Glue

[felicote]

What is the best glue for rewiring a foil?

[Purple Fencer]

What is the best glue for rewiring a foil?

Boy....THERE'S a question with multiple answers!

I'll let others who use Cementit or fletching glue give gtheir responses.

For myself, I use superglue with a chemical accelerant to speed the curing process. I used to use regular stuff you could buy in any store, but I recently started using a different type that's supposed to be more rubbery, thus allowing for more flexing of thre wire without the glue fracturing and causing a popout. I haven't been using it long enough for any patterns of popouts to develop yet, tho.

[Mr.Piccolo22]

Well, I use Zap A Gap. It is really thin glue that wicks pretty far. So, a little goes a long way. Plus it dries in about 30 seconds. Then you could always use the accelerant to speed it up even quicker. I haven't had a wire pop out yet. However, with this glue, there is no room for error. Because once it dries thats it. I have also used fletching glue as well and had good results. But I like Zap A Gap. Good luck on your hunt for a type of glue you like.

Mr. P

[The0ne]

superglue! If you start messing with Duco cement it just gets messy. . .

[fencinman89]

I only use superglue for team blades and my own personal ones. Do not use "Goop". It is messy, globby and it holds poorly.
-Tre'

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

I use elmers

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Just kidding, I use the pbt glue called bostik and I have not had a problem with it.

[Purple Fencer]

And remember, a god part of the wiring job is to make sure the groove is clean clean CLEAN!!!! You want to make sure the glue is adhering to the blade, NOT crud in the blade.

This means:

If puirchasing a new blade, make sure there is nol shipping grease collected in the groove (besides, the wire won't sit down in the groove far enough if the stuff's there!) You can grind it out with a Dremel and a diamond wheel bit.

If pulling the wire out, grind away any remainng glue with the above dremel

If using an acetone bath to remove the wire...STILL use the dremel even after removing the blade...there will be a slight residue of acetone.

[neevel]

I go over some of the pros- and cons- of different glues in the Wiring Blades article I wrote over in the armory section on this site. The executive summary is:

1. As long as you get the blade thoroughly cleaned and prepped, just about any reasonable choice of glue will do the job fine.
2. I personally use Zap CA for foils, and Zap-A-Gap for epees.

-Dave

[The0ne]

you CAN use a dremel, or if you don't have one you can hit the glue over and over again with a knife like I do. . .

[great bowyer]

I use the pbt glue called bostik and I have not had a problem with it.

i use the same stuff, i got from a uhlmann vendor in germany, no problems. i also used loctite 401 instant adhesive to reglue a wire, it has a very light viscosity, and dries very hard, i have not had any problems with it yet. i have also used duco. this was a pain to use, the longer setup time makes it harder to keep the wires where i want them, while the bostik glue is thicker, so it works well. a friend used the goop stuff, it does not seem to hold very well and looked as though it is very messy to use.

as for the cleaning, i always spend a lot of time and make sure i remove ALL the old glue and other crap from the blade. i found the superglue can be hard to remove, the bostick is easier, and i have not cleaned the loctite stuff otu of a blade yet, but it seems it will be a chore.

[suregrip]

I use loctite. It comes out nicely in the tank and/or with a dremel.

[oiuyt]

I use elmers

Just for reference (and yes I realize it was a joke and that no one here actually attempts to use Elmer's for this purpose), Elmer's is apparently electrically conductive. This is especially a problem if the wires you use are insulated only with cloth wrapping (which will be permeated by the glue) rather than a layer of varnish AND cloth wrapping (the way Uhlmann wires are for example). Instant short from the wire to the blade.

Perhaps this factoid should go in the "Did you know" thread in water cooler.

-B

[grotto]

I use pliobond, it is a rubber based flexible adhesive. I don't have half the problems others have with wires popping. I very seldom have to rewire a blade. (blade usually fails before the glue) and clean up is easy, either sand till the left over glue pills up (like rubber cement) or take a sharp screwdriver tip and scrape the excess off. Foilists the dremel for the groove is the easiest way. I have never had to use any sort of caustic bath for my blades to keep them clean for a rewire.

[Mergs]

Believe it or not, at one time I used hot glue! Seemed to work OK for a while, but having to be near an outlet in order to do it, became more trouble than it was worth.

[DJ Apostrophe]

Damn brad... you beat me to it...

-w

[MikeHarm]

Weldwood contact cement is the best hands down so far for me. I just take out the brush, run some contact cement along the wire then slip it into the groove with my thumbnail. A lot less complicated than the stuff with letting stuff dry for hours and having to have the sword bent in half which was my previous method of wiring foils. I've noticed a lot less wires popping since I've been doing it this way too.

[ShadowHuntr]

ive had the msot success with ZAP. As far as cement it, i found it to be too thick and i couldnt get it to hold in the groove. But, that is my own personal experience.