Gorilla Super Glue?

W

wordsmith

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Apr 17, 2009
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I've never used this stuff, but I know at least one maker who uses it exclusively for attaching scales. It's a bit different than the regular CA, and is supposed to have better shear strength. I'm a bit hesitant to leave my epoxy behind, but I do remember that the regular Gorilla Glue won the Glue Wars, so they certainly make good stuff. Anyone with any feedback on Gorilla Super Glue? The thought of sufficiently strong bonds without epoxy set up times is certainly an appealing one.
 
According to their website, the Gorilla super glue is "not recommended for outdoor use". I don't know if that's the case for other super glues.
 
Unlike other CA Glues, Gorilla Super Glue,has unique rubber particles to increase impact-resistance and strength to handle everyday use.

This is basic physics, and how forces are applied. We are try to discuss if a 200lb, 400lb or 600lb rope hold a 10lb anvil better. Like the ropes The forces on adhesives are very minimal at best once you pin the handles.

Once a bond is made between the handle and the steel. Then you Pin it with glue on the pins and that bond it made. You have made the Scale, Tang and Pins one piece. Forces are distributed through the whole handle, tang and pins.

So the difference between Epoxies or Super Glues is personal one at best. As long as the bond is stronger than the material. The weakness then becomes your material and not your adhesives.

Now to answer you question. I once put two drops of Gorilla Super Glue on a micarta handle then on to a knife to shape it. Thinking I would just pop it off when I was done. I ended up using a pry bar and it tore the micarta and the glue did not fail before the Micarta did. It then became a null point and my main adhesive on almost all of my knives.

One of my hunters fell into the kitchen sink spending 24 hours in soapy water. I had let it set out for a few days for the wood to dry out. But the super glue did not fail and still hasn't.
 
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I'm not a huge fan of the gorilla glue because I don't like how it expands. Maybe with the right clamping you would be fine, but I use JB Weld or Araldite.
 
In my experience, the gorilla super glue wasn't that great. It wasn't that bad either but, I wouldn't trust it to hold scales on throughout the life of a knife.
 
R.C.Reichert said:
How is the Gorilla Super Glue applied to the tang and how much of it is used?
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I clean all the parts and joints. I apply a thin layer on the scale. I know it says you don't need to clamp it. I still put clamps on it. I leave the clamps on maybe 2 minutes.
Then I start working it. I drill and grind and only have had one or two scales come loose. It was not a glue failure but a prep failure.
Now on pins I coat the pin with Glue then insert it. Of course I change the fit according to the material. I never peen the pins. I let the glue do it job.
 
BlackToe Knives said:
I clean all the parts and joints. I apply a thin layer on the scale. I know it says you don't need to clamp it. I still put clamps on it. I leave the clamps on maybe 2 minutes.
Then I start working it. I drill and grind and only have had one or two scales come loose. It was not a glue failure but a prep failure.
Now on pins I coat the pin with Glue then insert it. Of course I change the fit according to the material. I never peen the pins. I let the glue do it job.
Click to expand...

That sounds nice and quick and easy. I am actually getting tired of messing with epoxy myself, so maybe I will try this stuff out. That is the Super Glue that you are using on your scales, not the regular stuff, is that correct?
 
BlackToe Knives said:
Actually Gorilla Glue won the Glue wars.

But I use Gorilla Super Glue on almost all of my knives. But you are not me either and I actually know what makes it an incredible knife adhesive.

Video of Gorilla Super Glue lifting a 3 ton Truck and a ton of bricks.
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hardheart said:
the polyurethane glue, not the cyanoacrylate "super" glue

.
Click to expand...

What he said.

edit: Anyway.. Jim, if you've had success with it, that's great. Like, I said it wasn't bad at all. I believe it's a tough enough glue for moderate use knives but, I popped some scales off without too much effort that were glued on with it and my prep was 50 grit sandpaper and an alcohol wipe down. Then again, I have some limb tip overlays made out of micarta glued onto my recurve with the stuff and they're holding up just fine.. who knows.
 
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A couple of weeks ago I glued a piece of Cocobolo to a piece of Stainless. I gave it about 15 minutes and used a big pair Channel Locks to try to separate the glue joint but the pice of Cocobolo split, leaving a thin veneer on the Stainless. Nothing else I could ask for from glue.
 
4ever3 said:
A couple of weeks ago I glued a piece of Cocobolo to a piece of Stainless. I gave it about 15 minutes and used a big pair Channel Locks to try to separate the glue joint but the pice of Cocobolo split, leaving a thin veneer on the Stainless. Nothing else I could ask for from glue.
Click to expand...

And which glue was that specifically?

Anyways, all my handles are peened onto the tangs so I don't think I have too much to worry about even if I do use the super glue variety. The glue is just there to help hold the scales on while I drill holes and sand the shape. Other than that, the glue really does nothing....except maybe hide a flaw here or there.:D I admit my knives aren't always the most perfect, but I know for a fact that they won't fall apart
 
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childzplay said:
I'm not a huge fan of the gorilla glue because I don't like how it expands. Maybe with the right clamping you would be fine, but I use JB Weld or Araldite.
Click to expand...

+1, it holds great, because of no other other attachment option and the availability of Gorilla Glue, i used it. two G-10 slabs on a knife that orginally had molded plastic handles, after some stressing the plastic wore out and the slabs feel free. the G-10 and gorilla glue is still holding strong, and to be honest, I don't for-see it going anywhere.

It does expand though, so you will be doing some cleaning and possibly polishing against potential finished knife parts. I had to and it was an education in gorilla glue. :)
 
Jim, since you know would you mind explaining what makes a great adhesive? I've worked with cyanacrolates since the early 80's. I'll run your analysis by my lab rat chemical engineer and see what she says.

I've tested Gorrila super glue on several blades. The SFC I carry every day has GSG on it. In my tests after proper prep I've never had a joint failure. The handle material breaks before the joint does. Sub par prep work will result in joint failures. My tests were similar to the tests in the glue wars. If I can convince my assistant manager I can run environmental tests on materials. I know our metallurgist is a knife knut and wants to run tests on my HT process and we can take pics with our scanning electron microscope :eek: just have to find time to make up the samples for him.
 
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