My newly restored press

Since my recent blog entries described my antique nipping press and its restoration I have been deluged with requests for a photo of it - well, OK, but I have had one or two.

So, for all those interested: Here it is

SOB Conference

The Society of Bookbinders biannual Conference takes place this weekend, but we're not going - since I resigned as national Treasurer I have found rather limited appeal in Society events, and the prospect of the AGM fills me with.....yawn!

Problem solved

In Lewes we are lucky enough to have a town blacksmith, and a splendid fellow he is. He has repaired my press, welded the wonky handle and got the sliding tray moving for the first time in goodness knows how many years. All this in just a week, and he carried it back and forth to his forge, for a modest sum.

Now all I've got to do is start using it....

The Hogarth Press

One of our inspirations in setting up Libre Livre a couple of years ago was the development of the Hogarth Press by Leonard and Virgina Woolf. Like us they came to printing from a love of books, some experience of bookbinding and the desire to be creative. Unlike us their friends included T S Eliot, Katherine Mansfield and E M Forster, which helped; a bit.

Another difference is that the Woolf's bought their equipment new whereas much of ours came to us at second hand, or more. We too have spent hours sorting and organising type, not to mention de-rusting, dusting and oiling.

For those interested, an entertaining account of the early years of the Hogarth Press can be found here: Hogarth

A pressing problem

A few years ago I bought, for a modest sum, and old iron blocking press of a design I have never seen before. There is a small removable iron frame which slots onto the bottom of the main screw, and can be lowered down onto the surface to be lettered, leather or whatever. Meanwhile, the surface itself is laid on an iron bed which slides across the base plate of the press to enable it it be located precisely. Or it would if it was not jammed solid.

Following my success with getting the stapler mended, this morning I had the blacksmith round to see whether he thought he could get it all freed up and moving again.

Turning to another subject, I was rather embarrassed this morning when walking round our local auction house. I was just drifting into a dream of bidding for, a splendid collection of wooden elephants when Julian, the auctioneer, shot out of his office and addressed me by name. It seems that I had bid, and bid successfully which is unusual for me, on a small pine set of drawers in an auction 3 or 4 weeks ago, and then forgotten all about it. I have to give him full marks for remembering, spotting me and putting two and two together, quick as a flash.

Make do and mend

My saddle stapler is back already, mended. The cost was £12.95, a replacement would have been around £500. As mentioned in this blog a few days ago the manufacturer had told me that it was so old it was almost certainly beyond repair. Makes you think.

A warning

We have, I'm not boasting, a stainless steel kettle. Made by Wesco it has a spun steel sheen attractive, I imagine, to those who like kettles. It does have the design flaw that the handle gets so hot you have to pick it up with a tea towel or suchlike wrapped around it, but that apart until yesterday I thought it was more or less functional. Now I am not so sure.

In making a cup of coffee for myself yesterday I tipped the offending kettle slightly higher than usual - there was still plenty of water inside - and the lid slipped out with the result that a scalding blast of steam went all over my fingers which are now red, blistered and very painful. Luckily I dropped the kettle onto the table, but if it had fallen to the floor things could have been much worse.

Accidents, and I've had plenty, happen when you least expect them, but fore-warned is fore-armed, be careful with Wesco kettles.

Hello hello hello

Did you hear about the printer who never married, because he couldn't find a girl who was his type?

A late spring clean

I have finally got around to trying out some electric goods I bought second-hand several years ago. The tooling stove (basically just a hot plate which heats up the bras tools used by bookbinders for gold tooling) worked fine, but my "saddle" stapler left much to be desired.

A saddle stapler for htose not in the know is a powerful stapler the bed of which can be otated so that books or pamhlets sit astride it, enabling the staales to be inserted true and straight. Well, hat is the theory, instead of banging the staples through with a great whoomph, my stapler launched into a noise like a machine gun and not astaple moved. Using my new Skype phone connection I rang the manufacturer, up in Yorkshire, who expressed astonishment that anybody was still using a machine so old, but then I remembered the old electrician who works round the corner from my workshop and took it in to him for a look-see. Now I'm waiting for the verdict, fingers crossed.

Once more unto Oxford

Libre Livre was in Oxford again this weekend, albeit briefly. Charming it wa not, hordes of tourists everywhere, traipsing along by the busload and generally getting in the way. Saturday had the additinal irrititations of intermittent heavy rain and students marchng round in mortar boards and gowns. Still, the second- hand bookshops are excellent, and I bought a pair of heavy duty leather boots in the sales - having dropped various bits of printing equipment on my feet over the years I have gradually learnt that sandals and printing do not go too well together.

We also thrilled to add to our collection of wood type, and to be introduced to the Journal of the Printing Historical Society, whose website can be found here: Printing Historical Society