Removing a bit of contact cement.

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

Joined
Mar 19, 2007
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When I get ready to dye a sheath - I dampen it with water and a bit of alcohol to open the pours of the leather and ready it for dying.

Now and again - I see a little dot or two of glue that mistakenly was allowed on the surface of my sheath and is resisting the water/alcohol.

I can use a finger nail and take it off - but that usually leaves some indentation. I can use a stronger solvent, like acetone - but I worry about drying out the leather.

What do you do in this circumstance if the piece that has the glue is going to show?

TF
 
You can either use Barge thinner, or a product readily available at most paint/hardware stores called "Tulene". It will also thin Barge cement effectively.

Paul
 
I won't guarantee it but a product called goo gone (might) help. I keep a gallon of methyl ethyl ketone for glue errors. With you being in Tx you can buy pints or gallons of MEK or MIBK.
 
I have some Barge thinner, Paul. I have a lot of it. Why did I NEVER think of this?

I swear. I am a college professor - I have four college degrees...

I use it THIN cement - never used it REMOVE cement.

Wow...

I wish I had a degree in common sense some days! ;)

Thanks,

TF
 
Don't sweat it too much Tal. In my book, you've got a masters in making sweet videos with tons of humor for us beginners.

Seriously. I'll be watching your stuff on my tablet and my wife will start to lose track of what she's doing because one of us is giggling.

Sorry, that isn't exactly on topic, but I had to say it somewhere. :)
 
I dye first and then glue, works better for me. If any glue gets slopped on after its been dyed it just rubs right off, no marks left.
 
Talfuchre said:
I have some Barge thinner, Paul. I have a lot of it. Why did I NEVER think of this?

I swear. I am a college professor - I have four college degrees...

I use it THIN cement - never used it REMOVE cement.

Wow...

I wish I had a degree in common sense some days! ;)

Thanks,

TF
Click to expand...

Happens to the best of us... Man do I know how that feels.
 
Some contact cements can be removed by letting a puddle of cement dry in a cup or some disposable dish, then using the solidified wad to press against and pull off the errant cement on your leather. You keep pressing and pulling it off, move to a new surface on your wad, and keep repeating. If you are familiar with using tape to pull of adhesive residue from left price tags, you already know the process. Just keep repeating until the job is done.

Using a solvent spreads the stuff around and gets more of it into the leather surface.
 
After thinking about this some... I realized that I use to have the HARDEST time removing contact cement off of my sheaths. :confused:

I hated it. Wish I would have known this when I was doing it. I ended up getting it so I didn't get any cement anywhere that I didn't want it...

Now that I think about it... I need to get a glue pot and some barge and barge thinner.

-Brian-
 
TheWeatherman said:
Now that I think about it... I need to get a glue pot and some barge and barge thinner.

-Brian-
Click to expand...

Now that, my man is a very worthwhile and intelligent thought. They seem expensive as you are buying them, but after using one for a while you wind up thinking…………..Wow! that was cheap (inexpensive). If you are going to stay with your leather work it is definitely a must have item.

Paul
 
sheathmaker said:
Now that, my man is a very worthwhile and intelligent thought. They seem expensive as you are buying them, but after using one for a while you wind up thinking…………..Wow! that was cheap (inexpensive). If you are going to stay with your leather work it is definitely a must have item.

Paul
Click to expand...

How does that saying go?.... " Great minds think a like " :D

-Brian-
 
I checked out the pot that Paul uses - and it is VERY nice and weighted to ensure no spills. Also - the brush is replaceable.

I saw this one on Amazon - and as I have a prime account I decided to try it:

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Horn-1904...=UTF8&qid=1394548898&sr=8-4&keywords=glue+pot

I use a metal brush and store it in the pot. It has been great to use. Tip is up in between uses and I am much more accurate with my glue ups.

Just a thought.

TF
 
Tal, I'd be interested in how the plastic Big Horn pot holds up with the solvent based cements such as barge. I have had my pot pictured below for so long that amortized cost is just bout $2.50 per year and believe or not that is the original brush. I am OCD on keeping it cleaned up though.

Paul
 
Paul - I have had it for about 3 months. I can't see any wear on the pot at all. I clean the rim of it now and again and the surface allows it to simply rub right off.

Maybe there will be longevity issues - if so - I will let you know.

TF
 
On the cement removal, one silly simple way of getting it gone, if you get to it under 24 hours is a pink pearl eraser. Its hard enough to work against the cement and effectively rubs it off. After 24 though, its hard as a rock and I dont know if even the thinner could get it off without affecting the leather in an adverse way. This one from Sandy, Dave, and Gary. :) See guys, I did learn a little when I was up and coming! :p
 
leatherman said:
On the cement removal, one silly simple way of getting it gone, if you get to it under 24 hours is a pink pearl eraser. Its hard enough to work against the cement and effectively rubs it off. After 24 though, its hard as a rock and I dont know if even the thinner could get it off without affecting the leather in an adverse way. This one from Sandy, Dave, and Gary. :) See guys, I did learn a little when I was up and coming! :p
Click to expand...

I am going to try that, the next time I need to fix it.... :D
 
Let me clarify my use of Barge thinner to remove occasional errant glue. The method is much like you use when spot cleaning a dry clean item. Using a paper shop towel I put some thinner on it and briskly, but relatively softly, brush stoke the area, changing the spot on the towel frequently so as not to "reapply" diluted glue and spread it around. The towel will wick up the diluted glue, and even pull most out that may have penetrated slightly. The thinner evaporates very rapidly and leaves no marks on the leather and no discoloration. I haven't tried the eraser method, but if you do exercise caution not to lightly abrade the leather as any eraser is abrasive to some degree.

Paul
 
I'll have to try that one from Springfield now, says dried glue just peels right off. I've always just bought a gallon of Barge and every now and then a quart with it because it comes with a built in brush and just refill it from the gallon and replace it once a year. Just remember to wipe off the cap or have a king fu grip.
 
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