Covering other Bible covers

After posting an article on genuine leather covers, I finally had the opportunity to visit a Bible bookstore and ask the clerk about various covers that Bible publishers seem to be using. Her response was to show me imitation leather, leatherflex, and genuine leather Bibles, so I could feel and handle the covers myself – something not possible when researching options on the Internet.

Here’s what I found:

Imitation leather has traditionally felt stiff, unnatural, and inflexible, which may no longer be true, but to be on the soft side, just visit this choice in person, rather than ordering and being disappointed with the quality. This gives you the opportunity, too, to check out TruTone, NuTone, and other polyurethane covers that sometimes feel more like leather than real leather does at first touch. That generally changes with time, however, as leather softness continues to improve, while synthetics are apt to dry out and fade as did my dusty rose Bible that's now the color of wilted petals.

Bonded Leather consists of fibers and scraps leftover from cut leather and held together with some kind of bonding agent or adhesive. The thickness and quality of the individual ingredients determine longevity, so the standards of the Bible publisher matter greatly. Over the years, many of my Bibles have had bonded leather covers that, sooner or later, ringed with tiny rifts and splits around the edges. Interestingly, the publisher of the Bible I just purchased also published my one remaining bonded leather edition that's still fissure-free and flexible. Therefore, I highly recommend that you see which companies stand by their products with some type of warranty.

Paperback Bibles often have a vinyl coating to increase durability, but this type of cover will curl, like my hair, with too much humidity. Most importantly, though, paperbacks seldom have Smyth-sewn pages. As the glue ages, the glued-in pages loosen and, yeah, come unglued. Nevertheless, this is my top choice for a reader edition (no study notes) of a new or new-to-you translation you want to try when you’re looking for a personal favorite with whom you can fall in love. Yes, love. Just yesterday, for example, I heard the store clerk exclaim, “I LOVE my King James Bible!” whereas someone in a Bible study group inevitably says, “I LOVE my Living Bible.” Pick almost any other choice too, and if you’re around enough Bible lovers, you’ll eventually hear the beloved name of every translation into English.

Hardback Bibles have a way of poking and prodding body parts so might be ideal for people who need God to remind them, “Yes, I’m talking to YOU!” For most readers, though, a hardback cover works exceptionally well for study Bibles – as in plural, Bibles. Of these, Bible lovers and all students of Bible study need many options to get, grab, compare, and see the bigger picture.

Leatherflex consists of heavy duty paper coated in a flexible, sturdy vinyl to give a cover the look and feel of quality leather or suede. Besides providing you with covers of many colors, leatherflex keeps goats and cows from losing their hides. Since the store I visited mainly carried Thomas Nelson Bibles, I have not checked into the policies of other companies, but this one offers the same “Guaranteed for Life” seal and registration on Symthe-sewn leatherflex and bonded leather Bibles as it does for the genuine leather NKJV I just bought on sale. This might not mean much with a new Bible publishing company, but Thomas Nelson has been around since 1798.

Leather soft covers, unlike leatherflex, begin with actual leather that has been treated to soften quickly as real leather will do on its own over time. If you already have a leather Bible that feels dry or stiff, just give it a soft body treatment! To soften my Bibles, for example, I lightly coat my hands in mineral oil since that oil does not turn rancid as vegetable or animal oils will do. I then stroke every inch of the cover – back and front, corner to corner – to distribute the oil evenly. Then, using a clean terry washcloth, I rub with the grain, holding the Bible under the light to make sure the cover does not remain greasy but gains the soft patina of healthy skin that’s highly responsive to a quick kiss and a hug.

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© 2012, Mary Harwell Sayler. For more Bible topics to choose from as well as articles on poetry and the Christian writing life, see .

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