Wheat starch
paste
Images and text by Garry
Harrison,
Head, Circulating Collections Conservation,
Indiana
University Libraries Preservation Department
Wheat starch
paste
Wheat paste is the adhesive
used with Japanese tissue for paper mending. Our most frequent mending
tasks are flat paper mending and book hinge mending. As wheat paste is
totally reversible, it is occasionally necessary to create a barrier
layer of Japanese tissue adhered with wheat paste under joints made with
PVA or mixture, in order to ensure reversibility. Wheat paste is
purchased as wheat starch powder and mixed in the sauce cooker to make
paste. The starch is highly refined and closely resembles flour. We use
Zen Shofu Japanese wheat starch, as we have discovered its paste to be
excellent in regard to both performance and mold resistance. After
cooking, the paste is worked through a horsehair strainer. Once mixed into
paste, it must always be kept refrigerated when not in use.
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Complete Treatments Manual Table of Contents