Are cyanoacrylates all created equal?

Fresh superglue works better than old SG. Keep it in the fridge for up to six mos.

nb

No sources, etc.. just what I've heard/experienced:

According to most ads, all CA is the same formula, the difference is in filtering of contaminants, or whatever..

Acetone (finger nail polish remover) is what I use to get CA off my fingers, so I'd tend to think it's what CA solvent is, not accelerator...

mac

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From Wikipedia article:

=93=85 Generally, cyanoacrylate is an acrylic resin which rapidly polymerises in the presence of water (specifically hydroxide ions), forming long, strong chains, joining the bonded surfaces together. Because the presence of moisture causes the glue to set, exposure to moisture in the air can cause a tube or bottle of glue to become unusable over time. To prevent an opened container of glue from setting before use, it must be stored in an airtight jar or bottle with a package of silica gel. =85=94

Thanks for the replies. I have found that the newer the glue the better it adheres and hardens. I use quite a bit of it to repair small cracks and shingling in the reclaimed wood we use. Excellent stuff. Mostly used the FastCap brand, but I'm going to try some others.

JP

CA is used in the RC Airplane hobby - a lot, and they recommend storing CA glue in the freezer to keep it fresh. I am lucky to have a "guy's fridge" in the shop, and the freezer section is perfect for

I think you'll find that a lot of pen turners use it as a finish.

I'm a turner and use 3 or 4 viscosities and both "normal", flexible and colored CA.. I find that by storing the ones that I don't use often in the refrigerator, they last MUCH longer..

mac

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And a lot of pen turners get paper towels glued to their fingers, too.. DAMHIKT

mac

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I can reinforce that opinion. I've had some work for almost 2 years now because I keep it in the refrigerator on the top shelf next to the freezer. Stored at room temperature my experience has been I'm lucky if it lasts 6 months.

And the FastCap stuff seems to hold better and last longer than some other brands I've tried.

And knifemakers too. It is really good finish for kitchen knives. If you are careful you can fix small cracks too and turn unusable wood into pretty nice handles.

There are several chemical compositions, see

seismo malm