From the outset of the research it soon became apparent that it was going to be difficult to trace the origins of the Glue Gun back to a single person who could be proven to have invented the Glue Gun as we know today.
Kenyon Group (Gluegunsdirect.com) sold their first glue gun back in 1979
Indeed, even getting back to the origins of thermoplastic adhesives proved interesting. This may well be because developments were taking place all over the world at the same time, and those that are referenced in literature are probably from the more developed countries.
Even trawling through our own records proved interesting as it was recorded that Kenyon Group (Gluegunsdirect.com) sold their first glue gun back in 1979, and in those 33 years a lot of changes and development has taken place in the glue gun and glue stick industry.
Click here for a detailed account of the History & Development of the Glue Gun
It’s hard to remember what we did in the time BEFORE GLUE GUNS…
Today there are currently many different Tec glue guns available, ranging from the small hand-held hobby craft type glue gun, those used within schools and therefore often using Low Melt Glue, right up to the heavy duty glue guns and those developed for industrial use. Both corded and cordless guns are now available, meaning that the gun can be taken to the point of application, rather than having to take everything to the gun itself. All of these developments and improvements have made the Glue Gun a truly versatile piece of equipment, which has etched itself in history and made it invaluable to all those who use it.
Whilst the guns themselves have evolved over time, so have the glues that are used in them. The Tecbond glue sticks now come in various different forms, from sticks to slugs to CT Cartridges (used for example with “soft” peelable adhesives). Even in each of these forms there are many variations, particularly with the glue sticks. These come in different sizes (12mm or 15mm), in many different grades for varying applications (different set time, viscosity, formation temperature, and tack). In addition to this, there are numerous different colours ranging from clear to glitter glue sticks. In addition to this, there is the ability to have both hot melt glue sticks and low melt glue sticks. The Tec glue guns and Tecbond adhesives have even evolved to allow sprayable hot melt adhesives with open times of up to 6 minutes.
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