Sorry but this is just a little thing...

 

So my son gets a handbook a few months ago and we invest in the ring bound one thinking it would be easier to use.

 

Then we get the green canvas sleeve so it will last longer.

 

The problem is that the cover of the ring bound book does not lay well in the sleeve pockets. It gets all curved up at the binding and I don't think it's going to last a year.

 

Does this make sense to anyone out there and do you have any suggestions? Like I said this isn't a real earth shattering problem, just really annoying...

Ring bound is easier to use, for sure.

 

Cover might make it last longer, but it's made for the normal binding.

 

I'd ditch the cover. Let the book wear out. It means it's being well used.

I find that the spiral book has a very short life span. I recommend the standard bound book, the nylon cover and a gallon zip loc bag.

Yes it is a pain. We invested in the slightly larger Black book cover with the red attached book mark ribbon. It fit better in that, but it still has issues.

 

One of the scouts in our troop uses a regular black denim or nylon fabric book cover that zips and has a small fabric handle, like one that you might buy for a bible cover. They had a friend sew a large circular scout emblem on the front of it and presto! The scout book slips into one of the inside pockets on one side and he has a notepad and folded handouts in the other side pocket (the side pockets where the cover of the bible should slip in.)It seems to handle the book a lot better and the pages don't seem to be wearing like the scout made covers.

 

Hope this helps!!

My boys and I have had both spiral and perfect bound. I find with constant use the Spiral lasts longer but pages tear out easy. In any case they must be protected by a cover. ScouterCa's comments are great! I have seen water proof bible covers (for the missionary on the go I guess).

 

A good project for Webelo 2's or Newbies might be making their own covers.

Is their a merit badge does bookbinding? Might be a good repair project. My Dad's old 1940's Popular Mechanics for Boys (Still has his Dogs teeth marks from 1943) had lots of stuff on boys making a book press, rebinding books, and making covers. Looks cool in an old school way.

Yeah, I noticed the field manual fits perfectly in the sleeve they sell for it.

 

It looks like if you just put the spiral book inside the cover without actually putting the book cover pages into the fabric sleeves, that works ok. I thought the book would slide out but it sticks in there. So perhaps that crisis has been averted!

Like so many other things, the current BS Handbook is cheaply manufactured.

 

I have my 1967 handbook still. Its still in great shape. Well used, yes. Usable, yes.

My son has my Dad's 1943 manual. It is falling apart...cheap pulp paper...but hey there was a war on.