The part produced by working one silk over the other is called the braiding, which forms the principal beauty of the head-band, and should be ranged close down upon the leaves of the book on the inside of the band, which is easily managed. Both ends of the book having been worked in this way, the glue brush is drawn across the back of the bands, which strengthens them and keeps them in their proper places. It is now the usual practice to make a hollow back, on account of its enabling the book to open better, and also preserving the leather from cracking. The hollow back is formed by cutting a strip of cartridge paper twice the width of the back, and the same length; this is folded in half, and the back being fresh glued, one half of the folded paper is stuck on, the other half being doubled upon it. If the book is to have raised bands, they are now put on; they are formed of strips of thick leather, as wide, and at such distances from each other, as taste directs; they are glued on the loose back, and pared down at the ends, the sides being kept sharp and square. They are used to give a neat appearance to the back, and are a great improvement on the old method of sewing the book on raised bands in lieu of the sunken cords.

The book is then ready for covering, with leather, if to be whole bound, or with leather and paper, if to be only half-bound. For whole binding the leather is cut about half an inch larger all round than the book, and carefully pared round the edge with a sharp knife on a piece of smooth marble; it is then pasted, folded together, and left a few minutes for the paste to soak in; it is then opened out, and the book laid on one half (the fore-edge being towards the workman), while the other half is carefully and tightly drawn over the back and uppermost cover; the covers being then adjusted at the head and foot, and pulled forward, the edges are turned down and the ends tucked in; the corners being raised are worked together, and the part so raised cut off, and the head and foot pieces being smoothed down, the fore-edge part is folded over them. The head of the book is then neatly set with the folding-stick, pressing it inwards in the joint where the corner was taken off the boards, and flatting the leather over the top of the head-bands; the form thus given in the damp state is permanently retained when dry.

If the raised bands, previously described, are used, a piece of fine cord is tied round the book, (the edges being guarded with a piece of board), pressing on the upper and lower side of each band, which brings the cover close upon the back, and preserves the distinctness of the bands. For half-bound books a strip of leather is cut, about an inch longer than the back of the book, and of sufficient width to lay well over the boards; the leather corner pieces are cut of an oblong quadrangular shape. The leather being pared, the corner pieces are put on first, and the back afterwards, being worked in the same manner, and with the same care, as the whole-bound book. Marble, coloured, or other fancy paper, is cut of a proper size and form, and pasted on the sides. Smooth sheep and calf bindings are frequently ornamented by marbling or sprinkling, which is performed by throwing various colouring liquids on the cover while it is wet with water: but there is so great a variety in these processes, both of colours and patterns, that there is not space for their enumeration here; nor are they of much importance at this time, the coloured leathers having been brought to such perfection, and in so general use, as to render the employment of sprinkling, etc. of more rare occurrence than formerly.

The forwarding of the book is now completed, and it is handed over to the finisher. The first step of the finisher is to wash the cover of the book with paste or glue water, to prevent the glaire from sinking in and staining the cover; when the sizing is dry the cover is glaired. Morocco and roan require to be glaired but once, sheep twice, and calf three times; this done, the book is ready for gilding and lettering. The places where the gilding is to be applied, are then slightly greased with palm or sweet oil, and covered with gold leaf. While lettering and gilding the back, the book is placed in the cutting-press, with the head a little elevated. The brass letters having been selected and laid in their proper order before a fire, are moderately heated; before using, they are tried on a piece of waste leather; when at the proper temperature, they are forcibly impressed upon the gold, one after the other, care being taken to keep them straight, upright, and at uniform distances - a process which requires great practical skill. The whole of the letters being worked, the superfluous gold is wiped off with an oiled rag, to which it adheres, and when saturated, the rag is sold to the refiner, who recovers the gold which it contains.

Common words of frequent use, such as Bible, Prayer, Alburn, etc. etc. are cut in one piece, and worked oft' at once, which greatly facilitates the process of lettering, while it insures a uniformity of appearance not otherwise attainable. Metal types are sometimes used as an excellent substitute for the brass letters; with the former, any word may be set up in a frame and worked at once, but it is essentially necessary that the types are clean and bright; there is also some difficulty in giving them the proper temperature; it would therefore be a great improvement to have brass letters cut so that they might be set up in a frame, in the same manner as the types. These would combine the beauty and accuracy of the brass letter, with the convenience of the types. The lettering having been completed, the remainder of the book is gilt with appropriate tools; these in general consist of straight lines or fillets, rolls of various breadths and patterns, and single ornamental devices, all cut in brass, and used the same way as the letters. The tools are frequently heated, and worked upon the leather without the interposition of any gold, which produces a neat and elegant contrast to the gilding; it is denominated blind-tooling.