I used PVA glue on a leather spine and it didn't ruin the book

I was rebinding a 1900s poetry collection and ran out of my usual paste. In a rush, I used a thin layer of Lineco Neutral pH PVA on the leather spine piece. Everyone says PVA makes leather brittle, but after letting it cure for two full days, the spine is still flexible and the hold is strong. I learned that maybe the 'never use PVA on leather' rule isn't absolute if you're careful with the amount and cure time. Has anyone else had a good result using something they were told to avoid?

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verab284m ago

Interesting, I've heard that rule too but never had the guts to test it. My old bookbinding teacher would have had a heart attack lol. Sometimes the old school advice is more about avoiding total disasters than a little careful experimenting. Glad it worked out for you, maybe the specific glue and that thin layer made the difference.