Contact cement question...help!!

scottickes

scottickes

Joined
Oct 27, 2005
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I use regular old contact cement to glue my sheaths together before hand stitching them. I tend to make sheaths in groups of four or five at a time. My problem is that I usually only use about half of the small bottle before it begins to gel up and become useless.

Is there another product I can use, or a way to keep the cement from setting up in the bottle?
 
Scott,

Barge Cement is pretty good stuff. First time I bought some it was recomended by a guy who worked at a leather store that was probably in business before horseless carriages were invented...
 
I called a local hardware store and they charge $4.50 for a .75 ounce tube of barge cement! Yikes!! :eek:

She told me that she uses contact cement quite often and to keep it from setting up in the bottle, she cleans the brush with acetone before closing it. She said any contaminants from the work can cause it to set up. She also said that ever since she started storing her bottles upside down to keep air from leaking in, she hasn't had a bottle set up on her.

I'd rather throw a half bottle of contact cement out, rather than spend so much on barge cement.

Is their a better source for barge cement? I'd really like to use it, if it's better than contact cement.
 
tom kernan said:
Yes, make more over a shorter amount of time:D
glad I could help.
Click to expand...

You're a lot of help. Actually, I'm on vacation most of this month and will be making about 15 to 20 sheaths in a very short period of time. That will help in the short term.
 
When you open a new bottle of contact cement, coat the threads on the bottle with Vaseline. This will keep air out, and keep you from gluing the bottle shut if your as messy as I am.
I buy contact cement buy the gallon and have been able to keep an opened can for up to a year buy keeping the threads coated in Vaseline.
 
I saw that Chuck Burrows uses a separate can to keep his brush in and fills it half way with acetone. This will keep your brush clean and it won't set up.
 
Buy barge cement from a leather supply wholesaler, they will sell it to you in a larger tin.
Barge cement is a beautiful thing, contact cement isn't, I either use Barge cement or 3M trimstrip and emblem cement (from autobody supply houses)

-Page
 
Scott,
I agree with the "Yikes"

Page hit the nail on the head...leather wholesaler....:thumbup:
I called for current prices since my tin of Barge is probably 15 years old and still good....

Landwerlen Leather Co.
365 S. Illinois Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46225

317-636-8300 (phone)

When I mentioned that the price you got was several times theirs, the guy said you were probably talking to a retailer...as you were.
The prices they told me:
3/4 oz. tube $1.75
2 oz tube $2.35
1 quart tin $11.30
They also have gallons but I didn't ask that price.

They will do phone orders so add shipping.
I don't know if you would pay sales tax or not. I would bet not but thats a guess.
 
scottickes said:
I use regular old contact cement to glue my sheaths together before hand stitching them. I tend to make sheaths in groups of four or five at a time. My problem is that I usually only use about half of the small bottle before it begins to gel up and become useless.

Is there another product I can use, or a way to keep the cement from setting up in the bottle?
Click to expand...

I just buy the small tubes but if they list the solvents used in the making of your contact glue then you may be able to regenerate it by adding some M.E.K.
Hope this helps
Richard
 
The key to using contact cement is getting the larger can at Home Depot.

For brushes, get 'acid free brushes.' Thats what circuit board guys clean flux off of boards with. They're cheap at www.mcmaster-carr.com and real useful in the shop.

I buy the contact cement by the quart, and haven't had that old gummy crap problem anymore.:thumbup:;)
 
Scott, I've always used DAP contact cement for my sheaths and on some handles and I don't ever have problems with it gelling up! I buy it in a quart can and then dump some of it into a clean mustard jar. Any jar with a large mouth and sealable lid will work. I use an acid brush to apply the cement and I just leave the brush in the jar so it's handy for next time. I open the jar. clean the excess off the brush, then get the amount of cement I want on the brush and then put the lid back on the jar, just sit on the jar to keep air movement to a minimum. Wipe the cement on and then go back to the jar for more and repeat.
I've got some contact cement in a jar right now that's still good and it's been in there for at least 5 years. :)
 
Yeah DAP Contact cement in the RED CAN. Do not buy the green DAP CRAP. That doesn't work for jack! Keep the lid on tight and it doesn't gel up :) If you leave it partially open over night the top layer will gel over and it will still be reusable.

Barge is way too expensive in my opinion and works just as well as DAP and vise versa. about 5 bucks for a pint i think...or maybe a quart.....pint probably. :D
 
Thanks to all of you for the help. I bought some barge cement and will try it. I didn't buy very much, because I want to try it first and compare it to contact cement. I'll then be able to make an educated decision as to whether the barge cement is worth the extra expense.

Ray,
Thanks for the tip on Oregon Leather Company. I'm going to go to Portland and check them out the next time I need leather supplies or tools. I didn't even know they were there.

Once again, thanks everyone.
 
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