Understanding Hide Glue: Grades, Uses, and Bulk Availability

 

Hide glue is one of the oldest adhesives used in woodworking and luthiery, prized for its unique properties, reversibility, and ability to create strong, flexible joints. For more than 20 years, I’ve been selling hide glue in bulk to professionals and hobbyists alike, ensuring access to the best materials for instrument repair, fine woodworking, and furniture restoration.

What Is Hide Glue?

Hide glue is a natural adhesive made from the collagen in animal hides, typically from cattle. It’s available in various forms—granules, flakes, or sheets—but the granules are most common due to their ease of use. Hide glue is highly favored for its ability to be reactivated with heat and moisture, making it ideal for joints that might need future repairs. This is particularly important in instrument making and restoration, where a reversible bond can be a game-changer.

Hide Glue Grades

Hide glue is graded by its "jelly strength," which is measured in jelly grams. This rating determines the strength and tack of the glue. The higher the number, the faster the glue sets, which can affect the workability. Here’s a breakdown of some common grades:

• 80–135 Jelly Grams: These are the lower grades of hide glue and tend to have longer working times. They are ideal for delicate work where slower setting times are required, such as in instrument assembly or marquetry.

• 164–222 Jelly Grams: These middle grades are commonly used in general woodworking and luthiery. They provide a good balance between working time and bond strength. Grade 192 is particularly popular for its versatility in instrument making.

• 251–315 Jelly Grams: As the jelly gram rating increases, the glue sets faster and becomes more brittle. These grades are often used in applications where a quicker set time is needed, but flexibility is still required.

• 347–512 Jelly Grams: The highest grades of hide glue, these are used in applications where a fast setting time and high strength are essential, such as in furniture repair. These grades are less commonly used in musical instrument work but are valuable in woodworking where high initial tack is needed.

Choosing the Right Grade

The choice of glue grade largely depends on the project and the material you’re working with. For luthiers, lower grades like 192 or 222 are common because they offer sufficient working time and strong, flexible bonds. For woodworkers working on furniture repair, higher grades like 315 or 379 might be preferred for their strength and quick setting times.

It’s important to experiment with different grades to find the one that suits your project best. Some professionals keep a few grades on hand to match the right glue to the task at hand.

Bulk Hide Glue: Convenience and Cost Efficiency

For professionals and avid hobbyists, buying hide glue in bulk is a cost-effective way to ensure a steady supply for all your projects. I’ve been offering bulk hide glue for more than two decades, sourcing high-quality glue in 30-pound bags and selling it by the pound. This allows my customers to get exactly the amount they need, whether it’s a few pounds for a one-off project or larger quantities for ongoing work.

By buying in bulk, you not only save money but also reduce the need to constantly restock, ensuring you have the right grade of glue available when you need it. Whether you’re restoring a vintage violin or assembling intricate wooden furniture, having a reliable supply of hide glue makes all the difference.

Why Hide Glue?

In an age of synthetic adhesives, why stick with hide glue? It’s not just tradition. Hide glue’s natural properties make it superior in many applications. Its reversibility is critical for restoration, its ability to shrink as it dries pulls joints together, and it bonds exceptionally well with wood. Hide glue also doesn’t "creep" like some modern glues, meaning once it’s set, it stays put.

For woodworkers and luthiers who value authenticity, hide glue is more than just an adhesive—it’s a critical component in preserving the craftsmanship and quality of their work.

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If you’re looking to purchase high-quality hide glue by the pound, I offer a range of grades from 80 to 512 Jelly Grams. Whether you need just a pound or a bulk order, I can help you find the perfect grade for your project. Reach out to learn more about how hide glue can enhance your woodworking or luthiery work.

Building a Legacy of Quality: Our Bow Hair Journey to China

 

Emily and I've spent decades perfecting the art of sourcing the highest-quality bow hair for musicians around the world. One of the key moments in this journey took place in 2004 when my wife Emily and I traveled to Anping, China, to meet with a bow hair supplier. It was an eye-opening experience that not only helped us establish a strong relationship with a reputable workshop but also shaped the foundation for our business.

The Search for Excellence: Our First Visit to Anping

Upon arriving in Anping, we were taken on a tour of the workshop where the hair was processed. I still remember the meticulousness of the workers as they straightened the hair using hackles, carefully drawing and sorting out any damaged strands. The hair was then bundled and packaged, ready to be shipped to a customer in London. Each step in the process was done with precision and care, which gave me the confidence to negotiate a fair price for our first order. We sat in a small, cold office drinking hot water, a customary Chinese tradition, while the terms were settled.

This trip solidified our commitment to providing only the best-quality bow hair, and it marked the beginning of what would become a longstanding partnership with our supplier.

Expanding the Scope: The Return in 2005

We returned to Anping in 2005, this time expanding our focus beyond bow hair. The demand for high-quality horse tail hair for push brooms, brushes, and furniture had grown, and we were there to negotiate prices for these products as well. This broadened our expertise in the industry and allowed us to offer a diverse range of products, ensuring that we could meet the needs of various customers across different sectors.

