Introduction: How to Fix a Broken Moleskine

About: yawn....
Remember when Moleskines were made in Itay and didn't suck?
well they moved to China a few years ago and now they do
their spines are fragile and do not hold up to any use at all.

The method to fixing a broken spine on a Moleskine
is exactly the same as fixing one any sort of book where the spine is 'hollow' and not attached to the cover.

I use this one a lot so i had to blur out some words. sorry

You will need:
white glue
paintbrush or q-tip to apply glue
small piece of thick paper stock 
rubber band


Step 1: Make a Tube

Use some tough paper to make a tube.

if you use single thickness computer printer paper you will have to do this again fairly soon.
You can use cardstock but it is harder to work with and can be frustrating.
Personally  for this example i grabbed an envelope
it is basically double thick computer paper but it made a quick job of it.

Measure the paper to size of the spine.
folding it into the spine you will get the correct thickness as well as length.

FOLD the paper in thirds and GLUE it.
you want to end up with a flattened STRAW
if you find a paper straw the right size you are in luck.

Step 2: Attach Tube

Open the broken back all the way, 
and clean off any loose bits and secure anything flappy, like those black tabs on the ends.

Glue one side of the tube to the text block

Use white glue - you need something that will permanently attach paper to other surfaces.

Apply glue to the side that will touch the outer side of the spine.

Step 3: Fit the Cover to the Book

Adjust the cover to wrap around the book the way it is supposed to fit.
Close the book and Smooth the spine repeatedly with your fingers or against something smooth like a bone folder.

if you think you used too much glue and it will squeeze out, clean it off while it is still wet.

Wrap it with rubber bands WIDTH wise
and put under weight overnight.


Step 4: Let Dry Overnight

this is what it should look like if you did it right.  
No duct tape, no electrical tape
the joints should be glue tightly and the back should FLEX.

if you did it wrong, take it apart and do it again
you will need the practice
as long as you keep buying Moleskines you will need to have this skill down.

In the future i may just break them open when i buy them
and put new spines in before they break and disappoint me.