This recipe is a good homemade glue which can be safely used by children, but is also excellent for the delicate mending of torn pages or prints.
To make 10 floz/285ml paste
1 pint/570ml de-ionized water
5 teaspoons calcium hydroxide (available from drug stores/chemists)
3 oz/85g wheat flour
Mix together the water and calcium hydroxide and add a little of the liquid to the wheat flour. Blend it into a smooth paste, and then add the rest of the liquid. Pour the mixture into a warm saucepan and boil for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Transfer the paste to a clean bowl and leave to solidify. It should keep for a few days in the refrigerator, but discard it if it starts to go moldy.
To mend a torn print, cover a piece of fine tissue paper slightly wider and longer than the tear with the paste. Place it carefully over the edges at the back of the print, and cover with a piece of greaseproof paper and then blotting paper. Place a weight on top and leave to dry for 24 hours.
