Contact adhesives by Anglo Adhesives and Caswell Adhesives

[ScottEnglish]

Hello.

Has anyone any experience with contact adhesives manufactured by Anglo Adhesives or Caswell Adhesives that are suitable for gluing soling to leather? I would like to know what is involved in each step of application. My current contact adhesive requires two coats of glue followed by heat to activate it before bonding surfaces under pressure. Ideally, I would like a glue that doesn't need heat to activate it.

Thanks.

Scott
 

Edited July 8, 2021 by ScottEnglish

[ScottEnglish]

Hello again.

I want to obtain a contact adhesive for bonding soles to footwear that doesn't require heat nor a clamp to be effectual. The best contact adhesive I have found so far is Bochem Boterm GTA. But it requires heat and a clamp. Has anyone used contact adhesives manufactured by Anglo Adhesives or Caswell Adhesives? Do these need heat or a clamp to be effectual?

Thanks.

Scott

[Constabulary]

maybe worth checking out RENIA adhesives

http://www.renia.com/

[ScottEnglish]

I'll have a look Constabulary. Thanks.

 

[RockyAussie]

On 7/8/2021 at 10:49 PM, ScottEnglish said:

Hello.

Has anyone any experience with contact adhesives manufactured by Anglo Adhesives or Caswell Adhesives that are suitable for gluing soling to leather? I would like to know what is involved in each step of application. My current contact adhesive requires two coats of glue followed by heat to activate it before bonding surfaces under pressure. Ideally, I would like a glue that doesn't need heat to activate it.

Thanks.

Scott
 

Most solvent based contact adhesives used with shoe making will adhere best if heat is used a little. Ideally the heat will be applied to the sole to get the whole surface a even and ready to go contact. The sole will normally hold the heat for a minute or more and that gives you time to use a broad head hammer to quickly thump down on your sole which is held by the last and stand. A press is better but not that essential as long as you have applied a good layer of glue. A heat gun can be used quite well with some practice. If you start to see any bubbling then you are too close or too hot and you have overdone it. Heated up glue will be quite sticky to the touch compared to unheated glue. Do some practice with a few pieces before trying the soles.

[Aven]

Scott, your application method impacts the bonding.  Its better to do two thin layers of glue than to do one thick layer.  Apply a thin even layer and allow it to get tacky. Then apply another thin layer and allow to get tacky.  And like RockyAussie said, a hammer works a treat.  I've done three pairs of shoes that way.

[ScottEnglish]

Thanks for the replies RockyAussie and Aven. Some helpful information there.

Scott

[Matt S]

Yes, I've used Anglo Adhesives 441 ("Howstik"), 939 (neoprene) and 125 (rubber), sold through Abbey England. Mostly the 441. Like most contact adhesives a 2-coat method is better on porous surfaces but unlike the more common builders-type contact cements a single-coat method is strong enough for flesh-to-flesh bonds if you get the timing right. The bond seems to work better with hammering/pressing, but I have found that a one-off squeeze with hand pressure is plenty with the 441.

Usual procedure is to remove excessive grease from the surfaces to be glued, brush on the 441 to both surfaces, let it flash/dry at room temperature for a few minutes, then put them together and let dry (minimum 15 mins) before sewing. hammer/press/roll if I'm in the mood but not normally needed. I tend to press them together while the glue is still slightly tacky as this gives a little bit of repositionability. If you let it dry too long you can either put on a second coat or reactivate with heat, but it goes off fine without heat.

I don't really do soles or other rubber-to-leather bonds much. I have reglued soles with the 441, which seemed to work well.

[RockyAussie]

I should have pointed out that the rubber and eva type soles become a fair bit more flexible when heated and that also makes them curve to the edges better which in turn helps for better adhesion. In fact I used to warm the outside some before heating the glue side for that reason. Sorry its been maybe 20 years ago since making shoes for me. 

[ScottEnglish]

Matt S: Your information is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.

RockyAussie: Thanks again!