I finally found some expensive Loctite 420, it was a real Easter egg hunt. I plan to use for fixing small cracks in the fiberglass face of an old Howatt Hi-Speed bought off the big auction site. I am planning to add some phenolic tip overlays as I want to narrow the overly-wide limb knocks, and maybe add a bocote veneer on the riser face and belly to cover some ugliness-- screw holes and a gouge in the glass (doesn't affect bow's integrity.)

Would the 420 work for those uses? What other applications can I use it for?--I don't want to let it go to waste. By the way, I was told it has about a year shelf life if kept in fridge. Thanks in advance.

I use a impact resistant super glue from gorilla glue for limb tips but the 420 would I think be ok,its good for your other uses as well.One tip to pass along that may keep you from being frustrated is when filling the stress cracks do so with the bow strung and I even use a tillering stick to keep the bow drawn about 18 inches

I use a impact resistant super glue from gorilla glue for limb tips but the 420 would I think be ok,its good for your other uses as well.One tip to pass along that may keep you from being frustrated is when filling the stress cracks do so with the bow strung and I even use a tillering stick to keep the bow drawn about 18 inches

Lock-tite can be used like any thin superglue. Let me give you a little tip. You can purchase a product at your local hobby shop for less than 1/4 of what you paid for the lock-tite product that will do the same job and just as well, its called "Zap-it" a good bowyer friend of mine has been using it for several years for the tasks you mentioned, he told me it works just as well as lock-tite. Bob

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, it's embarrassing to pay almost as much for the glue as I did on the bow! But the 420 is what I thought I needed based on some old threads here.

keep it in your frig. The sad thing is for people like us that just use it for little repairs here and there is that the shelf life isn't so great.

I've tried them all. NOTHING wicks way down into tiny cracks like 420. Well worth the cost!

Hey- a $50 bow deserves $50 glue! I've been using it on old bows, not so old bows, bows costing a lot more than $50.... also guitar parts, house hold stuff, etc. And especially carbon arrow repairs.

The best line I ever heard about it, right here on the LW a few years ago, "It will glue snot to vaseline."

Unfortunately, it is not flexible. In my experience- bending parts of the limb on high- stress bows failed- even when wrapped with spider wire also soaked in 420. Also, the advice I got at Grainger for storage- and corroborated online- is that refrigeration is good only for UNopened containers; once you've opened it, it keeps better on the shelf.

The pic is the bow limb that failed, I scraped off the green spider wire wrap to see that the clear fiber glass back pulled up from the core bamboo despite the Loctite 420. It does have its limitations.

no no I would not really want to use 420 or any fast setting super glue on tip and or riser overlays.Because if something goes wrong like your overlay is not straight and you need to adjust it ? your screwed you can't because the super has set up already.For tip overlays I really like the loc tite gel you can buy that stuff at home depot lowe boys wally world just about anywhere for under 5 bucks and there is enough glue to do about 10 overlays pending on there size.Its gel and takes about 2 minutes to dry rather then 6 seconds and works outstanding real real strong glue.......I do want to mention I been using LT420 since 1973 making repairs on long bows and recurves using it.I use nothing nothing but the best of the best for my customers and Loc Tite 420 is the real deal.Sure you can buy some super glues cheaper but it ai'nt 420 and I would not repair a 500.00 bow with 2 dollar glue not gonna happen at bd's place no way bd

Thanks for all the great comments. DanW, that is a hilarious observation about 420's unique capabilities! High praise, indeed! .

And thanks, again, Bowdoc, for sharing your invaluable experience. Bingham Projects down south of here (the bow kit company) sells Kwick-It Blue for overlays. I'm guessing that's a super-type glue, but I'll see about the Loctite gel you mentioned.

go with the LT gel at HD or Lowe boys hardware or wallys its super cheap and works super good and now with that being said ? I can give you a better idea of why I trust loc tite better then any other product on the market ? because over 100+ 1959 Bear Kodiak tip replacments and around 1,000 + repairs can't be wrong bd

I have some l.t 495. What's the difference between that and the 420. All I know is that a fresh bottle is plumb dangerous ...lol

Loctite 420 is Penetrating instant glue. It goes everywhere ! It will get into a crack and repair it. I bought it to fix a TD bow connection, which had become loose. The brass sleeve would make noise. The instructions I received was to tape down paper towels, all around the area, to keep the Loctite from running. I repeat: Loctite 420 goes everywhere !

