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Customizing Scout Handbooks


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Since damaged Scout Handbook bindings appear to be a common problem and issue, Scout Troops should probably develop a method to deal with it.

 

That suggests a preemptive reinforcement of the binding to avoid the problem or methods to make repairs once they become apparent.

 

Does anyone do that kind of thing?

 

It occurs to me that there might be useful ways to customize the Scout Handbook to make it more useful and meaningful to boys. A custom Troop book plate with the name of the Scout on it might be one example. Installing pockets for Merit Badge blue cards a boy is working on might be another.

 

What other ways could troops help maintain and usefully customize Scout Handbooks?

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I don't know how you would do that. The issue is the edge gluing comes loose and the pages fall out. Don't know how you would fix that unless you drill holes and turn the whole thing into a notebook.

 

The nylon covers for the books really seem to help, but you shouldn't have to buy a $7 cover to keep a $10 or $15 dollar book from falling apart.

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There's the answer for everyone. National can reinstate the Bookbinding MB. Then you can purchase the pamphlet at the same time you buy the HB and as soon as the book starts to have issues, or immediately if you choose, "fix" the book and get the MB. The bonus would be that maybe a kid or two might even read the book while working on re-gluing.

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OR Supply could get enough of the defective books returned to make it worth their while to produce a quality item.

I'm sending at least a dozen back.

 

I have handbooks from the 20's and 30's that are in better shape than a 6 month old book of today!

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"I was informed that it is cheaper, and sturdier, to take the current BSHB, got to Staples, and get them to spiral bind it. "

 

Huh. Would that be sturdier than the current spiral bound edition, which seems even flimsier than the regular bound one? If so, I may try it with a test copy.

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I like the bookbinding mb idea.

 

No idea about the current ones but I know in the 80's I ended up needing one for signatures and one for daily use. Not sure what book can survive 5 years of camping.

 

My issue is all the silly binders that are more common now. What scoutmaster carries a three ring binder? Give me a book small enough to go in a pack. Binders invite pages falling out and it never going anywhere.

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I for one like the book binding lesson idea.

Library repair supplies are available, but a little expensive for an individual to buy for just one book. Might be better to buy in bulk for the group/troop to save in the long run.

 

I have never liked spiral bound books of any kind.... The pages rip out and then don't fit back well, or the binding gets bent, the pages hang up and don't turn smoothly..... Just one opinion, but I dont think that they are a good solution at all, except maybe for books that have subscription updates where the pages have to be replaced frequently, and then a multi-ring binder (more than three) can work. But that doesn't apply here, eh?....

 

I don't like paper backed either, so give me a hard backed book option any day!

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