Best Glue For Leather On Leather?

[zaynexpetty]

So far, I have been using Tandy's rubber cement stuff to hold two pieces of leather together so that I can sew. The problem I have been having is with wallets in particular. I make the inside portion of the wallet shorter lengthwise than the outside, in order to assist the wallet in folding. So the cement I have been using doesn't work great because the two pieces wont hold in place while I wait for it to set up (I tried using clamps, but they mark the leather).

Long story short, does anyone know of any glue that hold leather on leather really well that isnt extremely messy or overly toxic? I have read that Barge's is extremely toxic and contains carcinogens. Does anyone have experience with Weldwood? I guess I am looking for more of a permanent bond to hold the leather in place without clamps.

[dirtclod]

I used Barge for 20 plus years and quit when it got to where it cost so much to ship. After reading about the Weldwood in the red can on here i've been using it for the last 2 or 3 years and i like it as well as Barge. I get it by the gallon at the hardware store.

[ClaireAshton]

Rubber Cement excellent if you need to assemble then disassemble, such as putting in a gusset for marking up, as you can pullit apart and even reassemble again. Very helpful for intricate assemblies where you can't get it right first time.

Used many of the common glues, but for me it comes down to 2 main factors. First, 'holdability' when assembling and Second, issues when finishing.

By hold, some contact cements hold well immediately but difficult to get lined up well. Most respond well to heavy clamping, but where damage from clamps is an issue, try to use an overall 'press' by placing protected piece of wood etc and a heavy weight or clamps over the whole job. Prefeerably have the work oversized and cut to size when the cement has set. For positioning sew through layers outside if the work area to ensure correct alignment. PVA is poor for getting into position easily but responds well to clamping directly or indirectly.

Second issue for me is problems finishing. There is nothing worse than rubber cement (glue? I never know the difference between glue and cement) for sewing through and for messing up edge burnishing. Best is probably PVA.

Hmmm...... Spreadability is important, but so is convienience of a small tube to allow small applications and don't like having thinners but........

SO you see it is what you like best for a particular job. Now believe this or believe it not, one of my favourite (we in UK spell this correctly, unlike those across the English Ocean in the USA ) jobs is pulling dried up rubber cement out of one of those Tandy tins so I can put my own stuff in, such as Evo Stik Impact.

Then there is .......

What I really want and can't find anywhere is the white glue that Nigel Armitage uses in his videos that comes in a nice little dispenser he squeezes. My reason for wanting some of this is that everything he glues turns out into a really nice bag, or wallet or whatever.

My final advice, learn like most of us - by trial and error, mainly the latter

Oh... PS Barge is good when I can get it in the little tubes. And, nearly forgot, really strong double sided tape is great for holding just while you stitch. After all, if you are stitching, glue is only for holding. And... if it is a thin lining, some glues will soak through.

Edited July 15, 2014 by ClaireAshton

[Dwight]

I've been using Weldwood for some 40 years or so, . . . haven't developed a third eye, . . . no extra ears, . . . still got only 8 fingers and two thumbs.

Seriously, . . . it does have an odor, . . . and there is a flammable warning on it, . . . but figure a way past the odor, . . . and you have THE strongest of the glues. Some will equal it, . . . none will surpass it.

It can be thinned a tad with acetone, . . . works better on really small stuff, . . . and they make a gel that is also neat for putting just that little amount EXACTLY where you want it.

You're only out 7 bucks if you don't like it.

May God bless,

Dwight

[DavidL]

Regular acetone and contact cement should be use with a respirator. The red can weld wood may be okay without a respirator.

[cgleathercraft]

+1 for Weldwood,

My wife complained of the smell of the red label kind. I decided i'd test the flammability of it since there are tons of warnings on the label about pilot lights being an issue and I'm just a few feet from the furnace. Coated a 2 inch square patch on a scrap piece of leather and it light up like it was gasoline.

Since then I have bought and used the green label formula (non-flammable) . Doesn't hold quite as strong but still better than anything else for a permanent hold that i've tried so far. I'll switch back to the red label when I can get a vent hood set up.

