Hot glue - does it expire?
 

Maybe not the best place to ask, because we use mostly school glue, but the other day I got out my hot glue gun for a repair on a Christmas wreath, and it seemed to take a forever for it to heat up -- not a big deal, it did, the glue was melting but then it didn't seem to hold anything. I did decide my gun was just too old now - it must be at least 20 years old, which means the glue is too. There seems to be a lot of it (some is in a House of Fabrics bag to give you a clue how old it is). But my DH thinks I should give it to a thrift store, I believe it belongs in the trash. What would you do?

We'll if it didn't work for you, it probably won't for someone who buys it at the thrift store. Would you like to be the one who buys it?

hmmm, i think I still have some of that.

the gun might not have heated up enough. hot glue is really just a plastic that's been melted at a high enough temp to melt and cool fast. Try with a new gun first.

Very good point Lynnie, I was so impatient it probably didn't get warm enough.

Thank you everyone for your input.

Mine is over 5 years old and i recently used it with no problem.
sandy

Mine is at least 6 years old and probably older. I used it just before Xmas.....had no problems.

I scoop up all the hot glue sticks i can find at garage sales and estate sales. Some of them are very old and I
haven't had any problems with them.

I use my ancient hot glue gun/sticks occasionally with no issues but Tartan is correct...there are high and low temp sticks as well as guns. Just make sure they match. Unfortunately I don't think the sticks or the guns are specifically marked as being either beyond the initial packaging.