Since then, we've been steadily importing small quantities—around 10 kilos at a time—of both bow hair and other horse hair products. Our commitment to quality has remained unwavering, and we've continued to source the best hair for our clients.

The Impact of the Pandemic and the Changing Industry

Like many industries, ours was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, we had to pause all orders due to global disruptions. After four long years, we're excited to announce that we are starting back up again. However, the landscape has changed significantly, especially in terms of pricing.

Several factors have contributed to the steep rise in prices. One of the primary reasons is the decreasing number of animals, which has resulted in a shortage of high-quality hair. Another issue is the lack of proper training within the Chinese hair-processing industry, leading to inconsistencies in quality control. Lastly, the tariffs on animal products from China have increased, further driving up costs.

Despite these challenges, we continue to provide the finest bow hair in the industry. We pride ourselves on our careful selection process, ensuring that only the best quality hair reaches our customers.

Bow Hair Products Available for Purchase

We offer a variety of bow hair products, each one carefully wrapped in butcher paper and measured at 83cm. Whether you're a professional player or a student, we have the right bow hair to suit your needs.

• 
  
  Unbleached Natural White, Double Drawn, Visually Sorted
  Our Best Product. This is the finest bow hair we offer, perfect for professionals seeking impeccable performance.

• 
  
  Unbleached Natural, Double Drawn, Visually Sorted
  Ideal for student bows, offering reliability and quality at an affordable price.

• 
  
  Unbleached Coarse, Double Drawn, Visually Sorted
  A great option for fiddlers, providing the strength and resilience needed for traditional playing styles.

• 
  
  Black Coarse
  Specifically designed for bass and Baroque bows, offering durability and aesthetic appeal.

For pricing inquiries, please email us at [your email].

At Sweet Music USA, our dedication to quality has not wavered, despite the changes in the global market. We continue to source the best materials so that you can perform at your best.

Comparing the IQ of Animals with Humans

Adapting IQ tests for animals would be an intriguing exercise, though it's important to clarify that IQ tests are designed to measure human intelligence, which includes aspects like logical reasoning, problem-solving, and language comprehension. For animals, we would need to focus on different metrics of intelligence that are relevant to their species, such as:

• Memory and Learning: How quickly can they learn new tasks or remember locations of food?
• Problem-Solving: Their ability to use tools or solve puzzles to get rewards.
• Social Intelligence: Understanding and navigating social hierarchies or cooperation.
• Innovation: Ability to come up with new behaviors or solutions not previously observed in their species.
• Communication: Complexity of communication, whether it's through vocalizations, gestures, or other means.

Here's a speculative chart comparing these aspects with human intelligence:

Elephants:

• Memory: Likely very high. Elephants have shown remarkable memory for locations and other elephants.
• Problem-Solving: Moderate. They can solve simple problems but not at the level of some primates.
• Social Intelligence: High. Elephants have complex social structures.
• Innovation: Low to Moderate. Not as innovative as some species but can adapt behaviors.
• Communication: High. Complex vocalizations and body language.

Crows:

• Memory: High. Crows are known for their excellent memory, especially for faces and locations.
• Problem-Solving: Very High. Crows are among the most innovative tool users in the animal kingdom.
• Social Intelligence: Moderate to High. They have complex social behaviors but not as structured as primates.
• Innovation: Very High. Known for creating and using tools.
• Communication: Moderate. Less complex than primates but significant for birds.

Chimpanzees:

• Memory: High. Chimps have been shown to outperform humans in certain memory tasks.
• Problem-Solving: High. They use tools and solve complex problems.
• Social Intelligence: Very High. Chimps have intricate social structures and politics.
• Innovation: High. They can innovate new tool uses and strategies.
• Communication: High. Complex vocalizations and gestures, though not as advanced as human language.

Dolphins:

• Memory: High. Dolphins show long-term memory in social contexts.
• Problem-Solving: High. They can solve puzzles and use tools in the wild.
• Social Intelligence: Very High. Dolphins have sophisticated social structures and cooperative hunting.
• Innovation: High. They show innovative behaviors in the wild, like using sponges for protection while foraging.
• Communication: Very High. Their vocalizations are complex, suggesting a rich communication system.

Comparison with Human IQ:

Humans have a broad range of IQ, typically measured around 100 as average. However, human intelligence includes abstract reasoning, advanced language use, and complex cultural and technological understanding, which are not directly comparable to animal intelligence.

If we were to plot these animals on a human IQ scale for comparison (a very rough and anthropocentric measure):

• Elephants: Might score around 80-90 due to their impressive memory and social skills but lower problem-solving compared to humans.
• Crows: Potentially 90-100 or even higher in specific cognitive tasks like innovation and problem-solving, though lacking in abstract reasoning.
• Chimpanzees: Likely 70-85, considering their close genetic relation to humans but with significant differences in language and abstract thought.
• Dolphins: Possibly 85-95, given their social complexity and problem-solving abilities, though again, lacking in human-specific cognitive traits.

This chart is highly speculative and anthropocentric, as animal intelligence is not just a lesser version of human intelligence but a different kind, adapted to their environments and needs. Each species excels in ways that are not captured by human IQ tests, making direct comparisons inherently flawed but fascinating to consider.