Ledger and account bookbinding is a class of work that is hardly likely to be offered to or attempted by the amateur. Although, in a general way, the method of binding ledgers is much like that used for ordinary books, there are considerable differences in matters of detail. Strength and durability being of vital importance in a ledger, great attention is paid to the sewing, which must be very strong. Ledgers are not sewn on cords, but on strips of parchment; therefore, saw kerfs are not required. The needle is inserted at the kettle stitch, brought out on the farther side of the band, then back across the band, entered again on the near side, passed up the centre of the section to the top of the next band, and the operation already described ill the case of the first band is repeated. The covers are made by pasting together thin millboard, which is then subjected to considerable pressure. Two of the boards are pasted for half their width only, and in the opening thus left are inserted the bands on which the ledger is sewn, as well as the strips of canvas or leather glued across the back. This half of the covers is then pasted, and the book with its covers is pressed till dry. Ledgers are generally furnished with spring backs. The back is usually made of thin millboard, which is warmed at the fire and worked to the shape of the back, and then glued on. For large ledgers, several layers of millboard are glued together, each successive layer being a trifle smaller than that to which it is glued. Other differences, such as leather joints to strengthen the covers, etc., will be better understood by comparing a bound book with a ledger.

Account book binding or, more properly speaking stationery binding includes everything from the penny memorandum book to the massive ledger. Passing over the cheaper kinds of stationery, a detailed description will be given of what is considered to be the best and most workmanlike method of binding an account book. After the paper has been ruled, it is folded into sections and prepared for sewing. If the paper is what is termed hand made, there will be two shades on every sheet: one side will appear blue, and the other white; so to prevent a blue and white appearing together when the book is opened, the paper is "faced," that is, two blue sides are made to face each other, then two white sides, and so on through the entire book. The ruler will have left four sheets unruled; these are for the end papers.

The joints of account books may be of cloth, linen, or leather. Black glazed linen makes a good joint for general purposes. The joint is glued, and two sheets of the four already mentioned are laid upon the joint, about 1/8 in. apart from each other. The other two sheets are treated in a similar manner. Four pieces of marble paper are cut to the size, glued all over, and laid on to the edge of the linen and rubbed down with the hand (nipping the papers in the press is superfluous), and hung up to dry. Meanwhile the folding of the paper has been going on, and it will be done up in three or four sheet sections, according to the make or thickness of the paper. If the sections are too thick, the leaves will start when the book is being rounded, and if they are too thin, in sewing the back will swell, owing to the quantity of thread used. The first and last section should be lined on the outside with a strip of white calico. Some binders line the inside and outside of each section with calico; this may be necessary in special cases, but for general purposes it is not to be recommended, as a book thus treated will be very stiff to open.

Account books are sewn on tapes; therefore saw kerfs are not required. For the class of work under notice a good strong twilled linen tape (known as “binding") of a grey colour, and sold in rounds, will be needed. Three or five bands, according to the size of the book, should be set up on the bench. Strips of vellum are sometimes used as bands in conjunction with the tape for heavy books. To set up strips of vellum on the bench stitch a piece of waste tape to each end of the vellum, lap the one end round the rail at the bottom of the bench and the other round the crossbar at the top, and put a pin or a broken needle through it.

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