Soak the 4 ozs. of glue in the cold water for 4 hours. Dissolve over a water-bath, and while hot stir in the Venice turpentine. Make up the rye flour into a batter free from lumps with the pint of water, and pour the latter into the boiling water. Stir briskly, and finally add the glue solution. This makes a very strong paste, and it will adhere to a painted surface, owing to the Venice turpentine in its composition.
Label paste. A good paste for attaching labels to bottles may be made by soaking glue in strong vinegar, then heat to boiling and add flour. This is very adhesive, and will not decompose when kept in wide-mouthed bottles.
Elastic or pliable paste. Starch 4 ozs., white dextrine 2 ozs., cold water 10 fluid ozs., borax 1 oz., glycerine 3 fluid ozs., boiling water 2 quarts.
Beat the starch and dextrine into paste with the cold water. Dissolve the borax in the boiling water, then add the glycerine, and pour the starch and dextrine mixture into the borax solution. Stir until it becomes translucent. This paste will not crack, and, being very pliable, is suitable for paper, cloth, leather and other material where flexibility is required.
Mucilage for labels. Macerate 5 parts of good glue in 20 parts of water for 24 hours, and to the liquid add 9 parts of rock candy, and 3 parts of gum arabic. The mixture may be brushed upon paper while lukewarm. It keeps well, does not stick together and adheres firmly to bottles.
Mucilage. A strong aqueous solution of dextrine forms a most adhesive and cheap mucilage. Dilute alcohol is usually employed as the solvent where the mucilage is to be used for gumming envelopes, postage stamps, etc., and in order to facilitate the drying, acetic acid is added to increase the mobility of the fluid. The strong aqueous solution is more adhesive than that prepared with alcohol, for the reason that it contains a greater proportion of dextrine.
To prepare this add an excess of dextrine to boiling water, stir for a minute or two, allow to cool and settle, and strain the liquid through a cloth. The addition of a little powdered sugar increases the glossiness of the dried gum. The sugar should be dissolved in the water before the dextrine is added.
According to another formula, dextrine is mixed with hot water until a syrupy liquid is obtained. Then add a few drops of oil of cloves, and cool for use.
Another formula is as follows: Dextrine 120 parts, powdered alum 6, sugar 30, carbolic acid 1, water 300. Mix gradually the dextrine, alum and sugar with the water, boil to effect solution, and when cold, add the carbolic acid.
The solubility of dextrine may be enhanced by the addition of a calcium salt readily soluble in water, the resulting mixture dissolving with ease in cold water. Calcium nitrate has proved especially suitable for the purpose. By pouring 1 quart of water over a mixture of 18 ozs. of dextrine and 7 ozs. of calcium nitrate, a mass of great adhesive power is immediately obtained.