Best Glue For Leather To Leather, And Leather To Fabric

[CCPhotog]

As the title says, I'm wondering what is the best glue or adhesive you guys have found. I'm mostly attaching leather to leather, but occasionally I want to add fabric.

[Dwight]

Weldwood contact cement has nothing to beat it. Some sort of equal it, . . . but that's about it.

For fabric, . . . put it on thin, . . . otherwise it'll soak through.

May God bless,

Dwight

[cst]

I agree. I like the gel version because I am a klutz and it is easier to be less sloppy with.

[camano ridge]

I agree with Dwight, Weldwood Cantact Cement is the only glue I have used for several years. I ahve tried Barge, all of the Tany glues etc. None of them out shined Weldwood. Before anyone has a fit. Barge is good glue but it is more expensive and has a stronger odor and needs a lot of ventilation. I use the weldwood non flammable it is low VOC so it hasa low odor. Most important thing is to apply to each piece and let dry then put the pieces together. Make sure they are aligned once stuck they are stuck.

[KandB]

I use E6000 - it's the strongest stuff I've found - I tried contact cements and barge glues but I could always pull the leather pieces apart - the E6000 is amazing - it takes the strength of a full grown man to forcibly rip the suede sides apart when glued together.

[krusatyr]

Contact cements are ready to go in minutes:  E6000 requires days to cure, cleans up with lacquer thinner.  I have used both and each has advantages, disadvantages for any given purpose.  I would use contact cement where alignment is easy but the E6000 is better if, for example, one is blind-attaching a piece down inside of a boot where applying cement to both surfaces and aligning attachment is impossible.

The slower cure of E6000 can be effective where additional adjustment, dry-shaping and clamping occur immediately after gluing.

[Samalan]

When Barge is applied and stuck together at the appropriate time nothing is stronger. IMHO. 

[kingneptune]

I work with soft leather and there are times when pieces do need to be separated and reglued.  Been with Barge since 1978 and it's by far the best in that usage, easy to clean visible glue off, too.

[Davm]

I use barge simply because I can move the pieces a little if needed.  With contact- you must be right on.

[GeneH]

Well since this topic has be revived - some specific questions:

*E6000 -

- flexible after cured?

- bonds to the skin or outside of veg tan? (my Weldwood Contact Cement doesn't seem to adhere well)

- stronger than the leather? (Pulls leather away when ripped off instead of separating from the leather)

- water and / or solvent proof for water soaked or accidental oil soaking?

*Barge -

- flexible after cured?

- bonds to the skin or outside of veg tan? (my Weldwood Contact Cement doesn't seem to adhere well)

- stronger than the leather? (Pulls leather away when ripped off instead of separating from the leather)

- water and / or solvent proof for water soaked or accidental oil soaking?

[Dwight]

If you are having trouble with Weldwood, . . . you are not doing something right.

Flesh side to flesh side adhesions, . . . once set (several hours after initial contact), . . . you will pull leather apart making them separate.

Hair side, . . . you have to take sand paper or a wire brush (better) and scuff up the hair side, . . . then the same will occur as above.

Flexible after cured, . . . yes, . . . but you have to remember that layers of leather are like layers of wood.  Instead of "plywood" you have "plyleather", . . . and it will be significantly less prone to bending and flexibility.  

Yes, . . . for all tense and purposes . . . . water proof.  If you have to have something solvent proof, . . . leather is the wrong product to use to begin with.  Oil should not bother it either, unless you soak it, . . . in which case you probably ruined the leather piece as well.  

Accidental and incidental spills of water, oil, and solvent should have been taken care of by the topcoat you put on the product.  

May God bless,

Dwight

[GeneH]

Part of my question was comparisons between Weldwood, Barge, and E6000, but I wasn't clear on that. Ooops.

Thanks Dwight. Yep, first piece I didn't do right, and now it's going to be up to the stitching. But there isn't much stress so should be fine - after that I tried scuffing the hair side and that worked.  I was a little surprised that it was "slick?" enough (is that the right word?) or impervious enough for the Weldwood to not adhere. Says a lot for leather - pretty good stuff.

I am just figuring out the "pleather" aspect of multiple layers - just learning how well it works. Glad you validated that. 

Regarding soaking and possibly oil - I'm thinking outdoors in the woods, dressing a game animal, rain, dunk in the lake (ooops) or spilling fuel or something on a sheath. Clumsy mistakes like that.

 

[Dwight]

Gene . . . . mistakes like that are the reason folks have been using leather for centuries.  

Like the old saying about Timex, . . . takes a licking and keeps on ticking, . . . leather is the same.  But we are talking sporadic, unintentional, mistakes, . . . a steady diet of dunking leather in gasoline or other materials like that will dry it out, . . . it'll crack like crazy, . . . ain't worth carrying home after a while.  

