Question About Hide Glue

[sgtsquid]

Does anyone have experience working with hide glue? I have a can of it that I bought over 10 years ago for something that I never got around to, and now I want to use it for something. Would it still be good after all this time or should I buy some new? It's been in the sealed can the whole time but it has been stored in extremes of heat and cold over the years.

 

[Bnewberry]

It should be in the form of dry crystals at this point. If so, add some crystals to some hot water, keep it warming up util it melts and gets glue like. Try gluing some stuff together to test it.

 

[ZUG]

Since it's a natural product it should be fine to use -- do as Bnewberry says above.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I've used it for hafting flint arrow points and sinew backed bow. Also, i know from past experience that a dog will empty the can down to shiny metal...

 

[Rudall]

add some crystals to some hot water

Good luck with adding *some* glue pearls to *some* water!
I think Google is your friend here. For example:

And you can’t just ’glue stuff together’. You have to do it the right way. Are you going to size the joint first? If you don’t know what sizing is, look it up. Hide glue joints must be clamped or rubbed. But you have to use the right pressure when clamping. A rub joint is achieved by coating one or both of the absolutely flat surfaces to be joined and then rubbing them together until they ‘grab’. Then you leave it to dry. No clamps necessary.
As always, there is masses of information available on You Tube, Google, etc, from people who use hide glue every day – luthiers, woodworkers, etc. Not gun makers!

 

[ohio ramrod]

There are two main types of hide glue. The dry which comes in flakes or small pellets and must be mixed with water and heated..And the liquid which comes in small jars and can be used cold. The liquid will have a short shelf life. The dry will keep for years until mixed and heated.I personally believe the liquid is not as strong due to the chemicals that have been added but it is easier to use and has less waste for small projects.

 

[Red Owl]

I think some of the commercial "hide" glues have all sorts of chemicals, not really hide glue at all. I have used it to bag shooting bags that were thin leather with a pillow ticking liner. Now hide glue isn't waterproof but I tested these bags and you really have to soak the thin in a bucket of water to de-laminate the two pieces. If you grease/wax the outside of the bag the liner will be fine, even in a modest rain. Hide glue is PC which is important to some of us.

 

[Rudall]

Liquid hide glue sold commercially is never used by violin makers. It is not really hide glue and has a bad reputation among those who know what they are doing.

I took the following from a violin making forum and is a quote from one of the premier restorers:
I had a nice gentleman bring in his bass to reglue the fingerboard. After a few days he came to pick it up and asked me what kind of glue we used. I replied hot hide glue. He responded "Really? we used that to put PT boats together during the war." With a confused look, I turned to him and asked how that was possible being as it is water soluble. He said "Not after you fume it with formaldehyde" At this point the heavens opened up and I could hear the singing of angels. Now by using the hot glue that leaves no glue line, we can do restorations that are not susceptible to sweat and are invisible.

The lesson is that hot hide glue can very easily be made waterproof. It’s now common knowledge in the violin world and tthere are several ways to use the formaldehyde in addition to fuming.

 

[Red Owl]

Where would you buy formaldehyde? Thanks

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Where would you buy formaldehyde? Thanks

https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/formaldehyde-4-v-v-solution-spectrum/18610647#?keyword=

 

[Two Feathers]

Does anyone have experience working with hide glue? I have a can of it that I bought over 10 years ago for something that I never got around to, and now I want to use it for something. Would it still be good after all this time or should I buy some new? It's been in the sealed can the whole time but it has been stored in extremes of heat and cold over the years.

I used the stuff for years doing guitar repair. It lasts a lifetime. Just do as Bnewberry said and dissolve the powder or crystals in warm water. I kept mine in a small Crock pot(Slow cooker) on low for hours at a time. You just keep adding crystals or powder and water as needed to get the consistency of Molasses. Keep it stirred up and warm. The great part about hide glue is, you can take the pieces apart with a hot or warm knife slipped right in between them. Just realign the pieces, and once it cools you're good to go.
A number of relic acoustic guitars were put together with nothing but hot Hide glue, and they've survived for hundreds of years in Italy. Still as solid as the day they were made. I hope this helps.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Two Feathers]

I think some of the commercial "hide" glues have all sorts of chemicals, not really hide glue at all. I have used it to bag shooting bags that were thin leather with a pillow ticking liner. Now hide glue isn't waterproof but I tested these bags and you really have to soak the thin in a bucket of water to de-laminate the two pieces. If you grease/wax the outside of the bag the liner will be fine, even in a modest rain. Hide glue is PC which is important to some of us.

