# Resolved: Gorilla Glue IS The Shit! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 20, 2020, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434 "2020-10-20T19:40:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/1 "2020-10-20T19:40:57Z")
I was skeptical, and normally don’t fall for advertising. But I had this very comfortable, but cheap-ass shoe. The entire sole fell off. Hummm…. Thought maybe something like caulk or that construction goop, but didn’t have any and didn’t want to waste a whole tube of it, 'cause once you open it, well use it or lose it. Got a small bottle of GG, not expecting much, but DAMN! That stuff is genius! You use just a tiny bit, and it almost expands like that expanding foam does, but it gets HARD and bonds like mad! Good stuff. So, like Rain-X, Gorilla Glue is a product that works like they say it does on TV. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/2 "2020-10-20T19:54:00Z")
Just don’t start flinging it. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/3 "2020-10-20T19:57:12Z")
Funny, that was exactly my last use of Gorilla Glue too. I agree it’s amazing. I had grabbed a pair of old athletic shoes off the closet shelf without checking them too closely earlier in the year on a work trip to San Francisco. I was going to rent a road bike and tour the Marin Headlands, etc. on the Sunday. Normally I wear clip-in-shoes, but I assumed that wouldn’t be an option on the rental. They literally fell apart within a few minutes of getting on the bike. Complete sole detachment on one. Slathering a whole bunch of Gorilla Glue from a Walgreens over them kept them intact enough for a day of riding. Very impressive. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/4 "2020-10-20T20:08:31Z")
Oddly Gorilla Glue is a terrible wood glue for outdoor use on hardwoods or really just anything harder than pine. But hey, if it works for shoes, good for you. Those tubes of dollar store super glue gel work well on shoes too. Reminds mean of the old glue Duco Cement. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/5 "2020-10-20T20:37:18Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Oddly Gorilla Glue is a terrible wood glue for outdoor use on hardwoods or really just anything harder than pine. I’m not sure I agree entirely with that. While I was partial to TiteBond, there were times when Gorilla Glue was all I had. It’s activated by moisture, so a hit on both sides of the joint with a damp sponge, and … Bob’s your uncle. But it wasn’t ever my go-to glue. To the OP … maybe a minor thread jack, but … [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hHos0xpHbSE/hqdefault.jpg "Salvage a Clogged Caulk Tube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHos0xpHbSE) This … for me … was utterly life-changing 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/6 "2020-10-20T20:37:45Z")
My experience has been that it expands more than is useful for repairs where neatness counts. So I avoid it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/7 "2020-10-20T21:26:25Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > I’m not sure I agree entirely with that. While I was partial to TiteBond, there were times when Gorilla Glue was all I had. Titebond is one of the best for wood working. Gorilla Glue I found no better than Elmer’s Wood Glue. But that’s for wood, not shoes. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/8 "2020-10-20T21:48:26Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > But that’s for wood, not shoes. I take it you aren’t Dutch 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/9 "2020-10-20T22:01:30Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > But that’s for wood, not shoes. Personally, for shoes, I would’ve grabbed a tube of Shoe Goo. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/10 "2020-10-20T22:14:34Z")
Skateboarders wear through athletic shoes on the side of the toe, from rubbing them on grip tape doing kickflips. So you see a lot of Shoe Goo’ed Shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/11 "2020-10-20T22:42:04Z")
Next attempt: Glue magnets to Plexi-glass! I’ll let you know how that works out. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/12 "2020-10-20T22:43:38Z")
(Hopefully,) Feeding the Knowledge Base … > **[This to That (Glue Advice)](http://www.thistothat.com/)** > > How to glue this to that ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2020, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/13 "2020-10-21T00:11:17Z")
The reverse, however, is not true. The shit IS NOT Gorilla Glue. Do not attempt this substitution! ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2020, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/14 "2020-10-21T03:59:48Z")
I was totally unprepared for the amount of expansion when I used it to assemble some wooden shelves I had built. I spent more than a little time carving that shit off. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2020, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/15 "2020-10-21T04:03:58Z")
Has anyone used the clear Gorilla Glue, which is not supposed to expand? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2020, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/16 "2020-10-21T05:05:27Z")
That expansion. The third rule is “Clamp It!” ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2020, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/17 "2020-10-21T09:28:37Z")
I seem to recall **Broomstick** (ex-cobbler) pleading with people to _ **never, never, never, never** _ use Gorilla Glue for shoe repair. ---
**Author:** ![nobody\_s\_poet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@nobody\_s\_poet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nobody_s_poet)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2020, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/18 "2020-10-21T09:33:57Z")
That was funny. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2020, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/19 "2020-10-21T10:54:21Z")
I’ve never had any luck with glue for shoe repair, I find the shoe moves too much and the glued parts separate pretty quickly. Then again, I’ve never tried Gorilla Glue. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2020, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434/20 "2020-10-21T11:17:22Z")
My Teva river sandals are getting up there, age wise. I know at some point they’ll fail, then I’ll glue, then _that_ will fail. I should just buy a new pair; I know I eventually will. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-gorilla-glue-is-the-shit/923434.md?page=2)