Review: Starbond Super Glue
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Initial Thoughts
When Starbond reached out to me to try their product I was a little skeptical, especially since I had not heard of them before. I have spent the last few years having a love-hate relationship with CA glue, mainly due to the caps. It always seems like I need half a dozen or so replacement caps to get me through a small bottle. On a relatively recent trip to Woodcraft, they suggested using Titebond’s CA glue since they have the cap situation figured out. Titebonds cap screws on and has a needle of sorts built into the cap to keep the nozzle from clogging.
This was the first thing I asked the rep at Startbond – “Do the caps suck?”. He said they had a similar solution, which they did. They have a little red cap with a needle built in to keep the nozzle from clogging too, it just slips on. But what I really wanted to try was their Black CA glue…
First Off: The Cap Situation…
The little red cap with the needle inside works like a charm. I have had my bottles open for over a month at the point of this writing and have had zero issues. Just be sure you get the needle into the nozzle and not off to the side. If it feels like it’s harder than it should be to put the cap back on, check that.
Another nicety is they included a small bag with mini-nozzles to get into tight spots. They are pretty much single use, but they included enough (for me anyway).
My Main Curiosity: Starbond Medium Black
I was about to start a project using walnut when the glue arrived. The walnut itself was rough cut lumber that had hid a few issues that were not readily apparent until I milled down the material. I found a few ends that had small cracks and a couple of knots in not so great places. Normally, I would take the time to mix up some epoxy, fill the voids and then wait a few hours for the “5-min” epoxy to cure to a point I could work with it. This stuff was a game changer in that area.
Starbond Medium Black CA used to fill cracks.
I was able to fill my small voids with the medium black, hit it with the accelerator spray and scrape it flat in under a minute, and I was moving on to the next thing. This saved me a lot of waiting. Granted, I did not have a chance to try on any void or crack wider than about 3/16″. But for the deeper ones, I did apply a small amount and sprayed it with the accelerator. Then applied another thin layer and repeated until I had enough. Avoid doing it all in one shot if its a deeper void. The accelerator won’t get down to it and you might wind up scraping or sanding down to wet CA glue.
Black CA + Knots
This works just as well on knots in the wood I have found. There were a few knots in the project I am working on that I was concerned about blowing out during the planing process. I applied the black CA glue with the accelerator, in a few thin layers on the deeper ones. It reinforced it well and didn’t blow out. I think it helped shift the knot from being an eyesore and a headache to more of a feature. Granted you could achieve the same effect using epoxy and epoxy dye but that takes a lot longer as the cure time is in hours instead of seconds.
Black CA + Finishing
Originally I was concerned with how it would interact with an oil-based finish, such as Mahoney’s walnut oil. The concern was that it might repel the glue like standard wood glue leaving an unsightly blotch. To my delight though, this was not an issue and it took the finish well without leaving any unsightly blotching. Of course, I tested this on scrap wood before trying it on my actual project.
The Rest of the Glue
I also got standard clear CA glue in 3 weights: thin, medium, and thick. They work as expected, and the accelerator works the same as it does on the black. The thin is great for flowing into tighter spots, and I found the thick worked well on fixing plastic toys that my boys broke.
Other Notes
You can extend the shelf life of the product, up to 20 months, by storing it in a cold environment (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit). You might want to get clearance from your wife though before you start storing super glue in the fridge. I am not responsible if you get in trouble with your wife. If you store the product per their instructions, they will guarantee the product and replace it for free if it does not last.
Conclusion
Yes, this review was sponsored, but I need to remain 100% upfront and honest about the product. I like it, a lot. The Medium Black worked very well for me on my walnut box project and saved me a ton of time. I love the little red caps with the needles to keep the nozzle from clogging. It slips on and off quickly so I am not wasting any time trying to fiddle with screwing caps back on when I have wet glue I am trying to work with.
When my current supply runs out, I will be buying more to restock. Hands down better than stuff I have found in the big box stores.
Sponsored Content Disclosure:
This content was sponsored by Starbond Adhesives. I was not paid to give a review however I was allowed to keep the product I tested. I may also receive a small commission if you purchase their products through my affiliate link in this article but it will not impact the cost of the product to you. Even though this is a sponsored review, I will remain honest about my review by pointing out the pros and cons as I see them.
Please feel free to reach out to me or Starbond with any questions.
Thanks,
Reece