I bought all my Hot Hide Glue from StewMac.com Stewart MacDonald in Athens Ohio. Bought it from them for years. They are a Luthier supply company.
Two Feathers

 

[Bad Karma]

Does anyone have experience working with hide glue? I have a can of it that I bought over 10 years ago for something that I never got around to, and now I want to use it for something. Would it still be good after all this time or should I buy some new? It's been in the sealed can the whole time but it has been stored in extremes of heat and cold over the years.

It’s fine I used to use it for furniture, veneers and so on. Also, it’s the ticket for snakeskin or sinew backed bows. (Primitive fiberglass)

 

[OhioHawkeye]

Does anyone have experience working with hide glue? I have a can of it t......

A can of it? If it is or was liquid, It's not hide glue then.

I'm a leather crafter and woodworker.

For hide glue, it is literally ground up rawhide. I save my old scrap for making mine. You can buy packages of it. I've never heard of it sold in a can, but if that is what you have, you need a melting pot to make hide glue. It' is horrid to work with but is worth it in certain circumstances. Nice thing is, the cooled pot of glue can sit indefinitely just covered with a dust*cloth or board to keep dirt and critters out till it's needed again...I also set a block of tomcat mouse poison on top if they dry to eat it, and they will.
... but liquid in a can,, it is some sort of modern concoction I would assume. I would toss it in the trash.

 

[sgtsquid]

A can of it? If it is or was liquid, It's not hide glue then.

I'm a leather crafter and woodworker.

For hide glue, it is literally ground up rawhide. I save my old scrap for making mine. You can buy packages of it. I've never heard of it sold in a can, but if that is what you have, you need a melting pot to make hide glue. It' is horrid to work with but is worth it in certain circumstances. Nice thing is, the cooled pot of glue can sit indefinitely just covered with a dust*cloth or board to keep dirt and critters out till it's needed again...I also set a block of tomcat mouse poison on top if they dry to eat it, and they will.
... but liquid in a can,, it is some sort of modern concoction I would assume. I would toss it in the trash.

No, it's the dry crystals. It isn't liquid. I was just wondering if it would go bad after 10 years. I'm guessing not but I don't want to make a big mess for nothing.

 

[kje54]

I know nothing about hide glue since I've lways used contact cement, worked well for me and still holding.

 

[Bad Karma]

No, it's the dry crystals. It isn't liquid. I was just wondering if it would go bad after 10 years. I'm guessing not but I don't want to make a big mess for nothing.

It won’t go bad. As others have said, if it’s still crystalline it’s fine. Btw hide glue is really identical or nearly so, to Knox gelatin. I’ve used Knox in exactly the same applications (woodnbows) and it’s identical. Same strength and everything. Same mess if you don’t plan your work.

 

[bud in pa]

How popular do you think that Jello would be if people knew what it was made out of?

 

[JCKelly]

These guys who use hide glue to repair musical instruments have more knowledge about gluing stuff than I knew existed.
Me, for wood on guns or decoys I head for a glue with "Tightbond" on the label. In the 1960's part of my job as a metallurgist was to sign drawings saying the material shown was OK. This included fixturing, for testing jet engine parts. Yeah. So one day I was given a drawing with materials "Hard Maple", joined with "Tightbond". Of course I signed it, that Fixtures guy knew a h*** of a lot more than I about this. Then after work I went & bought meself some Tightbond. In the decades since Mr. Tightbond has come out with several varieties. One I used yesterday dries waterproof, meant for outdoor use but the mess can be cleaned up with water.
Yes, those musical instrument guys know far more than I ever will about Hide Glue.
But that Jet engine fixture guy was no slouch either. So for all my non-musical glue I use something from Tightbond.
Epoxy is another matter. Don't use on wood as I know of no good way to remove it, for more repair or modification. Keep it away from a muzzle-loader. Didja know epoxy won't bond to copper or brass?

 

[beardedhorse]

Been making bows and arrows since 1957. Titebond hide glue is not pure hide glue but may have a synthetic like cyanoacrylate (super glue). Don't eat it like Jello or Knox gelatin. Rawhide scraps cooked down and poured in shallow pan can be broke up to crystals or dipped with a grooved stick to make glue sticks. tite bond for fletching real feathers on untreated wood will have glue joint fail with time. Luthiers will be best bet on where and what kinds of hide glue to use. Boiling it can weaken it. First straining is good stuff when making your own. My glue pot for sinew backing is a bread loaf pan in a skillet of water - sort of a double boiler system. Electric glue pots are sold for cabinet making. Lots of info on net on hide glue. Hide gluing cracks in rifle stocks will let you stain it later unlike epoxy or super glues.