[electrathon]

Then there is .......

What I really want and can't find anywhere is the white glue that Nigel Armitage uses in his videos that comes in a nice little dispenser he squeezes. My reason for wanting some of this is that everything he glues turns out into a really nice bag, or wallet or whatever.

Leather weld. It looks like white glue. Holds well during wallet assemble\y. Very friendly to sew through. Water soluble. Sets up reasonably fast.

[rawr66]

I've had the same problems as you with Tandy's rubber cement. I bought it by accident, but I've found ways to work around it. If you're worried about marking the leather you can cut out strips of cardboard or something similar and place it on both sides of the leather.

[StrigaMort]

I tested Barge (Tandy label, Barge in small print) and Weldwood red. Both cements held very well, but the WW maintained its integrity while the fibers ofthe leather tore apart. I go with WW because it's so inexpensive and easy to find. It does dry very hard on the glass (4oz) bottle, but that's really only a problem because I refill it from a large can. I believe I'll be buying one of those Teflon coated pots. I've read good things about them.

I had never heard of glue soaking through thin leather. I'm doing an inlay right now and I *really* hope that it doesn't because it'll ruin the window panel, but worse, I won't know how to deal with it. I'll report back on how it goes.

[oltoot]

So far, I have been using Tandy's rubber cement stuff to hold two pieces of leather together so that I can sew. The problem I have been having is with wallets in particular. I make the inside portion of the wallet shorter lengthwise than the outside, in order to assist the wallet in folding. So the cement I have been using doesn't work great because the two pieces wont hold in place while I wait for it to set up (I tried using clamps, but they mark the leather).

Long story short, does anyone know of any glue that hold leather on leather really well that isnt extremely messy or overly toxic? I have read that Barge's is extremely toxic and contains carcinogens. Does anyone have experience with Weldwood? I guess I am looking for more of a permanent bond to hold the leather in place without clamps.

You will receive numerous 'best ever' endorsements of a variety of products, often the result of extensive trial and error. USE them in formulating YOUR personal 'good enough' experience. You don't have to repeat a process that resulted in a firm conclusion.

Unless you plan on drinking your cement on a regular basis and part of your selection criteria is palatability, I wouldn't eliminate Barge's products without a close look.

Me, for 50+ years have been using Rubber Cement to just hold things together while I sew, or lace and Barge's for places where hold needs to last. I use other adhesives in specific instances; including but not limited to: WW in its various iterations, Dextrin paste, Elmers in its various iterations, Ol Yeller non-sag, etc.

[Dwight]

I'm going to have to go back and reiterate that you will not find anything that does a BETTER job than a contact cement like Weldwood.

Yeah, . . . if you poured a pint of it in a plastic bag, . . . and tied the bag over your head, . . . you probably should use a respirator.

I've used it as a carpenter, . . . furniture maker, . . . leatherworker, . . . for some 50 years now, . . . no, i don't have a third hand growing from my head, . . . nor do I have 3 legs. I use simple common sense things like not using it while sitting over an electric heater, . . . not using it in the furnace room, . . . and certainly not smoking (haven't done that since '85 or so) while using it.

Thinning it a tad with Acetone will make a light and easy to use product, . . . strong, . . . and if properly applied, . . . the leather will rip before it will let go.

For the last 6 or so years, . . . I have almost every time, . . . used an electric heat gun (glows red at the hot end) to hasten the drying process, . . . and I turn it on high. No problems.

Use a little common sense with it, . . . you will not find anything out there that is better.

May God bless,

Dwight

[barehandcustoms]

I switch between Weldwood and Fiebings Leather Cement from week to week. The Weldwood gives me a longer time period to work with the leather and Fiebings is easier to spread but dries very quick. I wonder if Fiebings Cement is just regular old Elmer's glue since they cost the same.

If I had to pick one then it would be Weldwood. You just get so much more product and the end result is the same.

[rawr66]

Dwight, would you happen to know how Weldwood affects the finish of chrome tanned leather? I've tried a different contact cement on chrome tanned leather and it melted the finish off.

