Finally got my first clean French groove after three years of trying

Abby Butler · 2026-03-20T12:40:06.853671+00:00

Started bookbinding in my Portland apartment back in 2021. My first attempts at a French groove were a total mess. The boards never lined up right. Last week, I was working on a new journal. Used my bone folder to really press the hinge area before gluing. The groove came out perfect and straight. Felt like a real win after all that time. Anyone else have a trick that finally clicked for them?

thea_chen6mo ago

Read somewhere that warming the boards first helps.

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shanejackson6mo ago

Honestly used to think the bone folder was just for show. Then I saw someone use it to really burnish the hinge area on the cloth before the glue even went on. Tried it last month and it made the whole thing so much cleaner, like the boards just wanted to fold there. Total game changer for me.

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wyattc766mo ago

What's a bone folder? I've been using the back of a butter knife like a caveman for two years. My grooves look like a toddler drew them with a crayon.

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