Patrick Edward’s Old Brown Glue

Patrick Edwards is one of the world’s experts on marquetry and furniture restoration, so you know any glue that he makes is held to an unbelievably high standard. This is the glue we use here in the shop and we’re thrilled to offer it for sale. We’ll never go back to the yellow stuff. Technically speaking, Old Brown Glue is liquid hide glue. It’s the perfect glue for antique restoration, veneer work and lamination, instrument and chair making, as well as what we use it for – modern woodworking. The reason why I swear by it is that it is basically transparent to finishes. All you need to do is give it a decent wipe. It cleans up with cold water. It’s also reversible with heat and hot water, which makes repair or repositioning easy and convenient.

Its ingredient list is simple – hydrolyzed collagen (hide glue) and urea – not a long list of chemical solvents you might not want in your home. The glue dries by loss of moisture and, under normal conditions, has a very long open time. It will start to set in about an hour and be completely set in 24 – 48 hours. Old Brown Glue has superior strength in tight-fitting joints and it remains flexible after it sets. Because it is organic and non-toxic, Old Brown Glue does have a shelf-life – about one year or so. There are other brands of liquid hide glue on the market but this is safest and strongest one out there. Made in the USA from American – made hide glue.