The repair went flawlessly. I cannot think what other kind of instant glue would have been able to get in the problem area so quickly. 420 is very thin. No gel qualities at all. The reason it is difficult to find is because it is so thin, and fast running. Put a drop on an arrow tip, and in a half second, the Loctite has run down the arrow to the fletching.

Dangerous!

I stuck two fingers together, and it took me a half hour to get them apart, by soaking the fingers in warm soapy water, (the mfg. recommended way).

Loctite 420 is a well known and wonderful tool ......but ....... it must be used carefully !!

I paid $24 for a tiny bottle

Can you guy's buy syringes ? I put the 420 into a syringe and trust me on this one guys its lots easier & safer.The 420 will still harden up even in the syringe....but it will last a couple hours to as long as 24 hrs.But that way you got full control over the 420 rather then 420 all over you bd

Great advice, Bowdoc. And ALWAYS keep a bottle of solvent & rags at the ready! And have good ventilation. Nothing like good whiff of 420 to wake you up in morning.

.

Syringes are perfect. The needle will deliver the goods, and they are disposable and cheap.

just illegal to buy syringes in NY. and some other states.

I bought some with larger needle ends from a fountain supply repair (looked, but could not find my source), but they would be not good because the Loctite would destroy them.

fountain pen repair supply ...

Go to a livestock/feed store and you can buy syringes and needles all day long.

Is the Loctite 420 used to repair cracks in the end of a fadeout between the glass/wood lams, or is that too much stress for any glue repair? TLM

TLM it sure will I have repaired the delamination around many many 1967 1/2 - 1969 Bear Super Kodiaks.If the gap is some what large I will put a clamp or 2 right there and give it about just 1-2 pounds of pressure no more then 1-2 #'s.Hey now I do not want any of you guys to end up in the jail house because you were repairing a bow with loc tite 420 and a syringe.......holy smokes don't mention my name what ever you do keep me out of it just in case you do get busted by the syringe cops bd

I got some of it in my mouth once. Can't remember how I really did that but maybe something about trying to get the cap off. Not a nice experience.

I just wish it had a longer shelf life. Getting it overseas is tough.

BD, Thanks your advice to us all is always appreciated! TLM

I should mention one more thing about 420 and that is if your needle gets stopped up with the 420 ??? its really best to remove the plunger and kind of dop the 420 onto the surface with the plunger rather then forceing the plunger down.The 420 will still wick its way into what ever you wanting to fill if you use the plunger.Gaur's story reminded me of a clogged needle in a syringe one day.I tried to heat the needle up with a bic lighter.OH Yeah when the needle became un-clogged it shot right into my eye's.Nope no way your correct on that NO I did not have on any safety glasses at all.But thankful I was wearing my contact lens because the loc tite 420 did stick to my contacts but it did not stick to my eye.Your eye ball is to wet for the 420 to stick to.Once I took the contacts out things were much better.However it did stick to my eye lids and part of my face........ for about 3 days bd

Thanks for sharing that cautionary tale, Bowdoc. It pays to listen to the voice of experience, because none of us live long enough to make all the mistakes ourselves! (Although I'm running up a pretty good score, myself.)

Yeah it didn't stick to my mouth either but nasty.

bowdoc; so you were freebasing loctite with a lighter and needle. I thought just the regular fumes were strong enough ;)

nope I normaly take my loc tite 420 straight out of the bottle to the syringe ........... ya gotta love it huh bd

bowdoc, what gauge are your needles? Are they the loctite brand needles? It's hard to buy needles and syringes as one package just want to get the right kind..

I will say that Loctite 420 is what I'd use if I was repairing major damage that needed a thin super glue to penetrate. That said, there are at least three or four other glues out there as thin and wicking. I think they're fine for minor, non-stress bearing repairs that call for a thin glue. You also can get them in a half bottle that is better when you know you'll be using it for a couple of small repairs only. Once you open CA glues, shelf life is about 30 days.

There's also a fairly thin super glue that works with fiberglass and hardwood and provides a strong but flexible bond, where most of these glues are not good when flexed. I think the flexible bond would be best on limbs.

When I get my glue, I'll report on how it works on tiny, minor repairs. The stuff I bought is said to be super fast wicking, to the point of being dangerous, lol!

Joe

I meant "half ounce bottle."

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