ABSTRACT
After the covers of the full bound book are "crushed" and the back polished, it is ready to be decorated. The proper decoration for a leather bound book is technically called "tooling" or "finishing" and is of two kinds, "blind" tooling where gold is not used, and gold tooling. The pattern on a commercial book is made by putting it upon a plate and stamping it off upon the cover in one stroke. "Tools" technically in bookbinding are the implements for putting decoration upon the book; "tooling" is the process of doing so. The most useful tools for designs are simple forms such as a conventionalized leaf, flower, or part of a flower, which can be used in a great number of combinations. The pattern attached and the tools heated, the latter are applied to the intervening paper and pressed through it into the leather.
