I finally saw the difference between old-timey hide glue and modern PVA

Watched a buddy restore a 1920s book with hide glue and it took forever to set, then I did the same repair on a modern paperback with PVA in under 2 minutes, makes me wonder if the old timers just had more patience or if the glue really was better for lasting repairs?

2 comments

2 Comments

kellyr1815d agoMost Upvoted

That "took forever to set" part is exactly why I'd argue hide glue is actually better for most real repairs. If you're using PVA for something that needs to hold under tension, you're basically choosing convenience over integrity. Hide glue isn't slow because it's outdated, it's slow because it's reversible and adjustable, you can clamp it, shift it, and get the perfect fit without the glue grabbing instantly. PVA might be done in 2 minutes but that means if you mess up the positioning even a little, you're stuck with it or you've ruined the piece trying to pry it apart. The fact your buddy's 50 year old guitar is still solid with hide glue joints tells you everything about longevity, PVA will get brittle and fail inside a decade on anything that gets any flex or temperature swings.

gavinh2615d ago

Oh man, totally get this! I tried hide glue once on a chair repair and thought I'd be sitting there holding the joint together until retirement. Meanwhile I patched a kids toy with PVA and it was done before my coffee got cold. The hide glue does seem to hold up better on stuff that needs to flex over time though, I've got a 50 year old guitar with hide glue joints that are still solid. Kinda feels like you trade speed for longevity with the old stuff.