Krazy Glue is a cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) glue brand owned and manufactured by Elmer’s. Originally launched in 1973, Krazy Glue has become a household name in America, but does the brand live up to the hype?
Table of Contents
Quick Overview
Since 1973, Krazy Glue has been competing with the giants of the cyanoacrylate glue industry and has become a household name in North America.
Krazy Glue offers all of the incredible strength and versatility of CA glue, but with several additional useful variations that make it easier to use.
Pros and Cons:
Pros
- Bonds to almost anything
- Dries clear
- Incredibly strong
- Resists water and impacts
- Can be used indoors and outdoors
- Several applicator types available
Cons
- Comes in fairly small quantities
- Does not bond certain plastics
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Product Features
Krazy Glue shares many of the same product features as any regular CA glue, with some added versatility in the packaging allowing for a more user-friendly application.
Incredibly strong bond
According to the manufacturer, one single drop of Krazy Glue can lift over 2,000 lbs without breaking apart.
That is the weight of a full-sized Clydesdale horse!
The downside to any CA bond is that the glue is quite brittle, meaning it doesn’t cope well with vibrations or movement.
Bonds in only a few seconds
Krazy Glue bonds in only a few seconds and doesn’t require clamping to bond.
According to the manufacturer, the glue will dry in between 10 and 30 seconds, depending on the temperature and humidity of your working environment.
Lots of useful applicator designs
Krazy Glue needed to find some way to differentiate itself from all the other CA superglues out there.
There is only so much you can innovate with the formula itself, so Krazy Glue instead opted to offer several helpful applicator designs with their packs of glue, which make it easier to apply in different situations.
Krazy Glue offers a brush applicator, a precision control applicator, a tube applicator, and tiny single-use tube options with their CA glue offering.
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How to use Krazy Glue
Krazy Glue is pretty similar to any other CA glue you’ve probably used in the past, with a slightly different procedure depending on which applicator you choose.
1: Prepare the surface for bonding
Make sure your surface is clean and free from any dust or oil. The manufacturer recommends the use of an acetone solvent to thoroughly clean any metal surfaces before bonding.
Make sure to remove any paint or old glue, (especially from wood) otherwise, your bond will only be as strong as the old paint or glue is to your surface.
2: Apply a small amount of glue to one surface
Krazy Glue is quite clear in its advertising. “One drop is all it takes” is their motto, and the glue delivers.
If you’re using the brush or precision pen applicator, apply a small drop of glue to one surface with the applicator.
Otherwise, apply the glue directly from the nozzle.
The manufacturer recommends one drop of Krazy Glue per square inch of surface. Don’t be tempted to apply more, as too much glue will actually end up weakening the bond.
3: Press the two surfaces together and hold for 30 seconds
After applying, immediately press your two surfaces together and hold for approximately 30 seconds.
After 30 seconds, the glue will have hardened enough that you can let it go.
Leave your project aside for 5 or 6 minutes, this is how long it takes for the bond to cure and become solid.
For the strongest possible bond, leave your project to cure in place for 24 hours.
4: Replace the applicator and store the glue safely
Unless you’re using the single-use tubes, the tube can be resealed for storage.
CA works by reacting with tiny water molecules found in almost every material, so after replacing the applicator cap tightly, store the glue in a cool, dry place away from any moisture.
Let’s be realistic for a moment:
Krazy Glue can be sealed and stored, but CA glue is so reactive that eventually, it will dry out, even if you put the cap back on tightly.
Every glue manufacturer knows this, which is why CA glue usually comes in tiny tubes. If you’re planning on storing an unsealed tube of CA for longer than a few weeks, forget about it! It will be dry when you come to use it again.
The solution for this problem – check out the Krazy Glue single-use tubes. They are smaller than regular superglue tubes so that you can only use the tubes you need and leave the rest sealed for later.
What Materials does Krazy Glue work on?
Krazy Glue will work on just about any household material you can think of.
Krazy Glue will have no problem at all bonding wood, paper, stone, most types of plastic, ceramic, rubber, glass, metal, felt or leather.
Check out the table below for a more complete list of materials:
Krazy glue works on:
- Wood
- Stone
- Rubber
- Felt
- Polystyrene Plastics
- Rubber
- Ceramic
- PVC Plastics
- Glass
- Metal
- Leather
- Paper
Krazy glue doesn’t work on:
- HDPE/LDPE Plastic
- Polypropylene Plastic
- Teflon
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FAQs
What are the ingredients?
