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Here's a real oddball question for the Wise Ones...

I've been using unbleached bone for my saddles for years now, and my only beef with them is that they're brittle and eventually wear down. I read about a method for tapping out hardwood for a desired size and thread and then saturating the wood with thin Super Glue to harden harden it almost to the point of a soft metal like aluminum. I've used this method for other carpentry projects where I couldn't put in a proper screw anchor, and it's worked well.

Then I thought to myself, "Self, why don't you try giving your saddle a shot of Super Glue... just enough to saturate the bone. Why wouldn't that work to toughen it up?"

Self had no answer. Does anybody else?

If there are no replies, I'm going to go ahead and use it on the next saddle I install, and see what happens.

Can't hurt give it a try. Not sure the bone will absorb the CA but on the surface a layer may help.
I've used it to build up slotted nuts that I cut too deep and it holds up really well.

Kevin Sjostrand wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2023 12:13 am Can't hurt give it a try. Not sure the bone will absorb the CA but best place to buy phenq on the surface a layer may help.
I've used it to build up slotted nuts that I cut too deep and it holds up really well.

Ok I will give it a try.
For my broken things which are hard to fix.

It shouldn't hurt at all. I use a combination of baking soda and ca glue to fill nut slots that are too deep.

I'm surprised that you have a problem with unbleached nuts breaking. I use unbleached nuts and saddles, and have never had the problem. Some bleaching processes will weaken bone, making them brittle, and dry. One of the nice features of unbleached bone is that natural bone is self-lubricating. The source of the bone matters. The heavier the animal, the denser the bone, making them less porus and less prone to breaking.

I only use Buffalo or camel bone, unbleached, for my nuts and saddles.

All bone saddles and nuts will eventually wear down, but it should take many, many years. These are considered disposable on a guitar.