ANST - Period Paste and Glue

[Jax]

I've seen a lot of posts on period glues, but none on plain ole' paste.

The basic difference between paste and glue is that paste dries hard, 
while glue stays more flexible. Also, glue provides better 
water-resistance; dry paste that gets wet will often revert to wet paste. 
This tendency can be alleviated with a finishing application of wax or 
varnish.

Paste also works better w/ surfaces that are at least partially porous. 
Paper and cardboards are the best applications. But paste also works well 
w/ leathers, cloth, and soft woods. And you can try it on everything. Use 
a sample first, of course, before trying it on important projects!

One last caveat: Materials that are pasted my tend to curl while drying. 
(Paste dries completely.) When pasting papers and leathers, they should 
be firmly pressed flat (or whatever) until they are completely dry.

Here is a recipe for a simple flour paste:

 Flour paste 

1 cup flour
1 cup cold water
4-5 cups boiling water.

Put the flour in a saucepan and gradually add the cold water, stirring 
until all lumps are gone. Look for a whole milk sort of consistancy 
(Thick paste is a very commen error. It can be thinned w/ water at any 
time.) Slowly add the boiling water and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring 
constantly. Let cool. You can also add a few drops of clove oil to 
discourage mildew and to act as a preservative.

Hope that helps,
-Erik Wulfriksson-
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