Glue/Cement Alternatives

Mudbug007

Mudbug007

Joined
Nov 29, 2010
Messages
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It seems no matter how hard I try, I get Barge cement and/or contact glue on my sheaths when gluing them up. I'm wondering if there are some alternatives that are easier to clean up or not as messy to use? I use a small acid brush to apply glue/cement and everything goes well until I start assembly. While I'm focused on trying to get the welt just right, somehow I get glue on my hands and ends up on the outside of the sheath, generally on the front!

I see Tandy has some Eco-Flo glue called Leather Weld. I also see they have some Tanners Bond products. Springfield has quite a few products. One that caught my eye was Neoweld. Are any of these just as effective as Barge or Contact glue, yet easier to clean off of leather?

Or perhaps someone has a suggestion of how to clean it off easily.
 
Mudbug, Here's what I do. I use Barge contact cement and Barge thinner exclusively, and because I use quite a lot I buy in gallon lots. Many years ago I bit the bullet and bought one of those "high-priced" Teflon glue pots. One of my best investments and decision ever.

I use my cement probably much thinner than everyone else, and I can mix it right in the glue pot. I like my cement about the consistency of thin pancake syrup. It will actually run off the brush as opposed drip when I hold the brush over the pot. The better quality brush along with the thinner cement allows me to be much more precise with the placement especially in tight areas. Because it is thinner I use two coats to insure a really good bond. First coat penetrates the fibers and when that glazes over the second coat goes on and when that glazes it's ready to join the pieces for a really good bond.

Invariably there will be some errant cement getting into or onto an area where you don't want it. Take a paper towel, Scott shop towel, or whatever and put some Barge thinner on it and wipe the cement off. If you do it thoroughly the cement you did not want just goes away. Please be very sure you are thorough with your cleaning because just a tiny bit of residue will be a resist to dyes, and other finishes.

Now to address your other question, I can't really comment on alternative cements, because I've never used anything but Barge in many, many years. I have been told that Original Weldwood brand contact cement works very much like Barge. The others you mentioned I have not tried, but logic makes me believe they would be just as prone to being messy as Barge and probably very similar in difficulty cleaning.

I think the THINNER cement and relatively quick and thorough cleaning with Barge thinner could go along way to solving your problem.

(The thinner will also remove the cement from your hands and it even leaves the skin!)

Paul
 
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I'm in the same boat as Paul, I've only used contact cement, Weldwood as suggested by Sandy, and nothing else aside from Barge on occasion.

Nothing else really works as well as contact cement. This comes from over ten years of watching crafters try the other stuff and invariably come back to contact cement. I do hear that tanners bond works well, but messy, just like any other liquid glue.

Key word, liquid. If it flows, its going to get everywhere you dont want it to go. Its our personal Murphy. :p
 
Thanks Paul and Dwayne. I appreciate those answers. I've never saw Barge thinner but will look for it tomorrow when I visit my local Tandy store.

Paul, I have all your videos and have seen that pot. I think Springfield has the best price on it plus they have plastic containers with the brushes built into the lid. Guess I'll have to see about getting one of those!

As long as I can get the cement off without damaging the finish, I'll be happy. Oh, and I've already learned that cement, in any amount, will resist stain and finishes. Learned that one the hard way too!
 
Mudbug, the construction and shape of the glue pot is what makes it superior when it comes to keeping cement. It actually recirculates the fumes which would otherwise evaporate causing the cement to dry out more quickly. It's better than the plastic container on several levels and for me, it's worth the extra money.

Paul
 
Thanks for the explanation Paul. I had no idea about the design of the pot. I'm going by the Tandy store tomorrow to get some other stuff and I'll see if they have one in stock.
 
Funny thing happened today at Tandy....

I go to buy the quart can of Barge and a Pint of Barge Thinner and they won't sell it to me because I didn't have a business license. They even showed me in their catalog where it said "not for retail sale". Go figure.

But they would sell me the Tandy Contact Cement Thinner that had a label on the front that said "Made for Tandy by Barge". She would also sell me a quart of that branded contact cement which looked eerily similar to the Barge can. I declined and came home and ordered what I wanted from Springfield. Silly, silly world we live in!
 
Life is so much simpler when I can go to a major chain store and get my contact cement.

But I do have a business account at Tandy, but even then Barge is a lot more expensive.

What you encountered is called "politics" between manufacturer and middle man. It happens a lot more often than people see. Doesn't make sense, but apparently it doesn't have to. :confused:
 
Dwayne, check out State Leather and Shoe at 3107 Fredericksburg Road in SA 210 222 0253 for your Barge and Thinner. It looks like a junk furniture store, the shoe findings stuff is way back in the rear. Not even sure what the price is today, but it may be less than Tandy. I'm going to have to make the drive into SA pretty quick and pick up two or three gallons of each.

Paul
 
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