is that right for this project? Would veg tanned work better? (I don't really want to do any tooling on it, so it's more about function than form.) How much stretch? How heavy? 

[YinTx]

What is the function you want to achieve? Looks?  Protection?  Restoration?  Old book?  New book?

YinTx

[epiphanist1248]

@YinTx Its a new book, hardcover, no jacket, that I'd like to keep in fairly good condition since I reference it quite frequently and I'd like it to last for many years. And I'd like it to look nice, though it needn't be overly ornate with tooling and stamping and the like. 

 

Basically, I'd like to upgrade from the repurposed brown paper bag I've got on there now.

[kiwican]

Based on what you have said you could go with a veg or a chrome tan then. Measure it all out...but include the thickness of the book too! And go for it.

[epiphanist1248]

@kiwican What weight would you suggest?

[kiwican]

Depends on you and your tastes. I would not go much higher than  a 4 to 5 Oz but its up to you. If you go to thick you might have to gauge the folds out along the spine area to make it sit right 

[epiphanist1248]

@kiwican So do you think something thinner like 2-3 would be ok? Like I said above, I'm mostly just upgrading from a brown paper bag.

 

[kiwican]

That would work too. It literally is as thick or thin as you want it to be. But still plan it out. Make a template. Get your measurements correct.

[sheathmaker]

My experience along this line is that 2/3 veg tan is just about perfect for the task.  I make a piece for the outside consisting of 2 layers of 2/3 cemented flesh to flesh and then the end "sleeves" are just one piece of 2/3.  Finished product shows no raw flesh side and remains thin enough to work and use comfortably.  Bends nicely at the spine and ism easy to use thereafter.

Paul

[kiwican]

Don' forget your stitch allowance !