- Support the book with another book or a stack of boards.
- Use an X-acto knife or scalpel and ruler to cut through the book cloth along the edge of the endpapers at the head and tail. The cut should be about 1 – 2” long.
- At the outer edge of the first cut (away from the spine), make a second, 90-degree cut across the book cloth from the edge of the endpaper to the top of the book board.
- Use a knife or microspatula to lift the book cloth away from the book board. If necessary, clip through the original book cloth turn-in at the hinge to allow the cloth to lift up. DO NOT clip through the endpaper or the crash.
- Repeat this cut at the other end of the cover and on the opposite book board.
- If the turn-in in the spine area is completely loose, remove it.
- Insert a microspatula or dull knife between the original turn-in under the endpapers (the part of the book cloth cut but not lifted above and the book board. The original book cloth turn-in will support the endpaper as it is lifted.
- Loosen only a small amount of the endpaper as more can be separated later if needed.
