When it comes to paring leather for bookbinding, having a good quality work surface is almost as important as a sharp knife. In this video I prepare the Rolls Royce of paring surfaces: a lithography stone. Lithography is a method of printing that was extremely common in the 19th and early 20th century, but has since been largely replaced by more modern processes. Images were imprinted onto slabs of fine-grained lithographic limestone, which could then be inked and printed over and over. It is perhaps because of the decline in lithographic printing that the lithography stone became the preferred work surface for bookbinders. As demand for lithographic prints fell, it is likely that the stones became both readily available and inexpensive. Sadly this is no longer the case, so I didn’t hesitate when I was able to purchase one fairly reasonably. The ubiquitous self-healing cutting mats we all use are of little use when paring leather, as the low angle of the blade invariably gouges