[SNOWDOGHENRY]

I thought I would share what I’ve learned to be the best way to re-glue skins over the last couple decades of trial and error with customers, family, friends, and my skins. This thread is what gave me the idea to share my thoughts: http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=53220

First, there is one of three reasons why you want to re-glue your skins:
1. Your BD skin’s glue has become contaminated with dog hair, lint, food crumb, and etc, and not sticking as they once did. Otherwise, the glue is in good shape under the contamination. The glue is not gooey (bad glue). You don’t have to be so anal about getting all of the old glue off the base fabric. Just give it a good scrape and the micro remaining residue of glue in the base fabric will bond well with the new glue.
2. The BD glue is simply a bad batch and is gooey (leaves a sticky mess on your fingers when handling them). If you have a bad batch of glue check on getting a warranty replacement first. If you are replacing bad glue you need to be anal about getting all of the old glue off and out of the base fabric of the skins. If not, the new glue will not bond well. Hot scrape off the old glue and then place brown paper bag strip on the skin and iron as many times until no more glue is absorbing into the fresh paper strip out of the base fabric. Iron needs to be 310-340 F degrees. Be careful not to start a fire!
3. You are re-gluing non BD/Ascension skins for any of the above reason or that you’re not impressed with the new glue and want Gold Label Adhesive. All of the glue needs to be removed just as anal and the same method as with reason #2 above. If not, you’re mixing two different glue formulas and risk delaminating.

I cover my workbench in clean paper or cardboard that can be thrown away after wards. I replace it with fresh paper/cardboard for the second skin. I then tape and cover the plush with wide blue painters tape completely to keep the plush from getting contaminated with glue. I use a c-clamp to fasten the tip-loop of the skin to the workbench, so it stays put and does not slide around when I’m stripping the old glue off.

I’ve previously used an electric hot scraper to remove the old glue and worked great, but I loaned it to a guy and he left town with it. This type of scraper:
http://www.telemark-pyrenees.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=1_67_77&products_id=1532

I now use a metal putty knife/scraper and a heat gun. I’ve found that the plastic disposable scrapers don’t work as well as the metal. I’ve also found that the heat gun and scraper combination gets more glue down deep out of the base fabric than the electric scraper. Note: A blow-dryer that you use for your hair is not hot enough.

I set the heat gun on LOW and start heating a small area of glue until I notice it gets a wet/liquid look and then scrape it with the metal scraper. I’m able to heat and scrape at the same time long strips of glue. I scrape towards the tail away from the clamped tip-loop. The glue heats and strips off fast, so you don’t need to heat the glue long. I’m able to have 95%+ of the glue off in minutes. I can virtually get all of the glue with about three passes with the scraper and pushing fairly hard on the scraper.

If I’m striping off the glue for reason #2 or #3 above, I’ll then use the iron and paper bag strips to iron out into the paper any residual glue deep down in the base fabric. Use as many strips of paper and as many times as needed until no more glue is soaking into the paper. Again, the iron needs to be 310-340 F degrees. See my thermometer instructions below.

Note: I’ve tried using paper bags to iron from the start as per BD instructions to remove all of the glue from the beginning, but have found it to be long, messy and more work. The metal scraper is a lot faster and cleaner for getting the majority of the glue off first. I do use the paper bag strips for ironing out the micro remaining residue glue that is on or in the base fabric.

It’s time to glue after the skins have had a few minutes to cool. Sometimes I leave them on the bench until the next day to glue.

I fill a paper bowl with hot tap water and let the can of Gold Label Adhesive soak upright for about five minutes. Do this for sure if you’ve been storing the can in a cold winter garage. I’ll then cleanup the previous mess and get everything ready for the next step.

I take the can of glue and pour a small puddle in the middle of the skin and use a disposable plastic putty knife to spread it up and down, side to side on the skin. Don’t use the small brush attached to the lid of the can. Because I’ve warmed the glue it pours out light and smooth and spreads fast. It’s not cold and tacky. Pour less glue than you think you’ll need, you can always add more. When it’s warm a little goes a long ways.

I then lightly scrape the excess glue so that there is a light texture of base fabric barely covered in glue. Wipe off the glue from the plastic knife on something clean that you’ll throw away. Only takes minutes for this step! I then let the solvent dry for 20-30 minutes.

This first layer is now tacky and allows a large amount of glue to be spread for the second coat and it begins to bond instantly, by so, allowing a thick layer. I’ll then use the small brush attached to the lid of the can to touchup a few small places that needs some more glue to make it even.

