Best Glue for Leather

Buyers’ Guide – Best Glue for Leather

Making a choice about the best leather glue to use can be quite a daunting task. As this guide has shown you before, leather is complex. The tanning process, the vanishes used, the coatings, layer of the hide that is used and the type of animal hide will all contribute to how your leather glue bonds to different surfaces.

Aside from these facts, we at the Cleaning King Team have come up with other factors that you should consider before you purchase leather glue.

Consider the type of leather glue and the surfaces

Knowing the type of glue that you should use is a crucial first step that must not be overlooked. We have identified that a good leather glue should have certain key properties above. Now let us take a look at what you should have in mind before you purchase any glue. 

• When bonding leather, always consider the second surface that you will work with. For example, if the joining partner is flexible and elastic, you should look for an adhesive that is flexible. A good real life example of this is glueing together a leather and a fabric. You should avoid using superglue adhesives because they are not elastic. 
• Always try to research about the tanning agents used to make the leather item that you want to repair or glue together. Different tanning agents will have different reactions to your glue of choice. Some will stain your leather, some will discolor it, and some will make your leather stiff and completely useless.
• Examples of different tanning processes include; brain tanned leather, vegetable tanned leather, synthetic tanned leather, chamois leather, chrome tanned leather and rawhide.
• Performing a patch test will save you a lot of heartache. So make sure that you test how the glue you buy will interact with the leather that you have. We recommend this because it is highly unlikely that you will know the exact details of the whole tanning process and chemicals used to treat your leather.
• Be aware that even if you do a patch test, some adhesives will only react with the leather after a long time, so you might not get to see any damage for a while.
• Consider the weight of your leather. Heavier items will require that you pick a glue with a considerable amount of hold.

Think about the Drying Speed

A key factor in your hunt for the best leather glue is to look at how quickly the glue will dry. If you are planning on doing a minor repair job, then a quick drying adhesive is your best choice. An example of this is replacing a loose belt buckle, or patching up a small tear on your leather jacket.

If however you are embarking on a big DIY project or repairing a big and heavy piece, then you will need a slow drying glue that will not cure quickly. This will give you ample time to move things around or place things in order before the drying sets in.

Keep in mind that some glues will not only require a long cure time, but will also need you to use some clamps to keep everything together. 

Element Resistant Glues

If your leather item will spend some time outside, for example your leather shoes, then picking a waterproof or water resistant glue is your best course of action. You need to ensure that as you are waiting for the curing to complete, your glue will not be ruined by any accidental moisture or water, otherwise your entire project or repair work will be ruined.

Another consideration to make is the temperature resistance of the glue of your choice. It is always a good idea to get a glue that can resist high levels of heat regardless of whether there is a big possibility of the item coming into contact with fire or flammable material.

Extreme cold resistance is also a good thing for your glue to have. Nothing is as frustrating as having your recently repaired leather shoes crack open because the glue bond has been weakened by the cold.

The adage saying “prevention is better than cure” is very relevant in this scenario

Value for money

There is absolutely no need for you to buy the most expensive leather glue on the market. When it comes to buying glue, the best thing for you to do is to stick to your budget.

Find a glue that has good value for money and that will give you a strong, long-lasting bond. Storage and wastage is also important to consider. Some questions you might ask yourself include:

• Can you reuse the glue if some is left over?
• Will the glue dry up if left for long periods of time?
• Does the applicator tip design allow for accurate spreading to avoid wastage?
• Can you use the glue on multiple surfaces and for multiple projects?
• Is the glue toxic and will it need special storage?

All these questions are important to ask and find out as you shop around for the most suitable leather glue for you.

Safety

The more industrial type of adhesives can pose several safety risks. Some glues that we reviewed in this article had flammable and toxic warning labels.

Analyzing the purpose and the environment that you are going to use the glue in is a very important step before you buy.

If you have pets or young children storage of the toxic leather glues become an issue. Also, ventilation is a priority should you choose these types of adhesives.

Besides the toxic safety warnings, if the glue you are eyeing is highly flammable and you live in a pretty hot area, you might want to reconsider buying such a glue. It is not unheard of for certain flammable chemicals to spontaneously catch fire because of high temperatures.

The bottom line is that going for the more eco-friendly options is good for the environment, good for your health, good for your safety and just easier to store and use. Fortunately, there are a wide range of non-toxic water-based glues that will provide a strong bond for your leather items.