Hide Glue ‘Cake’ – Ready to Go Into the Glue Pot

No, it’s not a brain. It’s hide glue – ready to go.

We use our Piggly No Wiggly glue for most things in our shop. It has a long open time, is reversible and you can read all about it here. But there are times when we need the fast-setting action of traditional, non-altered, pure pig/cow hot hide glue.

Of course, whenever we need hot hide glue, it’s usually too late to soak the granules/pearls (overnight is best) then melt them in the glue pot.

Yes, you can make hide glue ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Or you can do what I did: order a 5 lb. brick of glue that is already soaked and ready to go from Talas, a company that specializes in bookbinding supplies.

I bought a brick of the stuff a couple years ago, and it has come in handy on many occasions. We keep the brick wrapped up in plastic in a drawer in the fridge. When we need some hot hide glue, we slice a piece off the slab and drop it into the glue pot. And almost immediately, we have an excellent quick-set glue ready to use.

The glue is a little thicker than we usually use for joinery (that fact is mentioned on the Talas website). So we put a little water in the glue pot to thin it out.

I don’t know what the gram strength of the glue is, but it sets up a lot like our Piggly No Wiggly (in other words, it doesn’t get glass hard). Plus, bookbinders need the same amount of flexibility in their glue that woodworkers need.

Is this brick a good value? I have not figured out the cost analysis. You are, of course, paying for someone to mix the glue in water. And the heavy waterlogged brick has to be mailed to you.

But am I glad I bought it? Heck yes.

Note that the Talas website says the hide glue is good for one year. We have not found that to be the case. It works great (like all animal glue) for years and years if you take care of it.