In the process of scratching up or raking, the books, with their backs protruding, are placed between pressing boards and stacked up in the standing press, which is screwed down tightly. After lightly pasting the back of each book, a "scratcher up” (Fig. 37) is drawn several times with some force down the back, care being taken, however, not to catch or break the kettle stitches or the stitches over the bands. The backs are pasted again and then scratched diagonally from left to right, and then from right to left, being pasted after each scratching, and the paste is well rubbed into the grooves made by the scratches. It is then rubbed off, and the backs are smoothed with an old cutting board, and wiped clean with a wisp of paper shavings. A light coat of glue is given to each back, and the batch of books is left in the press for some time, preferably all night. This operation gives strength and firmness to the backs of the books.

Lining up gives stability and smoothness to the back of a book, and it consists of gluing several thicknesses of paper on to it. For the first few thicknesses, good, smooth brown paper will do, but stout cartridge paper is best for the last layer, as it offers a smoother surface to which to paste the leather. The back of the book and the hold on back of the cover are both lined, as may be seen on examining a leather-bound volume. Flexible work is not lined, the leather being glued directly to the book.

Headbands are purchased by the foot or yard at any bookbinders' material warehouse, at prices varying according to the depth and quality of the band. These headbands are specially woven, and are cut up in pieces the width of the thickness of the book, allowing for the curve of the back, and are glued on top and bottom, the woven pattern coming level or flush with the edges. A reference to any well bound book will at once explain the operation. Headbands are sometimes worked by hand, silk and gold and silver thread being used. The foundation may be of any substantial material. The best way to learn to make a headband will be to take an old one to pieces.

In all whole binding, and in good half morocco or half calf, it is usual to affix raised-artificial bands to the back of the book. In the early days of book binding, saw kerfs were not made on the back of books, and the cords on which the sheets were sewn formed prominent ridges across the back after the book was covered with leather. The actual bands are never left protruding now, except in the so called elastic work, but as raised bands take off the monotony of a plain flat back and afford scope to the finisher, artificial bands are affixed to the backs of well bound books, the number of bands depending on the size of the book. For octavos, five is a usual number. The bottom band is farther from the tail than the top one is from the head, and this allows for the extra fillet in finishing, which is worked twice at the tail and only once at the head. Bands are usually made of narrow strips of solid stout leather carefully cut, all of one width and thickness. The space between the bands should be set off on the back with compasses, and the bands securely glued on. When this has been done the book is ready for covering.

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