Great glue for DIY shoe repair

Over here a similar product is Casco Liquisole:

I have found it also to be a good product and maybe a bit easier to find in Europe.

If you don’t know much about glues, here’s an excellent summary from MIT:

https://d-lab.mit.edu/sites/default/files/D-Lab_Learn-It_Adhesives.pdf

I wish someone had showed me that when I was a kid… If you read that single page carefully, you will probably know enough about glues to last your life (and make you seem like a glue expert to other people).

This site is also useful:

http://www.thistothat.com/

If you like repairing or maintaining your dwelling and things, you need unfortunately quite a variety of glues to get optimal results. Unfortunately most glues get worse when they age. I have these on hand always:

  • cyanoacrylate (super glue) and the accelerator: good for small, fast repairs, cheap - not as strong as epoxy, brittle

  • epoxy (I use the slow, high bond strength variety): high strength, slow - not good with shoes as it tends to crack

  • polyvinyl glue / wood glue (I use the water ‘waterproof’ varitety from any reputable brand): good for wood joinery and I use it assembling flat pack furniture

  • urethane glue (Liquisole etc.): main benefit is that when cured it is flexible and doesn’t crack

  • glue stick: while it’s not the best glue, it is very non-toxic and safe to use (slow), so I use it to repair children’s books when possible

  • hot glue: cheap, fast, lazy - like to avoid it but sometimes it does the trick

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