BD instructions call for three layers, but I’ve found too much glue has more problems than too little. Too much glue, keeps stretching way too far before it releases when pilling it apart. Most folks put too much glue on. Good thin coverage!

The skins need to dry at least 24 hours to get all of the solvent out of the glue. I’ve also dried them longer. This is one step a lot of folks have rushed the night before a trip and head out and have problems with their re-glue, because there is solvent still in the glue. Be patient, plan ahead, give yourself time, and not the night before your big hut trip!

Now it’s time to heat the glue. A lot of folks skip this heating step. DON’T! Again, the glue needs to dry at least 24 hours. You’ll need the white transfer paper that your skins came new with. If you’ve thrown them away ask your local shop to save some BD transfer paper from when they cut skins for a customer.

Roll the transfer paper slick plastic side down on the glue and paper side up. Be careful to have the paper smooth with no wrinkles.

310-340 F is the temp the iron needs to be within. You only have 30 degrees of working range. Not hot enough, it does not bond well, and too hot, you'll destroy your skins.

Note: Most wax irons are not hot enough and will not work.

I use an old heavy steel clothing iron (electric). The kind that is heat only and uses no water for steam. They have a very heavy metal plate for the ironing surface, without steam holes, so it distributes the heat nice and even. Look in your local thrift stores.

I use a dial stem thermometer and place the whole needle flat against the hot plate to confirm temp. Most folks just guess how hot their iron is and are usually wrong (cold), and waste a lot of time and money. 325 degrees is HOT! Buy a thermometer, do it right the first time, so you don't have to strip glue off and buy supplies two times. This is the thermometer I use:
http://www.campchef.com/catalog/item/8/46/0/DFT6/62/6%22+Thermometer.html

I let the iron heat for a long time and adjust it with the thermometer. After I have it at temp, I let it sit longer and check the temp a couple more times to make sure it's not going to get any hotter once I start ironing the glue.

I now slowly iron the top of the transfer paper until I see no more bumps in the paper and its glass smooth. The paper will be very hot to the touch. If you’ve used a thermometer to be exact on the temp setting you should be safe, so iron away. You will want some pressure on the iron to smooth out the glue, but don’t push too hard, because the glue is in a liquid state and can be pushed off the sides into the plush hair.

Because the old irons I use are so heavy and have no holes in the base plate for steam, I just iron the whole skin. I don't need to stop every little bit to press it flat with a smooth object as per BD instructions.

Let the skins cool until they’re cool to the touch. Pull the blue tape off of the plush and then the transfer paper off the glue. The glue will look smooth just like they did the day they were new.

I’ve always had a little glue get on the very edge of the plush (0.5-1mm). It does not clean off, so I just barely place it past the edge of the ski (0.5-1mm) and just trim it off. Also, if you have new European skins (Mohair) and want better glue, it’s easier to re-glue them before you cut them.

Last, I’ve not had any luck removing the non-stick strip that is on the newer skins without damaging it to a point it can’t be reused. If someone has found a way please share?

[dirtbag]

Thanks for the nice write-up. Somebody should make this a sticky.

[cesare]

Now that's what I call a high value post! Thank you!!!

I have reglued skins before but did not do as good a job as you are describing here. I have some gooey skins that are about 3 years old and a half can of Gold Label. This may be a summer project since I will not be skiing due to shoulder surgery.

Thanks again!
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that sounds like a sure-fire way to get bitch-slapped by devil's club -- dschane

[keithermadness]

[cesare]

[powderpond]

Here is the easy way suggested elswhere here...take em to the dry cleaners...$3.20 for the pair.

[cesare]

Let me know which dry cleaner you use so I don't take my suit there after.
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that sounds like a sure-fire way to get bitch-slapped by devil's club -- dschane

[keithermadness]

[dangerDan]

[XXX_er]

nice technical write up SDH complete with all the little nuances

I like the bit about taping off the plush so you don't get glue in the plush side

I have also heard you should scrape to the center of the skin so the glue doesnt bleed off into the plush

definatley book marked

[cesare]

[rburke]

After a fruitless search for the BD release paper, and a bit of experimenting, I found that parchment paper from any supermarket works great for ironing glue. It's not robust enough for reuse, but should work well for summer storage of the skins.

Don't even think about drycleaning to remove glue. I tried some perc solvent once and while it did remove the glue, it also delaminated the fabric backing.

[rsireland3]

[powderpond]

[Danno]