doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Barge Cement for Case Repair

I'm getting ready to reconfigure a few leather and canvas/leather cases, and need to replace some of the leather trim inside the cases to accommodate different guns. Also need to do some minor exterior repairs. I'd planned to use good old Barge Cement, but the only stuff I can now find locally is the new version that is "toluene free." I like toluene. It makes glues and paints work, but it's probably illegal in CA now. Anybody have recent experience with the toluene free version of this stuff? I can get the good stuff when I go to AZ in September, but I was hoping to get the cases done before that trip. Thanks.

Tandy Leather did sell it.

Check with any of the saddle or tack shops. My late dad, Jack Kendall, was a master saddlemaker in California and he used it all of the time.

True, but around here they are now selling their house-brand stuff that is "environmentally friendly" (another way of saying it no longer works).

Thanks. I Googled a bunch of tack shops and farrier suppliers last night (my grandfather was a farrier, coincidentally) and those that show Barge Cement often show the new package. I'll start calling them to see if any have the old stuff on the shelf. I guess I'll also have to stop at every neighborhood hardware store to find some.

Replacement:
Email me as I'm located in Arizona if I can be of help.
Jim

Italiansxs, thanks. I'll be in Yuma in 31 days but may take you up on your offer before then. I now have more info and may have a solution to my problem.

Spoke with the company that owns the Barge formula (Quabaug, they contract out the manufacturing). They told me that the old formula has not been packaged in the convenient 2-oz tubes since 2008 and there is virtually no stock left anywhere in the country. All the tube product is the new formula in the blue/black packaging. The leather craft websites and BBS's have a lot of guys griping about the new formula and looking for alternatives. Quabaug also told me that the old product is still sold in SoCal in quarts and gallons, but they have advised their dealers and distributors to sell ONLY to professional shoe repair shops because of liability concerns. Their dealers are not supposed to sell to saddlery and tack shops, nor to farriers, but some may still be selling under the counter. I went through most of the SoCal Equestrian Directory on the phone and not one shop had any old formula Barge available. I finally found some in quarts at a business that caters to Hollywood film grips and set decorators. Will try to buy it tomorrow and be glad to have it, if they will actually sell it to me.

Tandy can order it, prepaid, in gallons or in quarts. If you want a quart, you have buy buy a case of 12. Tandy does not have a substitute.

Got the Barge Cement and thinner (probably just MEK) this morning. Plenty in stock, quarts and gallons, no hassle to buy. Came from FilmTools in Burbank, 818-845-8066.