[Dwight]

Dwight, would you happen to know how Weldwood affects the finish of chrome tanned leather? I've tried a different contact cement on chrome tanned leather and it melted the finish off.

Well, . . . I don't use much chrome tanned leather at all, . . . mostly just veggie and suede, . . . little pigskin now and then.

But what little I have done, . . . it worked just like it was veggie tan.

But then again, . . . I don't worry about where I put the glue, . . . because where I put it, . . . will be covered by another piece with Weldwood on it also. The glue surface will never be seen if I do it right.

Now I did mess up a piece some time ago, . . . glue went outside the line, . . . dye would not take in that area, . . . and the top of the leather looked funky, . . . but that is the worst.

The worst part of using it, . . . ya gotta scratch up the hair side of veggie tan with a wire brush a bit if you want a "real" hold. If I'm sewing it, . . . most of the time, I don't bother.

May God bless,

Dwight

[cgleathercraft]

not using it in the furnace room, .

Not sure if it's directed at me?

Since I was the one who mentioned furnace I would like to clarify that the furnace sits right outside the room I work in. I switched to the green label weldwood to keep the wife happy (she doesn't like the smell). I'll go back to the red label when I get proper ventilation set up.

If it wasn't then i'll go back to my corner and sit quietly

[mlapaglia]

As long as we are talking contact cement and the fact that once it touches the other piece of leather you can not move it, try this trick. Place sections of wax paper over one of the pieces and then put the other piece on and align it. Then pull out a piece or two of wax paper and press thoses sides together. Continue as you work along the edge. I have done this with a 60" belt made from 2 pieces of 8/9 cut to 1.5" and it aligned up perfectly since I could adjust as needed. Just a thought.

Michael

[greaser13]

Hello everyone. Did not want to start a new thread as I have a similar question. I am making a knife roll and would like to place suede to the inside of the roll where the knives sit. I would like to know what anyone recommends for glueing suede to stone oiled cowhide. It will be stitched in all the way around the outer edges but just don't want a big void in the center under the suede. Thought about sanding the leather because of the oil to get a nice surface but not sure what to use to keep the suede down. Any help would be appreciated.

[rawr66]

You can use just about anything to glue it together. For larger things I like to use 3M Super 77 adhesive spray. When gluing any suede, just make sure I'd doesn't get on the side you want to see because it won't rub off.

[greaser13]

Thank you for the fast response rawr66! Do you think there will be any problem with the glue sticking to oiled leather?

[StrigaMort]

Careful which kind of leather you use around knife blades, especially if they'll be left there long.

I just finished testing the Weldwood Gel formula. Absolutely excellent product. Not quite as strong as the Original formula, but still very good.

Tip of the day! Put your cement in one of those diner table condiment bottles. Someone recommended that to me the other day. Wish I had tried that from the beginning. Really. Go to the dollar store and try it.

[greaser13]

StrigaMort is suede bad to use with knives? They will also have sheathes on the blades as well, its mainly for appearance. But is there another type of leather you recommend?

[rawr66]

I'm trying to understand what you're saying. So you want to line the oil tanned leather with suede? With the grain (smooth) side facing outward and the suede glued to the rough side? You shouldn't have a problem once it's glued together.

[greaser13]

Yep that's was I was asking. Thank you for your help rawr66!

[dirtclod]

You better try glueing on some scrap first, because i never had any luck glueing anything to a oiled piece of leather like what you have.

Edited August 19, 2014 by dirtclod

[dirtclod]

Careful which kind of leather you use around knife blades, especially if they'll be left there long.

I just finished testing the Weldwood Gel formula. Absolutely excellent product. Not quite as strong as the Original formula, but still very good.

Tip of the day! Put your cement in one of those diner table condiment bottles. Someone recommended that to me the other day. Wish I had tried that from the beginning. Really. Go to the dollar store and try it.

Save your money and get a small plastic Coke bottle, drill a hole in the cap and put your glue in that. Squeeze out some glue on trimed piece of sheep skin to spread your glue then stick the sheep skin back on the top to seal it works great. I've used a Coke bottle for the last 20 years