Hide glue in the freezer?
 

Hello, I put some hide (or bone) glue in the freezer. There was just a small amount of it left but I don´t expect to use it in some time.
Will that low temperature eventually destroy or weaken the glue when in use for gluing?
What is your opinion please?
Kind regards
Henning

I freeze reconstituted hide glue and have done so for 20 years with no apparent loss of strength. I also refrigerate my in-use bottle of liquid HG. But mostly I store HG dried, unreconstituted. For critical gluing, I mix up a fresh batch; while I haven't had issues with the stored glue, no reason to test fate.

Hide glue in the freezer?
 

I wouldn't...it'll be the FIRST place they look!
:)

I just toss small amounts away. For me anyway, if I have a small amount left that means it's probably been from a batch that has been used over and over again and stored in the refrigerator over night and is by this point probably thicker then it should be.

I think people who freeze HHG do so such that they have reserves when needed. IOW they make up a big batch and then put it in ice cube trays or something like that for later usage. IF this is abatch that you have almost used up it's probably better to toss it then just mix up some new stuff when you need it.

Personally I don't bother freezing it. Contrary to popular belief you don't need to let the granules soak over night. I let them soak for an hour, put them in the pot and 15 minutes later it's good to go. It's just basic solution chemistry.

Thank you so much for giving your points of view about the matter.
Kind regards Henning

Like me, for example. I make up a pint of hide glue, pour it off into 3/4 oz disposable hot sauce cups, let it gel, stick 'em all into a plastic bag and refrigerate. I grab one out, heat it, use it, and toss the leftover bit. I never reheat hide glue or need to. . .

I have frozen it successfully but don't have need to.

How long are the pucks good for in the refrigerator? Or I'm guessing you never have to worry about that point...

The glue stays in the little cups, which are about half full, so a quick trip in the microwave is all it takes to heat one up. Floating in a cup of boiling water, it stays hot until I use it.

Freshness depends on how long they're in the bag because they can dry out slowly and require a bit more water. Hide glue is food, so mold can grow in a few weeks, more or less depending on production batch.

I've had some older hide glue of unknown manufacture that has lasted well over a year in the fridge without molding (may have had preservative added I suppose) while my best clear stuff from Milligan gets moldy in just a few weeks.

I don't freeze, just because I don't need to keep it for so long in the gel state, and because there's never room in the freezer.

I also put my glue in the freezer, but I just sit it where I can get at it easily, I don't "HIDE" it.
I also mark the container, I wouldn't want the misses mistaking it for frozen gravy.

It could happen....;)


Ed

FYI - The hide part of the glue is gelatin witch is pure protein. The longer the gelatin stays warm in solution the more the chains of the protein break down. Once the chains of the protein get broken down enough the glue will no longer set up.

I never freeze, I just mix a batch into a small baby food jar on friday's, put it into my pot warmer and leave and use it over the next week, it heats up each day when power is turned onto the shop in the morning and cools down over night when power is turned off.

Following Friday empty the jar, clean and make fresh batch and ready to go for the next week.

Been doing that for last ten odd years with no hide glue failures

Steve

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