Which Barge formula?

[Aventurine]

In the past I used Barge cement in the yellow can with a red triangle on it.  Now it seems there are several different formulas including one without toluene solvent.  Do the different kinds differ in performance for glueing leather to leather?  Which one should I use  for shoes?

[Aventurine]

Maybe nobody uses Barge anymore?  Do you guys mostly use Weldwood?  But it has more than one formula too, now...

Edited July 28, 2024 by Aventurine

[CdK]

I stopped using it as it is not available locally and shipping it in was a mess due to leaking containers. I use Weldwood contact cement and results are good and the local hardware outlets have it available, There may be applications where Barge is preferred but I have not come across any limitations yet. I don’t do footwear so it may not be suitable for that use.

[billybopp]

I use Weldwood lately, but I think if I were doing shoes I'd stick with the original formula Barge.  

- Bill

[DJole]

I have a tube of Barge all purpose cement, toluene-free formula, here. 
Unfortunately, I can't compare it to other Barge formulas, or other adhesives, since I have little or no experience with them.
I have been quite happy using this particular Barge formula for bags and wallets. For shoes? I don't know. 

[jrdunn]

I have used weldwood red/black and like it but still prefer Barges Yellow/Red.  JM2C, Jim

[Mablung]

I use Barge, especially for shoe applications. Tanner’s Bond works okay for that, too, but Barge is way better. I use Tanner’s Bond or the Tandy brand Eco-Cement, or whatever it’s called, for things that don’t need as strong a hold. 

[Littlef]

I use Barge, but the only place I've found it locally is at the Tandy Store.  I also have some Aquilium 315, which works, but the original barge makes a significantly stronger bond.  I'm getting close to the bottom of my can of Barge.  Next time I go into Tandy, I plan on picking up a new can.  If I couldn't get it locally, I'd probably try Weldwood, but as long as its available at Tandy, I'll keep using it.  

 

[Aven]

From my experience, it doesn't matter too much which leather glue you use, Barge, Weldwood, Masters, etc if you are gluing leather to leather and stitching.  In regards to shoes and glue, it seems to matter quite a bit, especially if you are just planning on gluing the man-made sole material on and aren't going to stitch it in place.  Then the glue really matters.  If you are looking at this from a shoe making point of view, I'd suggest you go and talk to a couple of cobblers in your area and ask them about their experiences. 

Whichever glue you end up using, if it's not water based, make sure your shop is set up to use the glue and you have the proper PPE for it.  If the glue can meld plastic to leather, just imagine what its doing to your lungs. 

[MarshalWill]

Barge doesn't work the way it used to. None of the formulas I've tried compare to the original formulation. I have changed to Master Cement and it works like the original Barge one did.

[SUP]

I just use a permanent waterproof Gorilla glue and it works fine. I have barge but never used it. Too much of a hassle with worrying about the lid getting stuck and so on.

[Littlef]

18 hours ago, SUP said:

I just use a permanent waterproof Gorilla glue and it works fine. I have barge but never used it. Too much of a hassle with worrying about the lid getting stuck and so on.

acetone does a good job cleaning up barge.  I learned if I take a q-tip ..or even a piece of paper towel, and wipe the inside of the lid, and the threads of the can with acetone, after every couple of uses, the lid doesn't stick anymore.  Before that, it stuck once, and I had to use a pipe wrench to unscrew it.  

[SUP]

Thank you for those tips. I should try that, since I already have the tin. 

[Mablung]

Had never thought of using acetone. Thanks for sharing, @Littlef  

[purplefox66]

Aqualim 315 is your friend 

[Cumberland Highpower]

You've got allot of good answers so far, but I wouldn't use any of the Barge products.

It's pretty potent fume wise, even if they claim it's less so than others. Any time I tried to use either type I ended up feeling a little sick from it. (Nausea, dizziness). Not much, but noticeable. 

Dap Weldwood is somewhat better, at least it's what I use.  The Latex Weldwood is even better  if you're working with leather and you can even thin it down.  The latex version is pretty safe to use and I get about 50% more coverage compared to the neoprene base glue per gallon.  I've also used it in glue machines with decent success. The Latex isn't so good if you're gluing rubber to leather though.  It doesn't need as much ventilation to use either.

Edited August 4, 2024 by Cumberland Highpower

[CdK]

14 hours ago, Littlef said:

acetone does a good job cleaning up barge.  I learned if I take a q-tip ..or even a piece of paper towel, and wipe the inside of the lid, and the threads of the can with acetone, after every couple of uses, the lid doesn't stick anymore.  Before that, it stuck once, and I had to use a pipe wrench to unscrew it.  

The glued shut screw caps can be prevented by lightly coating the threads with Vaseline or grease. 

[Littlef]

6 hours ago, CdK said:

The glued shut screw caps can be prevented by lightly coating the threads with Vaseline or grease. 

like with most things, a little maintenance goes a long ways.

[Wizcrafts]

I have used Barge TF with good success. But, lately I've been using Master Cement and it is a permanent bond. Master is usually sold to shoe repair shops, which is how I learned about it.