Contact Cement Alternative

[SooperJake]

I couldn't find a related thread so I thought I'd share a new find.

I picked up a 16oz bottle of Bish's original Tear Mender at the local hardware store( not cheap, about $19 with tax). It is listed as "Instant Fabric and Leather Adhesive" and claims a 3 minute drying time.

Other claims include waterproof, permanent, quick drying, flexible, UV resistant, and acid free.Machine washable in 15 minutes.

It is milky white and has a mild smell of urea or maybe ammonia. Not quite water thin, but is clear in a minute or so when applied. I applied it with a dauber on a couple 6 sq in pieces of scrap leather and it was tacky before I finished painting each piece. I waited a couple minutes with one set , and with another set, put them right together.

Wow. it tacks fast.

The smell is gone in about a minute, and the stuff sticks pretty much right away. I was hoping it actually would give 3 minutes for extra positioning time but it really doesn't.

The dauber will clean if you wash it in water right away.

The bonded leather can be pulled apart with considerable effort, but then, so can Weldbond contact cement. The big difference I can see it the Bish's is a real rubbery like residue once separated, and you could, with some time, clean your leather pieces off by pulling up the glue residue. So,, your pieces wouldn't necessarily be lost if they stick together wrong. It does NOT appear to pull flesh leather up in the glue in my preliminary pull-apart tests.

I've got a piece soaking in water now for waterproof testing.

I may shelve my smelly old Weldbond.

http://www.tearmender.com/

Jake

[SooperJake]

By the way, if you get in on your hands, wait 30 seconds and it will peel right off.

http://www.tearmende...erialSafety.pdf

THOSE ALLERGIC TO LATEX TAKE HEED..IT IS LIQUID LATEX

Jake

Edited August 1, 2012 by SooperJake