Kid,
I'm not a fan of the water based barge cement that you buy in a tube. That being said I have alway used Barge cement but I buy it by the quart.
I have found that the Gorilla glue contact cement works as well as the "old' barge cement that you could buy in the tube.
https://www.gorillatough.com/product/gorilla-clear-grip/
The advise you have gotten is sound and should fix the problem you are trying to accomplish. I'm a firm believer in gum tragacanth from Tandy. My good friend Leona from Jax Leather got me started burnishing the edges of my leather work and it adds a bit of professionalism to the finished product!
Funny, She uses her fingers dipped in gum tragacanth for final burnishing!!
Good luck,
Jasper