AcraGlass Gel OK? or Acraglass

J. Hoffman · May 10, 2011

I've read somewhere on here that acraglass was superior to Acraglass Gel. My question is; I have some Acraglass Gel from the last Benchrest rifle I bedded. Will this be acceptable, or do I need the regular stuff? I know the regular stuff is preferred, but can I use up this Gel without causing troubles? Thanks Jess

tryppyr · May 10, 2011

I believe the problem with the gel is that it doesn't have the same longevity as the regular stuff.

J. Hoffman · May 10, 2011

tryppyr said:
I believe the problem with the gel is that it doesn't have the same longevity as the regular stuff.

Longevity prior to mixing, or longevity after it is applied? What is the shelf life of it? I think my Gel is 5 years old.

tryppyr · May 10, 2011

After applied. The gel doesn't hold as long, according to the information I saw in the glue wars post.

J. Hoffman · May 10, 2011

Ok, Thanks. I'll spent the $18 and get the good stuff.

eisman · May 13, 2011

Really? How long is enough? I keep an action that I forgot to coat with release agent in my "learn from this pile". That's 25 years old and you couldn't take it apart with a hammer. I like the gel because it limits running and stays where I want it.

tryppyr · May 13, 2011

Do an advanced search for Glue Wars and read the threads.

Ed Caffrey · May 13, 2011

Acraglass....either the standard, or the gel, has a shelf life of 10 years, and a guaranteed hold life of 50 years.

For knifemaking, I always recommend the standard Acraglass, for several reasons. The Gel can be difficult to mix correctly, and the viscosity is so heavy that it often will leave "glue lines" on full tangs, and is nearly impossible to get into a handle hole for hidden tangs. If I were only bedding rifles, I would choose the gel, but in my experience, the standard Acraglass is a much better choice for knifemaking.