Something I haven't seen before -- how to clean it up?

[llucas]

8 hours ago, Big Sioux Saddlery said:

I don't think I've ever had the problem you're having, with the glue coming back up through the holes and I use Barges exclusively. On occasion, and only very rarely, I'll have the "sticking to the needle and lifting the work" problem, and I'm normally not all that careful about keeping the glue out of the stitch line like I advised you to do. Puzzling. . . .When sewing something with a lot of wax in it, like harness leather, I'll end up with lots of wax bits in the stitch line. They usually just wipe right off.

At first I thought it was wax coming up on the first belt -- until I tried to remove it and found it had a stretchy quality to it, lol. This is indeed a head scratcher. Brian's observation that it might be the waxy leather contaminating the Barge is interesting as well as suggesting that the Barge be thinned some. I am open to all informed suggestions at this point. It is starting to get expensive and I have four or five belt samples I need to put together for a gun store.

[Wizcrafts]

41 minutes ago, llucas said:

Brian, thanks for the suggestions. Yes, the Barge seems to be quite a bit thicker than the Weldwood I was previously using. I'll try to thin it down and see if that helps. Do you happen to know what the solvent is for thinning? The English bridle is indeed a little waxy and as I understand it it also has tallows in it. That may be part of the problem. This is only my third attempt at using the English bridle for belts and Barge is also a new item for me. The English bridle looks fantastic -- if I can get beyond this glue issue. After reading your post I thought of a contamination solution from woodworking: using shellac as a sealer. I may try that on a scrap and see if it makes a difference. I did wax the leather before stitching (kiwi neutral shoe wax) but the silicone might be better. 

In many ways hand stitching was easier, if also very slow.

Indeed, it is very waxy. I always rough up the flesh side when gluing bridle leather. A wire brush will do the trick. Rough both sides, then apply your glue.

We use Master's shoe cement in our leather shop. We thin it as needed with Master's thinner.

[llucas]

Does anyone know what the main solvent in Barge thinner is? The proprietary thinner is kind of pricey.

[JREESER1]

I use any brand of acetone, from Lowes or Home Depot. It works.

jr