Stiftbinding

Stiftbinding is a historical bookbinding technique in which a book block is held together by metal pins (stifter) rather than by thread. The method is associated with Scandinavian and some German printing traditions and is typically used for inexpensive or temporary bindings, such as pamphlets, small volumes, or loose gatherings that needed quick assembly.

In the basic form of stiftbinding, folded gatherings are prepared and holes are made along the spine or fore-edge. Pins are driven through these holes to lock the pages together, and the pins are sometimes bent or clinched to secure the cover boards. The result is a simple, low-cost binding that can be produced with relatively little equipment and material. Cover materials range from paper to leather, and the boards may be attached before or after pin binding, depending on the specific practice.

Stiftbinding differs from sewn bindings in that it relies on metal pins rather than stitched thread to hold the sections together. It is generally less durable and more suited to short-lived or disposable bindings, though some surviving examples indicate careful execution and can be found in early modern book collections. The technique is mainly of historical interest today and is studied in the context of traditional bookbinding methods, craft history, and museum collections.

See also: bookbinding, stitch binding, pamphlet binding.