Franklin Hide Glue

[Wilfred Xavier Pickles]

Franklin Hide Glue

Anybody got a handle on shelf life of Franklin Hide Glue in the old dark brown 8 fl. oz bottle. I got some that's at least 6 years old, and I'm afraid to use it. :-)

TIA, Will

[Larry Blanchard]

It should have a date of manufacture or a use by date on it. But after 6 years, my advice is to toss it. IIRC, 9 months after manufacture is just about the limit.

[Steve Turner]

Shoot, mine's older than six years and it's never shown any signs of deterioration. Granted, I don't ever build anything where hide glue is the preferred choice over "yellow" glue (like guitars or violins) so I only really use it for oddball things like mixing with wood dust to make filler and never for anything structural, but it still seems to cure up just fine.

[Larry Blanchard]

Even allowing for their caution, anything over 18 months old is iffy, no matter what luck you've had with "nothing structural".

[SonomaProducts.com]

I though hide glue was releaseable with heat or something. So I fugured is was good forever before and after use. I think the shelf life indication might be a manufactures way of staying in business.

[Larry Blanchard]

It is often reversible with heat *and* moisture. Steam works really well. But it can also cause damage to the wood. Dry hide glue will last almost forever. Once you heat it, the proteins in it start to deteriorate. You can let it cool and solidify and then keep it in the refrigerator for some time, but not forever.

Liquid hide glue is made by adding urea, and sometimes other stuff, to ho hide glue so it stays liquid as it cools. So the proteins continue to deteriorate.

BTW, here's a different manufacturer's (Old Brown GLue) statement:

"Storage life : 12 months in tightly closed containers at 75°F."

I don't think Patrick is the type to lie.

[Father Haskell]

Past 6 months is pushing it. At least if it fails, you can strip it off easily with hot water. Dry hide glue lasts forever; I'm using stock I purchased back in '79 with no problems.

[Wilfred Xavier Pickles]

I didn't notice when first I looked: they stamped the exp. date in the middle of the "instructions", it sez "May94".

I glued a couple pieces of wood with fresh yellow glue, another pair with the old Hide glue. After 1 day I broke both bonds: the adhesion was entirely comparable.

So I went ahead and used the Hidey glue. No apparent problems.

I suspect 98% of applicable vendors dream up super-short shelf lives without testing, etc, assuming it will increase revenue.

Will

[Artemus]

That's extremely unlikely.

[Artemus]

Never mind. I was thinking of a paper instruction booklet. Brain fart. Art