Krazy Glue is made from cyanoacrylate. (Often abbreviated as CA)
Is Krazy Glue non toxic?
Krazy Glue contains cyanoacrylate which is toxic. You’ve probably smelled that familiar smell any time you’ve used CA glue in the past. The fumes Krazy Glue (and any other CA glues) give off are harmful.
How to remove Krazy Glue
Krazy Glue can be tricky to remove from skin or surfaces once it’s dry.
The best way to remove Krazy Glue is with acetone and some gentle scrubbing.
Apply some acetone to the affected area and gently peel and wash away the glue as it degrades.
Acetone is a common solvent most often found in nail polish remover.
If you don’t have any acetone to hand, you can remove Krazy Glue from your skin with warm soapy water and some gentle scrubbing.
If using the warm soapy water method, be patient. Krazy Glue forms a bond that is stronger than your skin, so you do need to be very careful when removing it, don’t try to pull it apart or it may rip your skin.
Is Krazy Glue food safe?
Krazy Glue is not food-safe.
Cyanoacrylate can soften with heat, potentially releasing harmful chemicals into your food, so it’s not safe to use on utensils, dinner plates, coffee mugs, etc. (It is great at repairing a mug handle though, where there is no direct contact with your drink)
Is Krazy Glue waterproof?
Krazy Glue is completely waterproof once it’s cured, however, the brittle nature of the bond often means there are better options for projects involving water.
If you’re using Krazy Glue for plumbing repairs, you would be better off with something like Amazing Goop, because it isn’t as brittle as Krazy Glue and your repair will last longer.
Is Krazy Glue flammable?
Once Krazy Glue has cured, normal household temperatures will not cause the glue to burn, although the bond strength will be weakened by hot temperatures.
When the glue is wet, the fumes from the glue as it dries are flammable and should be kept away from any naked flame or ignition source.
Is Krazy Glue safe for nails?
Krazy Glue (and any other CA glue) is not recommended for adhering acrylic nails to your natural nail, as it can damage your nail, however, it is fine for small cosmetic repairs to acrylic nails.
Krazy Glue is fine for a quick repair, but if your fake nail has come off completely you’ll want to avoid putting Krazy Glue on your natural nails and instead use proper nail glue.
Krazy glue shelf life
Krazy Glue has a long shelf life, but only while the tube is completely sealed.
In this state, a tube of Krazy Glue can last for years and still be ready to use when you need it.
Once you’ve opened the Krazy Glue though, the shelf life is only a couple of weeks at most, regardless of any claims by the manufacturer.
The reason for this is that CA glues are extremely reactive with water, even the moisture in the air can react with the glue, rendering it completely useless. Over time, air seeps in through the cap and reacts with the glue. (No matter how tightly you put the cap on!)
The solution to this is to pick up some of the Krazy Glue single-use tubes.
These are much smaller tubes of glue, which are designed to be used one at a time, so you can keep the rest sealed until you need them, to preserve their shelf life.
Safety Data Sheet
Known as SDS, MSDS, or REACH compliance in the EU, every chemical company and distributor dealing with hazardous materials like glue have to provide one.
Here’s a link to the Safety Data Sheet for Krazy Glue – provided by the manufacturer (Elmer’s)
Krazy Glue – Safety Data Sheet
Does it expand?
Krazy Glue does not expand when drying. This is great for making seamless repairs, but it means that it’s not very useful for filling in gaps or chips in your material.
Is Krazy Glue the same as Super Glue?
Yes, Krazy Glue is the same as most other cyanoacrylate superglues.
Superglue usually refers to any glue whose bonding agent is cyanoacrylate, however “Super Glue” is also a brand name, owned by the original superglue company. (Which is also a CA superglue)
Does Krazy Glue work on Plastic?
Krazy Glue works on most types of plastic, but there are a few notoriously hard-to-bond plastics that it will struggle with.
Superglue will not form a strong bond with high or low-density polyethylene (HDPE/LDPE) or Polypropylene (PP) plastics, but it will bond no problem to Polystyrene, PVC, or Acrylic type plastics.
If you need to bond plastics, consider using a plastic cement or two-part epoxy instead.
