UK contact cement options

[Matt S]

Normal red tin Evo stik works well, but some has clearly been sitting in inventory too long. I found that it's more effective if thinned a little, and not noticed  much improvement from the 528 in the green tins.

I now use Abbey's 441, proper stuff -- cheaper and more effective than Evo, it comes the right consistency, wets the leather better than Evo, dries in a few minutes and it's still got toluene in it. It works well on greasy/waxy/oily leather but I would never rely on it without stitching or riveting.

When I have issues with contact cement not sticking properly it's usually because I've let it dry too far before pressing. It can be reactivated with heart, but I find potting on a second coat is better. Don't wait till it's completely dry before pressing the two pieces together, I find best results when it's still a little tacky.

[toxo]

Have got this stuff from Toolstation. Don't like it much but it holds stuff before stitching.

https://www.toolstation.com/contact-adhesive/p14503

I actually like the Wilco stuff in the tube. It's wetter and easy to apply. But if you want permanent try Gorilla glue. Stuff has to be damp and it foams and expands a bit but by Christ does it hold. I made a mistake once and I had to cut the leather.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323073322446

 

[Handstitched]

I just put ' contact adhesive uk' ( not contact cement)  in the engine thingy, clicked on 'images'  and quite a few brands came up.

Here in Oz, I use ' Parfix, , or 'Selleys Kwik Grip'  adhesive , both do the same job but Parfix is cheaper. 

If it gets a bit ' gluggy' in the tin from constantly opening the tin , I use toluene to thin it out, so it lasts longer, and so does my $$   It gets ex$y to throw away the dregs at the bottom  of the tin. 

Hope this also helps

HS

[hughlle]

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

16 hours ago, Matt S said:

Normal red tin Evo stik works well, but some has clearly been sitting in inventory too long. I found that it's more effective if thinned a little, and not noticed  much improvement from the 528 in the green tins.

I now use Abbey's 441, proper stuff -- cheaper and more effective than Evo, it comes the right consistency, wets the leather better than Evo, dries in a few minutes and it's still got toluene in it. It works well on greasy/waxy/oily leather but I would never rely on it without stitching or riveting.

When I have issues with contact cement not sticking properly it's usually because I've let it dry too far before pressing. It can be reactivated with heart, but I find potting on a second coat is better. Don't wait till it's completely dry before pressing the two pieces together, I find best results when it's still a little tacky.

Thanks Matt. Perhaps I did let it go too far over. It was touch dry as per the tins instructions. I'll have another go and just wait for it to become tacky. It's all a bit new to me. So far all my work has had full stitching so the glue has not been too important. 

Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of stitched watch straps and prefer ones with 2 stitches at the spring bars, and a V at the tip of the tail end.

[hughlle]

An update to this. It was the leather, not the glue. the flesh side is just too slick and smooth on this leather. I had a sample delivered and the skin side was similar to the flesh side on my existing leather. So I grabbed some sandpaper, roughed it up a bit, and jobs a good un  every day is a learning day. 

[CWLeathercraft]

My leather mentor, who is in his 80s, with 40 plus years experience, swears by copydex... smells rank, but works a treat and is more forgiving if you line things up wrong than contact cement is... you can also peel off bits if it gets where you dont want it and dont notice in time.

 

But omg the smell.... dead fish x 10.

[fredk]

The latest Copydex I've bought has no smell at all.

I miss that fishy smell

ml for ml Copydex has got really expensive

[LumpenDoodle2]

Screwfix own brand works well, and because of the turnover, you know the contact cement hasn’t been sitting on a shelf for too long.

It’s also cheap.      

[Frodo]

On 2/15/2020 at 9:25 AM, hughlle said:

I didn't hammer, but I got a can of coke and gave it a good roll. After 24 hours it just pulled apart like it was prit stick. Both sides were touch dry. I've done another couple of strips using the B&Q stuff to see how that comes out. 

I have run into that.  

what is happening is the glue is soaking into the material.  your material is porous

what i do. is after the glue dries i add a second coat of glue.  that will do the trick.

 

curious.  what does ''naff'' man? 

[fredk]

46 minutes ago, Frodo said:

curious.  what does ''naff'' man? 

naff = not good at all. or very poor