THE BONE FOLDER METHOD
What is a bone folder?
A bone folder is one of those old-school bookbinding tools that sometimes get mentioned in comic book pressing and conservation circles. A bone folder is a flat, smooth hand tool traditionally made from real animal bone (though today you’ll also see plastic or Teflon versions). It looks like a small spatula, usually 6–8 inches long, tapered at one end and rounded at the other. It’s designed to apply controlled pressure to paper without scratching or cutting.
No stress lines
The bone folder method is for comics that have a slight bend or fold with no color breaking stress lines. This method can be applied through the whole book, one page at a time. When working with interior pages, always brace the rest of the book with moisture protection barriers against a walled surface – this ensures that the page being worked on remains flat on the workstation table
How is a bone folder used?
For comic books they are used for:
· Spot Flattening: You could use it to gently press small spine twists, cover dents or folds.
· Smoothing Corners: Helps flatten corner crunches or light bends when used carefully with heat and humidity.
· Cleaning Aid: Use it wrapped in a microfiber cloth to rub dirt or surface soiling.
PRO TIP!
We like using a bone folder specifically for brand new Modern Age comics with thin glossy paper stock. Any time there are folds or creases with no creaselines or stress lines, a bone folder tool will assist in returning a corner to its previous state by pulling folds in the opposite direction.
Please Note
We are not talking about creases or folds that have a clear line of color ink loss from stress lines. The bone folder method is for comics with clean folds or slight creasing that do not break any colors.
USING A BONE FOLDER ON COMIC BOOKS
1. INTRODUCTION
3. MOISTURE BARRIER
2. GATHER SUPPLIES
1. We purchased five copies of 2020 Marvel Comics Venom #26 off eBay that were damaged. All copies had a 45-degree fold through whole book located at the lower right outside corner. There were no visible color breaks or stress lines on any pages.
2. GATHER SUPPLIES
3. MOISTURE BARRIER
2. GATHER SUPPLIES
2. Gather your supplies: Bone folder tool, SRP Paper, 65 lb cardstock paper, magazine backer board, a tack iron, and a steam gun.
3. MOISTURE BARRIER
3. MOISTURE BARRIER
3. MOISTURE BARRIER
3. When working on interior pages, it’s important to protect the rest of the book. Follow the directions for “Moisture Barriers”.
4. SRP PAPER
5. FOLD FACING DOWN
3. MOISTURE BARRIER
4. Place a sheet of SRP Paper underneath page being treated. Place a sheet of 65 lb cardstock paper underneath SRP Paper. Begin working on each page individually. You should start on the cover side with the fold facing the opposite direction first (e.g., If all folds are folded downwards, start with front cover. If all folds are folded upwards, start with back cover).
5. FOLD FACING DOWN
5. FOLD FACING DOWN
5. FOLD FACING DOWN
5. You want each crease or fold to be pointing downward, facing table surface.
6. APPLY STEAM
5. FOLD FACING DOWN
5. FOLD FACING DOWN
6. Start by lightly steaming the affected page once for a few seconds.
7. HOLD DOWN IN PLACE
7. HOLD DOWN IN PLACE
7. HOLD DOWN IN PLACE
7. Find the crease line or fold with bone folder tool. Hold the bold folder sideways and use the thin edge for better control. Press down with the bone folder tool using your offhand, at the exact angle and length of the fold or crease. Hold book in place with bone folder tool using soft pressure, not firm.
8. LIFT UP SRP
7. HOLD DOWN IN PLACE
7. HOLD DOWN IN PLACE
8. Slowly begin to lift up the SRP Paper with your main hand. Gently pull up in the opposite direction of crease or fold (If fold is curved downwards, pull upwards). You are pulling the fold in the opposite direction. For thin glossy paper, use very light pressure. For vintage books with flat matte paper, you can pull with a little firmer pressure.
9. WORK OUT FOLD
7. HOLD DOWN IN PLACE
9. WORK OUT FOLD
9. Use your own judgement with how far you want to pull the fold back – depending on the severity of the fold, this takes time and practice to master.
10. APPLY HEAT
12. PRESS IMMEDIATELY
9. WORK OUT FOLD
10. Immediately apply heat with the tack iron to the affected area. Move tack iron around in slow motions, never allowing heat to remain in one spot for longer than 3 seconds .
11. FOLD IS RELAXED
12. PRESS IMMEDIATELY
12. PRESS IMMEDIATELY
11. If done correctly, the page should now be relaxed, slightly lifting up in the opposite direction the fold was once previously positioned (when compared to Step #5).
12. PRESS IMMEDIATELY
12. PRESS IMMEDIATELY
12. PRESS IMMEDIATELY
12. Repeat steps 4-11 for each page with the crease or fold, one at a time. Slide SRP Paper and cardstock paper underneath the next page and move your moisture barrier in front of the last page worked on. When you are finished with all pages, press book immediately in press machine while following the recommended guidelines using the matching corresponding formula found in Comic Book CPR: First Edition.
USING THE BONE FOLDER METHOD ON BRAND NEW COMIC BOOKS
VENOM #26
All five copies of 2020 Marvel Comics VENOM #26 were fixed using the bone folder method and received a CGC 9.8.
There is a YouTube video of the process while working on these books: https://youtu.be/H6NSG5eZdDs?si=4QdFl7NWb70BISCH
TWO DIFFERENT HUMIDIFICATION METHODS FOR ONE TOOL
Using a bone folder tool to remove non color breaking folds and creases saves a lot of time from having to perform multiple presses on the same book. For vintage comic books with flat matte interior paper stock, we recommend a Hot Shot applied directly to the outside of a fold or crease . For brand new modern age comic books, you have to apply light steam due to the thin glossy paper stock. Hot Shot damp cotton rounds will remove ink and cause color rub on today’s glossy paper.
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