Craftable Item: Animal Glue

[thePrimarch]

One of the most common early adhesives developed by human society is "animal glue"--essentially, a glue formed by repeatedly boiling animal connective tissue (joint tissue, skin, teeth, bones, cartilage, etc) until it forms into a sticky morass usable as a glue. Animal glue was typically a little unstable, requiring heat to remain liquid, and susceptible to spoilage. However, it works effectively as a wood bonding agent, and a coating of wood glue effectively water-seals wooden objects treated with it.

 

As a result, animal glue is a great solution for any would-be survivalist who needs to be able to put things (such as axes) back together. It can also be used to water-seal boats (potentially), to seal liquid containers made from wood, to post signs or crayon drawings onto walls, or as a very short-term glue trap for unsuspecting zombies.

 

Animal glue would be a very much "late tier" craftable item, and depends on three components: lime (produced by burning or grinding animal bones), water, and animal hide. These three components would have to be mixed, so that the animal hide in question soaks for at least 24 hours in a lime-water mixture. The result could then be placed on a heat source and boiled for a long period of time (3-5 times as long as cooking normally takes, at least). It should be possible to use a standard pot on this, but a special piece of equipment could also be used.

 

A more complicated version could use vinegar as an additional component, used to wash the lime-water off of the hide before boiling the hide in fresh water. This might also involve shaving and cleaning the hide beforehand, perhaps using scissors or a kitchen knife.

 

Once the glue is made, it has to be used before it cools completely, and within a month of making it. Continuous heating prevents the glue from solidifying, but may not prevent spoilage (which can be a percentage chance or a guarantee). This could mean a "hot plate" requiring electricity, or a fire with a continuous supply of fuel. Both of these are potentially very expensive and/or hard to acquire.

 

The glue itself best functions as a "wood glue substitute"; it is less efficient and produces a weaker bond than modern polymer glues. As such, it could serve as a wood glue that repairs less than wood glue in game, and maybe isn't as efficient in other carpentry uses. This would mean more room for glue within other carpentry mechanics--carpentry could even be changed to require wood or animal glue for all attempts at repairing wooden walls.

 

This is a late-tier production primarily because of the heat requirements and the lime; the trapping and hunting requirements can be met fairly early on, depending on your success with trapping. With dedicated effort (or luck), a group of survivors could produce a batch of glue before they have the means to preserve it; this is beneficial, as it lets a group "catch up" if they suffer from Sudden Axe Breakage or Insufficient Logs Syndrome. The lime and animal hide components are useful in several other areas (tanning, farming [as a fertilizer addition], etc), so adding these could also add options for other craftable creations.

[King jjwpenguin]

Well without many animals it is a difficult task to build craft it.

[Kajin]

They'll be implemented sooner or later.

[thePrimarch]

Well without many animals it is a difficult task to build craft it.

 

The components could also be supplied via trapping.

[BetaSpectre]

Support the idea, Though glue isn't a replacement for nails yet, so there's not much need IMO.

[Kajin]

Support the idea, Though glue isn't a replacement for nails yet, so there's not much need IMO.

You still need it to repair various tools and equipment and having a renewable resource is always a good idea.

[BetaSpectre]

Repairs degrade with time, if the repairs were consistently significant then it'd be a good thing, but as is tools can be renewed with zombies.

 

I'd prefer to see player made tools than more glue which seems to be vastly more common than the items you'd want to repair.

[Demonic_Kat]

Lime can't be made from crushing animal bones... Lime is calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide and it comes from mineral mines. An animal bone would have to be EXTREMELY high in calcium for it to create lime. I'm sure you could find it an an agricultural store or building supply place though.