The Handcrafted CSB Personal Size
The Handcrafted CSB Personal Size Bible is a great little Bible for people with good vision! In this video I talk about the pros and cons of these beautiful little CSB Bibles. If you’re more the reading type then check out the full transcript below.
Pick them up here:
Marbled Slate:
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Lifeway
Marbled Burgundy:
Amazon (affiliate)
Lifeway
Well, howdy and Hallelujah! Welcome to the Not Another Book or Bible Review Channel. My name is Cam Hyde, and I'm here to bring you all the information about books and Bibles in an unconventional way. Today, I'll be talking about the Holman handcrafted personal-size Bible. This is a CSB Bible, and I've got a couple of them here. They’re really nice, part of the handcrafted collection made with calfskin leather. These are smaller Bibles, available in marble burgundy and marble slate (or gray, if you prefer).
Let's dive in—I'll go over some pros, cons, and other details. First, let's look at the box. It highlights the features: a premium calfskin cover, Smyth-sewn lay-flat edge-lined binding, designed to last a lifetime. It's made with high-quality Bible paper. Now, other reviews might tell you about the GSM or paper weight, but I won't go into that detail. If that’s what you're looking for, check out my buddy Tim Nichols at Nicholsworth for his amazing reviews.
The Bible has a two-column text format, topical subject headings, a 7.5-point type size, black letter text, footnotes, art-gilt page edges, and two ribbon markers for easy referencing. It also includes full-color maps.
A cool feature is that the gray Bible has silver stamping and silver gilt, while the red has gold stamping and gilt. The gray version has silver under blue, while the red has red under gold.
Some people are very particular about the art gilt, and some prefer it to be scratch-free out of the box. I did notice that the silver one came with a few scratches. Personally, I don't mind because if you're actually using your Bible, it's going to get scratched anyway. This is a portable Bible with no significant yap (the leather overlap), so it’s meant to be carried around. If you plan to use it, scratches are just part of the deal.
This Bible has two ribbon markers and a nice gilt line. However, my main critique is that it's a bit too small for my preference. The 7.5-point type size is tiny, and although some people love small Bibles, it's not for me—especially with my eyesight. It's sometimes called the "Pit Minion" of the CSB line, and like the Pit Minion, it’s just too small for my taste.
However, it does have nice burgundy accent colors throughout, which are a lovely touch. It also includes full-color maps, which I think the CSB does exceptionally well. They’re printed on thin card stock that feels almost like Bible paper. I’d prefer maps to be on actual Bible paper to reduce thickness, but if you need maps in a portable Bible, these are a great option. For me, I’d rather use a study Bible for maps.
All in all, these are nice, portable Bibles. If you’re looking for something to carry to church or to share the gospel, this would be perfect—especially if you have good eyesight. The stitching on the edges is also well done.
I'd definitely recommend giving these Bibles a look. I'll include a link in the description. I’m really a fan of what Holman is doing with their handcrafted collection and their new leathers. Thanks for watching, and until next time—see you!
