Need Help With Gluing Exotic Hardwoods

ithacaartist · 08-05-2025, 05:20 PM

A successful glue joint starts out with both sides clean, which we'll presume both sides of your split are.

Remove any pieces of errant grain that were displaced by the trauma. The goal of this is to remove any barrier to a literal hairline crack remaining when testing its reassembly, and out-of-place slivers of wood will hinder this big-time.

I think the choice of glue would be yours, from whatever formulas are recommended for wood by the various manufacturers. I'd go for either a waterproof wood glue or cyano acrylate gel, which gives sufficient working time.

Gluing without clamping is a waste of time, so make yourself a setup that will squeeze everything together straight and true, as you want it. You want to see glue pushed from the hairline crack. Clean off the excess that's squished out so you can keep track of the crack, and whatever you can reach when the clamping is finished. The solvent dampening the rag/toothbrush should be whatever the glue's maker recommends.

When revealed by un-clamping, cured glue that's where you don't want it may need to be removed mechanically--scraping/sanding.

Refinish the grip, or at least blend in the area of the repair, if needed.

That should do it.

Posting pics of your progress would be great...

gunbugs · 08-05-2025, 10:09 PM

I'm fond of two part epoxies. To remove the oil, hit the surfaces of your repair with brake cleaner, and be sure to rub the epoxy into the wood, so it gets well into the grain. Then, as Ithacaartist said, clamp well, and remove any excess you can get to.

08-05-2025, 05:20 PM	#1
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,409 Thanks: 7,583 Thanked 2,657 Times in 1,398 Posts	A successful glue joint starts out with both sides clean, which we'll presume both sides of your split are. Remove any pieces of errant grain that were displaced by the trauma. The goal of this is to remove any barrier to a literal hairline crack remaining when testing its reassembly, and out-of-place slivers of wood will hinder this big-time. I think the choice of glue would be yours, from whatever formulas are recommended for wood by the various manufacturers. I'd go for either a waterproof wood glue or cyano acrylate gel, which gives sufficient working time. Gluing without clamping is a waste of time, so make yourself a setup that will squeeze everything together straight and true, as you want it. You want to see glue pushed from the hairline crack. Clean off the excess that's squished out so you can keep track of the crack, and whatever you can reach when the clamping is finished. The solvent dampening the rag/toothbrush should be whatever the glue's maker recommends. When revealed by un-clamping, cured glue that's where you don't want it may need to be removed mechanically--scraping/sanding. Refinish the grip, or at least blend in the area of the repair, if needed. That should do it. Posting pics of your progress would be great... __________________ "... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894

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08-05-2025, 10:09 PM	#2
gunbugs Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska. Home of the best moose. Posts: 683 Thanks: 375 Thanked 1,228 Times in 415 Posts	I'm fond of two part epoxies. To remove the oil, hit the surfaces of your repair with brake cleaner, and be sure to rub the epoxy into the wood, so it gets well into the grain. Then, as Ithacaartist said, clamp well, and remove any excess you can get to.