# Hardback or leather



## Eoghan (Mar 10, 2010)

Posted this in a moderated forum by mistake(?) anyway I am teetering on the brink of buying a ESV study bible. Should I go for leather (which) or hardback. In my commentaries I have 50 and sixty year old volumes in better condition than my 20 year leather NASV (NASB?).

So vote now LEATHER (how is bonded different from straight leather) or HARDBACK (assuming sewn rather than glued)


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## Scott1 (Mar 10, 2010)

Genuine leather looks, smells and wears the best. It is worth the few extra dollars you pay for it.


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## SemperEruditio (Mar 10, 2010)

Leather but it should be smyth-sewn. I've handled an ESV leather study and was not impressed with the quality. It might be better to buy a hardback and send it to get rebound by a pro.


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## Dewi Sant (Mar 10, 2010)

Best Bible I ever owned is a KJV Cambridge Bible - bound in calfskin. My great-grandchildren, if the Lord wills they be Christian, might someday use this Bible and it will still be in great condition. Plus it smells good, if that's a factor to anyone besides bibliophiles...

---------- Post added at 08:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:23 PM ----------

For what it's worth, Cambridge claims to be the oldest Bible-Maker of them all.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Mar 10, 2010)

Bonded leather is an amalgamation of glued leather piece parts. Get an ESV SB in exotic leather. I have one and it will outlast me.

AMR


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## Eoghan (Mar 11, 2010)

What Is Bonded Leather?
My burgundy NASB ISBN 0-8024-6282-0 is bonded leather 

Just checked my Concordant Version (an ex library book) dated 1931 - it will be eighty next year! It has outshone my NASB in burgundy (bonded) leather which looks like somebody took scissors to the edges! In contrast the soon to be eighty Concordant Version is looking good.

I think I should recast my vote for genuine leather? (cost aside)

Just found this at Bonded leather - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, read it and weep

_Bonded leather or reconstituted leather is a material made of varying degrees of genuine leather combined with other substances to give the appearance of leather at reduced cost. Bonded leather can be found in furniture, bookbinding, and different fashion accessories. Examples of products that are most commonly constructed with different varieties of "bonded leather" are: Bibles, diaries, art books, desk accessories, hymnals, bags, belts, chairs, and sofas.

There are different types of bonded leather, but the type being used on upholstered furniture today is a polyurethane or vinyl product, backed with fabric and then a layer of latex or other material mixed with a small percentage of leather fibers in the product's backing material. The leather content contained in bonded leather upholstery is about 17%. None of it is contained in the surface of the bonded leather. The polyurethane surface is stamped to give it a leather texture.

In the home furnishings industry there is much debate and controversy over the ethics of using the term "bonded leather" to describe a vinyl upholstery product.

Other types of bonded leather include fragile paper-backed bonded leather constructions used to cover books and desk accessories. These bonded leathers may contain a greater proportion of leather and have some leather content in the product's surface, hence there may be an actual leather smell._

---------- Post added at 02:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:30 AM ----------

Amazon.co.uk: Customer Reviews: ESV Study Bible (Genuine Leather, Burgundy)

This _appears_ to be genuine leather but double the price of the hardback. Is it? It is 1/4 the price of the calskin - and seems a good compromise. Anyone disagree?

I can also get it in burgundy 

---------- Post added at 02:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:41 AM ----------

In Turkey the vendor held a cigarette lighter to the bag my wife was bartering over to demonstrate it was genuine. 

Try doing that in your christian bookstore!


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## Scott1 (Mar 11, 2010)

Dewi Sant said:


> Best Bible I ever owned is a KJV Cambridge Bible - bound in calfskin. My great-grandchildren, if the Lord wills they be Christian, might someday use this Bible and it will still be in great condition. Plus it smells good, if that's a factor to anyone besides bibliophiles...
> 
> ---------- Post added at 08:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:23 PM ----------
> 
> For what it's worth, Cambridge claims to be the oldest Bible-Maker of them all.


 
Do they really last inter-generationally with calfskin leather?

I found my Bible, genuine leather, with heavy use, had to be re-bound after 20 years. Actually, I was slightly disappointed it only lasted that long.

Any ideas if that can really be prolonged for a well-used Bible?


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## JBaldwin (Mar 11, 2010)

I have discovered that using a good Bible case helps to keep any Bible in good shape over the long haul, but I vote for the genuine leather.


