Book repairs using the term Calf binding is often referred to as half calf, full-calf, half bound, full-bound and sometimes leather bound depending on the amount of leather used in its restoration or repair.

Typically it is a book bound with a very rigid protective cover normally from binder's board material and then covered in calf's leather bound in the same way as hard cover are normally done. They usually have a flexible sewn spine which will allow the restored book to lie flat on a surface when opened.