At AKA Bindery we work directly with our clients to achieve a high level of satisfaction. Our products are customized to fit each item as closely as possible and to accommodate a wide variety of aesthetic preferences. The resources below are intended to help with the ordering process, but we are happy to source any available materials to meet your needs.
Materials
Our in stock leathers are of the highest quality goat skin available in a wide variety of colors. See our Leather Samples Chart to view some of our expanding inventory of leather selections, featuring Oasis leathers by Russells. These leathers are natural skins, vegetable tanned and aniline dyed. Special order skins can be obtained with an additional charge for smaller quantities. Economical bonded leather and animal friendly imitation leather cloth (Sturdite) is available on request for some products.
We offer a selection of in stock book cloths to compliment our leather colors. Please view our in stock Cloth Samples Chart. There is a wide range of special order book cloth available.
Titling
Exact written titling instructions are required for each clamshell case. The length of the titling information does not affect the price of the case unless additional customization of the structure is necessary to accommodate it. Both rounded and flat leather spines are typically divided into six panels. Most often the title is placed in the second panel, the author in the fourth, and (if applicable) date/first edition/signed/etc. is placed at the bottom of the sixth panel. Please specify any alternate placement such as author in third panel, reversal of title and author, use of another panel for additional text, etc. Currently we use either Centaur or Kent fonts in sizes from 6pt to 18pt. Unless instructed, we will use our discretion in choosing font and sizes.
Applied leather labels on cloth boxes are usually oriented with the text horizontally across the width of the spine. Unless instructed otherwise we will place title first, then author, then date/etc. Please specify if you would like a label with the text oriented vertically down the length of the spine, or any other alteration to the above format.
Leather presentation labels for gifts/awards/etc. can be added to clamshell cases on the front cover or the interior lid tray. The ground for the label is recessed slightly so it can be glued in virtually flush with the surrounding surface.
Lines and Devices
For leather spine boxes we offer many configurations of solid and dotted horizontal lines, as well as a selection of decorative panel devices. Typically all hot foil stamping is done with real gold foil, but real silver, black and colors are available upon request. Refer to the Lines Chart for line configurations, and the Panel Devices Chart for the decorative stamps. In addition to the titling, most of the available spine decorative styles are included in the price of the case.
Hot foil stamping dies can be created from a graphics file for virtually any desired decorative device, logo, ex libris, etc.
For 1/2 leather rounded or flat spine cases a single vertical gold line is also stamped on the front and rear covers at the border where leather meets cloth. This transition line is included in the price. Please indicate if you do not want this line.
For full cloth cases, the applied leather spine labels include a double gold line at top and bottom and a short dividing line between lines of text where applicable. Please specify if you would like any different line configuration.
Measuring
The interior dimensions of our clamshell cases are guaranteed to be within 1/32" (0.8 mm) of provided measurements. If your measurements are in millimeters, we will convert to inches and round up to the 1/32" to match our bindery system.
Measuring a book closely is often difficult. For a guaranteed best fit, we recommend shipping the book to us for measurement in the bindery. If you are providing the measurements, any additional tolerance you believe may be necessary should already be included. We do not automatically add any tolerance to the measurements you provide.
Helpful hints for measuring your own books:
-The interior of the clamshell has perfectly square corners; many books do not. Simply measuring along the perimeter of the book could yield incorrect measurements.
-It is best to place the book flat on a table and gently pushed up against a vertical surface perpendicular to the table. For best results, use two vertical surfaces at an angle of exactly 90 degrees to create a squared corner.
-Often the front and rear covers are not identically sized, or the text block leans. Gently check the alignment of the front and rear surfaces to determine if any misalignment can be comfortably corrected without springing back.
-Keep in mind that the book inside the clamshell case oriented normally on a shelf, will have its weight resting on the bottom edge.
-You are looking for the shortest measurement for both height (head to tail) and width (from spine to fore edge) of the perfectly squared tray that will house the book without distortion from its natural shape.
- It's recommended to use a quality stiff steel ruler with 1/32" calibration that is zeroed exactly to the short edge. The zero mark on some rulers does not correspond to the edge, which can lead to incorrect measurements.
-When reading a measurement make sure the zeroed edge of the ruler is flush with the vertical surface that the book is aligned against and place your line of sight directly over (plumb to) the ruler mark. Variations in your line of sight cause misreadings.
-Take multiple measurements at different locations, turning the book to measure it both upside down and inverted positions, looking for the longest measurement for height and for width.
-When measuring the depth (thickness) of the book place it flat on a table with the front cover facing up and gently check the alignment as before.
-Place the zeroed edge of the ruler against the table, keeping it in a perfectly vertical position perpendicular to the surface of the table.
-Crouch down to align your eye perfectly level with the point on the top surface of the book as you read the measurement. Variations in your line of sight cause misreadings.
-Take multiple measurements at different locations around the edge and any high points on the surface of the front cover. Only a very slight compression of the book is allowable inside the clamshell. Look for the longest measurement located at the high point of the front cover or hinge. Do not measure the depth with the front cover facing down.
-Too much compression factored into the depth measurement will not allow the finished case to stay closed.
Ordering Information