My saddle is nearing if not past the century mark, . . . and if I still rode, . . . it would be good for decades more use.  I'm sending it to a friend in Arizona just for that reason, . . . he can use it, . . . I'm done.

But seriously talking about glue, . . . I use Elmer's white glue if I need to move something around after I stick it the first time.  Other than that, . . . it's Weldwood.  I found using only a couple of products allows me to know what I'm going to get using it.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

[GeneH]

Thanks Dwight!

[Handstitched]

Down under, we have ' Kwik Grip'  & ' Kwik Grip Gel' , but basically a good contact cement. 

HS 

[Outfitr]

I've been using Barge for some time but tried Weldwood recently and while it seems to work fine I don't think it's any stronger or better than Barge. 

[Rockoboy]

On ‎15‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 9:48 PM, Handstitched said:

we have ' Kwik Grip'  & ' Kwik Grip Gel'

While they are good products from Selleys, I use a Parfix product which is virtually identical, I think its called Gel Fix, but about half the price. 500ml can for ~$13.00 at Bunnings.

[Handstitched]

G'Day Rocko, 

I now  have both and both seem to work quite well. With ' Gel Grip' and Kwik Grip, they have different types, one for horizontal , vertical etc. ( for laminates) Same diff   I only buy the small 500ml tins, as a large tin will go off quicker than I can use it,  due to the constant opening and closing  of the tin. 

HS 

[NeilMott]

I was at a leather workshop at a Shoemaking school and they were using a white glue...  I'm assuming it was some sort of PVA and it was water soluble.  The instructor showed how it'd clean up easily by putting it on his hands, rubbing his hands together and then it just balled up and into the garbage.

For me, I'm just getting into leatherwork and somewhere I read Barge Cement was the best.  I have a small tube and part of it is turning opaque...  I'm not sure what that means.   I'm applying it with a small artist brush...  Because I'm new to this, I need a little set up time and because I'm making watch straps I need the glue to be flexible.  I was looking at Fiebings leather glue.  Anyone with use this?

Neil

Edited July 23, 2019 by NeilMott

[Hildebrand]

Montana Leather carriers a water base rubber cement and a water base contact cement. Bonus is the contact cement is odorless as well. I have tried both and they work as advertised. My holsters are made in the style of Catsass a member here. Short version is they are 2 layers of thinner leather contact cemented flesh to flesh leaving the smooth grain side out. The odorless version created a bond just as permanent as the barges. 

Todd

[Handstitched]

I have in the past used  craft glue sticks ( like you would find in a stationary or craft  shop)  to stick some fabrics to  leather before sewing, like an extra pair of hands. Adhesion from one brand to another will vary, but you'd be surprised what they can stick. 

While on the subject of contact adhesive, I've used toluene to soften it up if it gets a bit ' gluggy'   or starts to go off due to frequent opening & closing of the tin. 

HS 

Edited July 24, 2019 by Handstitched

[toxo]

I'll just throw this out there for what it's worth. I've used "Gorilla" glue a couple of times. It works on moisture so the work has to be dampened. Don't know how flexible it is but for stickability on leather I can vouch for it's effectiveness after I weighed down the work with some books but inadvertently moved the work. Next day I had to cut the leather to get it apart. Doh! Have plenty of clamps now.

[splinters]

On 2/14/2019 at 4:32 PM, Dwight said:

 

But seriously talking about glue, . . . I use Elmer's white glue if I need to move something around after I stick it the first time.  Other than that, . . . it's Weldwood.  I found using only a couple of products allows me to know what I'm going to get using it.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

I was going to post a question about Elmer's white glue today and then saw your comment. Thanks Dwight. I've been thinking about using it to temporarily hold a gusset until I can align and stitch it.

[fredk]

What you have to bear in mind is the affect certain glues will have on your leather.

When I use PVA glue on chrome tan nothing much happens except it sticks. When I use in on veg tan on my game boards the water in the glue soaks into the leather and when it dries out it shrinks the leather a bit, not much, but enough that I need to let a covered game board dry out for far longer than I would using contact adhesive before I carve in the lines or press in the fancy design stamps. If I don't the drying and shrinking can pull the lines askew

When I use contact adhesive, a bit too much can seep through to the front, or near the front of the leather acting as a dye or finish inhibitor, which PVA seems not to do

Also available for sticking are two other adhesive products;

1. double sided tape, good for holding gussets in place

2. iron/heat activated sheets. you need to test on scrap leather first. its too easy to get too high a heat and totally ruin a nice bit of leather (yeah, ask how I know,  )

[splinters]

39 minutes ago, fredk said:

 

Also available for sticking are two other adhesive products;

1. double sided tape, good for holding gussets in place

 

That's one I had not considered.