Replacing the elastic on Moleskine notebooks

[frotz]

Does anyone here know how one can remove the elastic band from a Moleskine notebook and install a new one, without significant damage?  My 5.25" x 8.25" notebooks are usually the ones that I notice the elastics getting stretched out after a bit more than a quarter of the way through.  I can easily see that the elastics are slid through a hole in the outer layer of the cover and glued into place, but I cannot see how to open up that hole and the space behind without causing damage.

[mhguda]

I usually just shorten the elastic... Either cutting out a piece, or tying a knot.

Works for me.

[frotz]

The elasticity is pretty much all gone.

[mhguda]

In that case sew a new piece to maybe 1cm at each end... make a new loop.

[A Smug Dill]

45 minutes ago, mhguda said:

In that case sew a new piece to maybe 1cm at each end... make a new loop.

 

Exactly what I'd recommend.

 

3 hours ago, frotz said:

I cannot see how to open up that hole and the space behind without causing damage.

 

Not causing significant damage to the cover, or otherwise what remains, of the notebook while performing a functional repair is not the same thing as making it pretty, hiding all the 

DIY joins from sight, etc. If you don't feel you have either the tools or the skill to open up the layers cleanly, remove and replace the elastic, then do a professional-looking job of putting (back) together a hardcover notebook, then the best thing would be not to even try to be too fancy.

 

[Karmachanic]

https://www.etsy.com/uk/market/notebook_strap

[Penguincollector]

On 11/29/2022 at 10:53 AM, frotz said:

Does anyone here know how one can remove the elastic band from a Moleskine notebook and install a new one, without significant damage?  My 5.25" x 8.25" notebooks are usually the ones that I notice the elastics getting stretched out after a bit more than a quarter of the way through.  I can easily see that the elastics are slid through a hole in the outer layer of the cover and glued into place, but I cannot see how to open up that hole and the space behind without causing damage.

  I would cut the saggy elastic off but leave at least an inch or two to connect to a new elastic that is the same width and is of a length that loops around your notebook with a bit of stretch. You will want to sew the ends of all the elastic pieces- the  end left on the notebook and the  new piece, so that they don’t fray. Then overlap the new elastic with the old pieces and sew them together at each end.  

[inkypete]

Any easy way is to remove the band completely and use a book band. Something like these.

 

https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/otto-rubber-file-bands-assorted-3-pack-otrfbnd3p?istCompanyId=0403b0ba-0671-498f-aeb7-e2ff71b61924&istFeedId=00ff5695-1f12-4ff3-82f4-49dd39a43a69&istItemId=imirlirwl&istBid=t&cm_mmc=Google:SEM:Always_on:RP|Office|OS:Stationery|General|||SH|Smart||&s_kwcid=AL!12073!3!588636109845!!!u!594563932008!&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvqGcBhCJARIsAFQ5ke5Vmdtcswug0R7TV16pXf1vJpVXHJBvrE91iu7sytNDiFMDEi7zO08aAogrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds