Jewelry making has become one of my passions. I spend a lot of my evenings hunched over my work-desk twisting wires, beading, gluing, and mod-podging the night away. I am toying with the idea of putting together a self published book of thrifty jewelry how-tos. (Let me know what you think about that idea.)
For the purposes of jewelry, you need to use something that will stand up to wear and tear. When I first started making jewelry, I know nothing. I had to teach myself how to do it all, and in the process, I’ve tried a ton of different glues, always questing for that one glue that would bond anything to anything. And so, I present to you the best and the worst of my trials and errors.
1. “Super Glue” Fix-All Adhesive
This was the first glue I tried after failing miserably with normal superglue. I like that it is more of a gel than normal super glue or crazy glue, but it does NOT fix “all,” as the packaging promises. It will not bond metal or plastic, glass, or stone. It may adhere at first, but within hours of wear, the stone or whatever you glued onto the metal will fall off. It only works on very porous surfaces — not good for jewelry making. But, at $1, I got what I paid for.
2. Aleene’s Jewelry & Metal Glue
I bought this one at Michael’s. I’ll be blunt – it sucks. Just as #1, it doesn’t work on smooth, non-porous surfaces. It breaks off very cleanly. This one was a waste of money. Everything I tried to glue onto ring blanks or brooch pins eventually fell off. Not cool for paying $5.
3. Amazing GOOP Craft
This glue isn’t the best, but it does work. You do have to rough up plastic before glue it, to ensure the optimal bond, but if used right, this glue works. It dries clear, and has a rubbery, flexible texture. However, with more vinyl like plastics, the bond stills break on occasion. However, at $3 it’s not so bad.
4. Shoe Goo
I love this stuff. I actually bought it to repair a shoe that’s sole literally ripped off. It is intended to bond rubber, vinyl, and canvas. I don’t use it to bond those materials to metal, but when I want to bond them to each other, this is a good choice. You have to allow ample drying and curing time, but it will be worth it. It also did the trick for my shoes!
5. E6000
This is the absolute best glue I have ever used. The label is very plain, but it is amazing. It is industrial strength, which means super smelling and not good for you, so I advise cracking a window when using it. It is a gel and dries clear. It dries relatively fast for a gel, but I recommend allowing at least a day for the glue to fully cure. It truly bonds anything to anything. I haven’t experienced any breakage to date. It works on smooth non-porous surfaces as well as porous ones like fabric and maintains just enough flexibility.
Normal super glue/crazy glue is not viable option for making jewelry. It is too runny, does not dry clear, and dries with a rough unattractive finish. Elmer’s Glue will also not work. It is not waterproof and just not meant to last. As for hot glue, I don’t really bother with it, because it doesn’t last and can be messy.
If you’re interested in what I have made, check out my etsy store, The Betwixt Boutique!
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Thrifty Cent 
I have probably a unique issue. I’m not making jewelry exactly, but I’m trying to make a pair of glasses for a very small doll (the glasses need to be about an inch wide–yes, that small). I tried bending wire to make both frames and the nose piece in one piece, but it came out messy and didn’t hold together. I’d love to be able to make each frame from whatever the non-split version of a jump ring is, but I don’t know how to join them to a nose piece without soldering, and it sounds from the other comments like E6000 will not glue such tiny metal-on-metal joints. I do have access to a 3D printer, but I’m concerned such a tiny printed piece would snap in half when I tried to get it off the “build plate” (the floor of the printer).
Are there any glues that can secure one piece of metal/wire to another at such a small point of contact?
And if not, does anyone know of a substance that can be formed into small, intricate strands, bond to itself, and harden without being brittle?
I know your post is several months old, and most likely you already found a way or moved on, but anyway. May be you could try making a larger contact surface, extending the nose piece a bit partially behind the frames.
I did try that, it’s still trying to stick tiny wire to tiny wire. Thinking of 3D printing the glasses instead.
E6000 is cancer-causing. Beware.
For stretchy bracelets when the knot needs a drop of glue, G-S Hypo cement has been recommended by websites like Beadaholique. It has a needle like dropper so I pull the knot thru a bead and fill the hole up with glue. Seems to work
I have a blue sandstone heart that as broken in two what is best glue to stick it together
Thank you, this is specifically the information I needed.
i need to soak a ring that has crystals glued onto it in a solvent to remove the crystals without breaking. I am guessing a glue similar to E600 was used as it is very strong and permanent bond. Can you suggest a solvent that will loosen the crystals??
That 7000 e glue is still looking like clear silicone.any tips?.I really found your literature very informative thanks alot.
Hi! Thank you for sharing your experiences. If you’re using E6000 it’s very important to wear a ventilator as it’s a highly toxic/carcinogenic product that should not be inhaled. I’m playing around with making textile jewelry and trying to find a non- toxic glue but I fear that isn’t going to happen.
What is best to adhere agate slabs to plastic to make nightlights?.
Great topic! Very helpful info. Thanks in advance.
Thanks so much for this post! I’m a beginner jewelry maker and I’ve been looking for a glue that will adhere crystals (Quartz, labradorite, etc) to ring and bracelet blanks. So far I’ve tried a jewelry glue from ac Moore and a two part epoxy clay and neither held the stone on for a whole day. Does anyone know if the e6000 would be good for that and if not, any other suggestions? Thanks again for the info!
I have used this glue to adhere glass domes to metal if that helps you it is great but downside do not breath in Carcinogenic google the dangers.
E6000 is one of the better glues I’ve used but I find that it still breaks 😦 (when gluing on leathers, metals… even cords sometimes!) You can also twist the glued items together- not ideal! Did a review on hapinesswherever.wordpress.com too- still looking for that perfect glue!!
I use Aqua Seal for just about everything. It dries clear. It never gets brittle. Works super good on leather, rubber, canvas. Yes iam sure it would work for jewelry too.
I personally did not have a good experience with E600 glue. I glued some bails to the back of earrings that I displayed to sell. Now granted, the glue works when the items are not maneuvered however, after even one year, I was able to EASILY pull the bails off. I’m not sure about gemstones though but I used this on the backs of earrings that were painted so I don’t know if that’s the problem or what. So, I’d advise after a few days of “curing” that you check to make sure you can’t pull off whatever you’ve glued if your objects are non-porous.
thanks for taking the time to review the glues
I will try E6000, I am looking for the strongest, clear, no gobbing glue, I can find,
So, I am going to the hardware store to get this glue.
I make attractive necklace and earring sets.. when I have crimped and fastened
the necklace wire so that it does not come loose, I like to glue it to reinforce it .
I want it to last forever and never come loose. sure hope this works.
I do not sell junk.
I will try E6000, I am looking for the strongest, clear, no gobbing glue, I can find,
So, I am going to the hardware store to get this glue.
I make attractive necklace and earring sets.. when I have crimped and fastened
the necklace wire so that it does not come loose, I like to glue it to reinforce it . I want
it to last forever and never come loose. Sure hope this works. I do not sell junk.
I’ve been looking for glue to stick metal to metal so will give E6000 a go – keeping all these comments in mind!
I make earrings and I have experienced that the E6000 glue only holds for a short time on metal to metal, then it gets gummy and comes right off. I tried scuffing the backs as well and have had no luck. I found that the gorilla GEL super glue works best when gluing metal to metal in earrings.
Great post! I have done a couple of reviews on craft glues too :)- E6000 and Rhinetone glue- but my experience of E6000 is totally the opposite of yours! My project didn’t even last a day intact!!! 😦
Ditto!!! E600 is a fraud.
E6000 needs to be heated after applying it by means of a bail. My pendants are made of rock, gemstone or glass or silver and I heat all of my projects between 200 and 270 degrees depending on medium. This won’t obviously work with many other textiles (leather and softer materials) and things that are susceptible to even minimal heat, but it does work and those things cure ‘rock-hard’.
I have to disagree with you that E6000 is the answer. It works very well in some circumstances, for instance, gluing a charm onto an agate slice, but it is not trustworthy for gluing a bail to a fired glass pendant. Does anything do that? Start the discussion.
You are sooooo right. E600 is NOT the best on non-porous items. That’s what I’m looking for…something that will stick. From what I was told though, resin works.
I love e6000 but I have trouble getting it to go where I want. It has the consistency of half-dried rubber cement. I got a smaller tube with a long tip, that might help.
I think your idea for a book is great. There are a lot of people who like to venture into untried fields and could use helpful hints on how to do it. I agree with you about E6000 glue. I just bought the one for jewelry. It came with 4 syringes which can be attached to the tube. What they did not provide the user with is what to do when you finish working. The glue still wants to continue coming out of the tube and there is no pin or any thing you can use a stopper of some kind. I wonder if a paperclip would work…
I use a sewing pin as a stopper for the long tip on the larger E6000 tube. You do still need to clean it up a bit, but it is the best glue out there for jewelry.
OMG if you have any idea, can you please show my how to knot a stone to string so it’s like a necklace? you know what I mean??? PLEASE HELP
There is a specific tool, (a knotter) for doing what you are talking about. It makes a knot in string right up next to a bead.
Very Interesting info! I don’t make jewelry,..I sell it,.but still good stuff to know about!