Need help to identify a glue type

[Thomas Penrose]

I have a couple of early Hans Wegner "round chairs" made in Denmark around 1949 that I am in the process of taking apart to re-glue due to loose joints. The original glue was a very dark brown or black glue. It is very brittle, and while heat/steam are affective at loosening the joints, if I put some of the chunks of this old glue into boiling water, it does not seem to soften or dissolve, which is what I would expect from hide glue. Inside the mortises, there are some spots where the glue ran and pooled, and dried undisturbed, and the appearance of these spots is very glossy, like a high gloss black enamel paint. Resorcinol? Thanks.

[Mike Henderson]

Urea formaldehyde glues became available in the 1930's (if I remember correctly) so I would guess that's what it is. The industry seems to have converted pretty quickly because the UF glues were much better than what was previously available.

Mike

[Thomas Penrose]

Mike, Thank you very much.