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## PresbyDane (Mar 11, 2010)

If any kind of bible outlast you, you are not using it enough


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## Osage Bluestem (Mar 11, 2010)

I thnk leather should wear better. Hardbacks come apart at the edges.


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## Dewi Sant (Mar 11, 2010)

Scott1 said:


> Dewi Sant said:
> 
> 
> > Best Bible I ever owned is a KJV Cambridge Bible - bound in calfskin. My great-grandchildren, if the Lord wills they be Christian, might someday use this Bible and it will still be in great condition. Plus it smells good, if that's a factor to anyone besides bibliophiles...
> ...



Yes, as mentioned elswhere, a slipcase, which mine has. Mine is also only 5 years old and is not my primary working copy. Your point about 20 years of use puts a whole different light on things - I'm not using mine that hard. Even if it were more heavily used though, my choice would still be calfskin.

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PresbyDane said:


> If any kind of bible outlast you, you are not using it enough



Ouch!


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## JOwen (Mar 11, 2010)

Genuine leather.


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## JennyG (Mar 12, 2010)

I love the idea of a Bible that will be able to be passed down through generations.
I have my mother's old Bible, inscribed to her by my Grandmother - I treasure it, but I don't use it much because it's not in too good shape. It may be an early form of bonded leather - ie it looks like leather, but at the worn corners you can see something suspiciously like cardboard coming through.


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## DMcFadden (Mar 12, 2010)

I had the "genuine leather" edition of the ESV and gave it away. YECH! It was stiff and not easy to work with (in my opinion).

The black premium leather edition (you can get it from a discounter for about $80 less than retail at around $160) is FANTASTIC! It is like butter to hold, has a leather lining inside, and good paper.

I purchased mine when they were $30 cheaper. Still, here is a VERY good edition of the ESV Study Bible:

ESV Study Bible--Premium Calfskin leather, black 
Crossway Books & Bibles / 2008 / Cowhide Leather
Availability: In Stock
CBD Stock No: WW502439
5 out of 5 stars29 ReviewsShipping Special: This product ships free to addresses in the US!$159.99
Retail: $239.99
Save: $80.00 (33%)

If you want a high end ESV (NOT the Study Bible), R.L. Allan has the reader's edition for about $200.


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## Skyler (Mar 12, 2010)

Wait. Can you get a genuine leather-bound Kindle?


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## LeeD (Mar 12, 2010)

Skyler said:


> Wait. Can you get a genuine leather-bound Kindle?



For the right price!


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## Skyler (Mar 12, 2010)

LeeD said:


> Skyler said:
> 
> 
> > Wait. Can you get a genuine leather-bound Kindle?
> ...


 
What is the price? Because I might be interested.


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## heartoflesh (Mar 12, 2010)

I've noticed a number of younger, more tech-savy Christians who carry their Bible in an electronic devise (I am really not into this stuff so I don't even know what they're called-- Blackberry? I-phone?) I suppose the advantages of these are ease of carrying, quick verse selection, and mulitple translations available, but for me I would miss the feel of a book in my hands.


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## creativeamanda (Mar 12, 2010)

I've considered downloading the Bible onto my Blackberry device. But I like being able to make my own notes. When I look back on those notes, I often remember exactly why I made that note either by the color of the pen or the date I might scribble.

What I really need is a Bible that is printed on the right side and blank on the left. Then my notes would look less Unibomber in nature.


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## tommyb (Mar 12, 2010)

creativeamanda said:


> I've considered downloading the Bible onto my Blackberry device. But I like being able to make my own notes. When I look back on those notes, I often remember exactly why I made that note either by the color of the pen or the date I might scribble.
> 
> What I really need is a Bible that is printed on the right side and blank on the left. Then my notes would look less Unibomber in nature.



The Crossway ESV journaling Bible is exactly what you are describing, although I think the notes half of the page is always on the outside.


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## creativeamanda (Mar 12, 2010)

tommyb said:


> creativeamanda said:
> 
> 
> > I've considered downloading the Bible onto my Blackberry device. But I like being able to make my own notes. When I look back on those notes, I often remember exactly why I made that note either by the color of the pen or the date I might scribble.
> ...



I knew I saw one somewhere. . .man, I probably don't need to be shopping.


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