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[Steve C.]

I saw on an older cnet post Theo recommending Fiebings cement for glueing leather. 
Has anyone used Elmers Craft Bond to good result?  (I have some of the latter, have to order the former...)
Application: gluing a goat suede lining to calf leather strap material.
Thanks, Steve C.

[John MacKenzie (Cugiok)]

I use Eco Flo, successfully.

SJ

https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/eco-flo-leather-weld-adhesive

[Pete Dunk]

Elmer's is unknown on this side of the pond but from what I've read it would appear to be woodworker's white PVA glue. This will glue leather no problem but it depends on the application as to whether it's the best glue for the job in hand. I've never used (or seen) Fiebings but if Theo recommends it and you can get some I'd say go with that.

[Steve_freereeder]

Elmer's is unknown on this side of the pond but from what I've read it would appear to be woodworker's white PVA glue. This will glue leather no problem but it depends on the application as to whether it's the best glue for the job in hand. I've never used (or seen) Fiebings but if Theo recommends it and you can get some I'd say go with that.

Yes - Elmer's glue is normally white PVA. Not sure if Elmer's Craft Bond is something different though.

PVA will glue leather very successfully but the join will not be very flexible. For making leather straps with a goatskin lining, I would definitely use a proprietory leather glue like Fiebings which forms a bond which remains flexible.

Edit:
Just searched for and found this. It claims the bond is flexible, so may be OK for making the leather straps.

[Pete Dunk]

Yes - Elmer's glue is normally white PVA. Not sure if Elmer's Craft Bond is something different though.

PVA will glue leather very successfully but the join will not be very flexible. For making leather straps with a goatskin lining, I would definitely use a proprietory leather glue like Fiebings which forms a bond which remains flexible.

Making replacement thumb strap loops for an English concertina I used Evo-Stik contact cement. This fine film sticks aggresively but is so thin that the flexible nature of the leather remains unaffected and the resultant thumb straps are soft and very comfortable. Fieblings may well yield a similar result but I haven't actually used it.

[Rog]

I use EvoStick contact adhesive. Interested to know if this is a poor choice
It *seems* to work v well and as someone else pointed out, it remains flexible. FYI e.g. Wilkinson’s also do a rubbery/solvent based contact adhesive but it's quite a bit thicker and not as as clear as EvoStick. Actually it reminds me of the stuff they used to use in schools (pre glue sniffing days, so the 1960s) called 'Cow Gum'.

[Theo]

Why look for substitutes when a purpose designed product is easily available?   It produces an extremely strong bond, remains flexible when cured, is less messy than contact adhesive (clean up with water) and probably more durable in the long term than contact adhesive.
https://www.identityleathercraft.com/index.php/glues-fixatives-applicators/fieblings-leathercraft-cement.html

[Rog]

Thanks. It was more a matter of using what I already have...but I take your point and will now get some proper leather cement.

[Andy Next Tune]

How big is the piece you are lining? I've been making leathergoods for about a year and I've found a contact adhesive spray to be the preferred option when lining larger pieces as it is easy to get an even coating on both surfaces.

Generally when sticking leather to leather for a permanent bond, I will use a contact adhesive rather than PVA (I believe Fiebings is a PVA formulation). Evostick Impact and Timebond both have a good spreading consistency, some contacts are too thick for spreading on small pieces of leather.

I recently found tubes of a Unibond Speciality Adhesive for Leather in B&Q, when searching for Evostick. It works very well, it is thinner than Evostick but has a much more volatile solvent so loses its attraction because of that. Also beware, it is extremely fast bonding!

I plan to try Eco-Weld, a water-based contact adhesive for leather when my EvostickImpact runs out, or the equivalent product water-based adhesive from Evostick
https://www.identityleathercraft.com/index.php/glues-fixatives-applicators/eco-weld-contact-adhesive.html

[Steve C.]

The Craft Bond is flexible when thinned, but more like a regular, but not too strong white glue when used thick and straight out of the bottle.
The application, Andy, is gluing goatskin to calf, rough sides together, to line anglo concertina hand straps.  Then I think will skive the glued edge to round off.   (May be too soft to skive  and may also not need it...)
I have ordered the Fiebings (ask on Amazon and thou shalt receive...)

[Nick Collis Bird]

I’ve kept quiet about this ‘til now. If the joint you want to make is under stress, eg a belt buckle or similar then all the above suggeions are correct. However, if it is something like those horrible little triangular bits that you replace in the Bellows then paste is the best.
  An example is lining a tool handle with leather. A hammer. Pare the leather as thin as you can then soak it in paste. Wrap it around the handle pulling and sqeezing as tight as you can and let dry. It doesn’t matter how wet the leather is.  I have several tools now over fifty years old and no way has anything come lose. In fact the more it is handled the better it becomes.

[Pete Dunk]

When I re-covered the gussets on an old Hohner I refurbished some years ago I used the leather normally used for the top runs of concertina bellows and I stuck that on with paste. It worked very well and allowed me enough time to 'massage' the new leather into place so that every crease and contour was followed and I was very pleased with the result.

[Pete Dunk]

Here the bellows are stripped and the badly stained and dirty white gussets can be clearly seen:



Now black leather covers the gussets, the bellows are re-papered and the new bellows tape applied, what a difference!

[rees]

I’ve kept quiet about this ‘til now. If the joint you want to make is under stress, eg a belt buckle or similar then all the above suggeions are correct. However, if it is something like those horrible little triangular bits that you replace in the Bellows then paste is the best.
  An example is lining a tool handle with leather. A hammer. Pare the leather as thin as you can then soak it in paste. Wrap it around the handle pulling and sqeezing as tight as you can and let dry. It doesn’t matter how wet the leather is.  I have several tools now over fifty years old and no way has anything come lose. In fact the more it is handled the better it becomes.

I can't see any mention of "paste" above. What is it?

[Pete Dunk]

Rees, paste is a mixture of flour or some other form of starch and water. Old fashioned wallpaper paste like Lap was one such before the introduction of cellulose based paste like Polycell. Cellulose paste is tenatious, irreveresible and frowned upon by instrument makers and bookbinders alike. That's the difference!

[malcolmbebb]

Yes, Nick uses a starch based paste. I know, 'cos he gave me some.

[Nick Collis Bird]

Rees, paste is a mixture of flour or some other form of starch and water. Old fashioned wallpaper paste like Lap was one such before the introduction of cellulose based paste like Polycell. Cellulose paste is tenatious, irreveresible and frowned upon by instrument makers and bookbinders alike. That's the difference!

   Wot Pete said 👀

[rees]

And that's all it takes. This is a revelation, thank you all.

[Steve C.]

Andy, I did not even think to try adhesive contact spray, like 3M77, which I had.  Might try, tho the Feiblings, applied with a little brush, seems like it would give a more controlled coat.