Best glue for leather

I like Eco-flo leather weld. I'm not sure, but I think they sell it under three labels - Leather weld, Leather Craft Glue, and Tanner's Bond.
 
This thread is 13 years old. Hopefully the original poster has fixed his sheath. Lots of options for leather glue in this thread.
 
Man, I totally missed that!
Because it was a page two view, I didn't see that.
Still relevant info, though.
 
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Barge cement has gone bullspit eco -

The hardware store off the shelf green coloured package is nfg.

Make sure you get the classic blue packaging with all the nasty solvents in it.
 
Use what your local shoe repair guy uses.
If it can hold soles without stitching it will hold a sheath.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
I like Eco-flo leather weld. I'm not sure, but I think they sell it under three labels - Leather weld, Leather Craft Glue, and Tanner's Bond.
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gotta be careful with that stuff if you do any wet molding, as it kind of dissolves in water regardless of how well cured it is
 
I must respectively disagree with the Count on the green stuff from the hardware store. I know several professional leather crafters besides ourselves that have switched from Barge to this:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DAP-Weldwood-128-fl-oz-Nonflammable-Contact-Cement-25336/100158175

No fumes, water soluble, fewer gluelines, stronger hold, works on leathers (oily) that Barge won't, cheap ( a gallon will even last us about 6 months), locally available, no haz mat fees, quick drying, not quite sure how it rated a nfg rating. We use it daily:

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Can be wetmolded:

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This pair of AZ Bell step in chaps are from extremely oily boarhide:

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And its not exactly like our stuff gets babied:

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Bout the only things we didn't make in the pics above, were the saddles and the boots. Otherwise if it's leather we built it. Even some of the saddlery items such as the breast collar with silver dollars across the horse's chest 2 pics above, as well as the reins and headstalls on the horses. If there was a problem with this glue we'd of found out about by now since we've been using it exclusively for over 15 years now. It works. We give it a pfg rating.
 
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The water based contact adhesives work really well, but... It's necessary to have a clean work surface, no dust & good drying times for a decent bond.

The only time we had trouble with it (aircraft work, interior finishing stuff) was due to high humidity, dust, or cold weather in the winter. If it isn't dry enough for the initial set & tack, the bond will come apart later. We had to have a drying room for consistent bonds. At one point, someone hung a sign on the drying room saying "simulated dust-free environment" which seems to have worked well enough.
 
The only thing in leatherwork that I haven't found the green can to glue is ribbon zippers on a pair of shotgun chaps. I use to keep a small bottle of Weldwood regular contact cement for those but nowadays just use basting tape. Green can sticks to the leather but not the zipper ribbon, weird. On oily leathers I have found to press them together just after the glue has glazed over. Wait too long and ya have to give it a second coat. But just after glazing over, it'll stick like the dickens.

This is a pair of shotgun chaps out of water buffalo leather. They have a zipper that extends the whole outside length.

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Pretty warm the wife wearing a pair here:

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My daughter in law placing the zipper ribbon on the basting tape on a pair we were making for her.

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Dust hasn't seemed to be a problem for us and we live in a pretty dusty area.
 
Ive used the red can for years, never tried the green. So, does it thin with water if/when it starts to thicken up? Or do you use it to fast for that to happen ha?
 
CWendling said:
Ive used the red can for years, never tried the green. So, does it thin with water if/when it starts to thicken up? Or do you use it to fast for that to happen ha?
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Yes it thins and cleans with water. We go through it quick enough that we don’t ever thin it. We keep it on the workbench in a squeeze ketchup bottle from the dollar store. That way we’re not opening and closing the can all the time.
 
I pour it into a glue/brush pot but ive found that if i dont use the whole pot in a month or so, it gets pretty thick. Generally I just toss it then rather than try to thin it. Havent had much luck thinning the red.
 
CWendling said:
I pour it into a glue/brush pot but ive found that if i dont use the whole pot in a month or so, it gets pretty thick. Generally I just toss it then rather than try to thin it. Havent had much luck thinning the red.
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The squeeze bottles have a cap so it doesn't thicken. Here the wife is glueing up some of the horseshoe coasters she makes.:

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We use disposable foam brushes and if its a large area like here we just pour out a bead from the bottle and spread it out with the brush. For smaller areas I will squeeze some glue into a small dixie cup and then dip the brush. The brushes we buy from Michaels and they come in a large tub for not much $. We'll buy four or five tubs at a time.

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Glueing up some holsters:

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Wooly chaps:

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The Panhandle Leather guys are great. I go by every time I need something. They are right down the street from where I work in Amarillo.
 
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