Comments on: Unlike Bell Bottoms this kind of tacky is a good thing

By: craig

craig — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:57:16 +0000

i use pigskin lining leather to tie a couple of different worm patterns. however as they become saturated their weight makes them unpleasant to cast and they sink too fast.

the answer was SnoSeal.

wiped a section of leather with it. melted it in with a heat gun. stays flexible and stays “dry”.

when i tied, my thread received a fair amount of tacky wax by accident.

eureka!

now it receives even more by intention.

even the heat of your fingers help to soften it. it doesn’t ooze after it has dried (toilet ring wax does). great stuff.

By: KBarton10

KBarton10 — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:43:20 +0000

@40Rivers, @JohnTrout52 – excellent information, thanks for the tip.

The below is a small blurb on McCloskey’s Man O War (for those interested):

Marine spar varnish and exterior polyurethane finishes usually soak into the wood a little bit, but mainly build up on the surface. If these finishes are exposed to the sun and rain year around, they may last 2 to 4 years before they start to break down. Purchasing one with maximum UV (Ultra Violet Light) protection is important. If the wood is fully exposed to the elements you should lightly sand and re-coat every 1 to 2 years. If you don’t re-coat it and the finish cracks or chips, you will have to strip the old finish off and start again.

An excellent spar varnish is McCloskey Man O’ War Marine Spar Varnish. It contains tung oil and polyurethanes, which combine to form long chain molecules, called polymers. Polymers are more flexible than regular polyurethanes, so they resist cracking during temperature fluctuations (day to night, etc.). As a result, the finish lasts longer.

By: 40 Rivers To Freedom

40 Rivers To Freedom — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:19:09 +0000

John makes a great point. I used a friend’s cobblers wax and loved the way it seemed to completely absorb into the thread when you slid your fingers up and down it(trying not to sound dirty). No chunks, etc. I think he said, to get the good stuff, he had to get it from England or somewhere else in Europe. Or as John mentioned, you can make your own.

By: johntrout52

johntrout52 — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:07:39 +0000

Without a doubt, McCloskey’s Man O War. It is what Winston has used for years for all of their rods.
jk52

By: KBarton10

KBarton10 — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:20:10 +0000

JT52 – I’d heard of spar varnish from another old tyer – but have never used it, is there a preferred brand you’d recommend?

By: johntrout52

johntrout52 — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:58:55 +0000

Two thoughts for you;
1. The next step to take with wax, which will take you over the edge, is to make your own cobbler’s wax. Cobbler’s wax was THE wax used in the old country. It was used to turn yellow thread to olive when olive thread was not common.
2. For the past 40 years I have used plain spar varnish as the rock of all my tying. Simply place on your thread and any dubbing will adhere and your flies will be bullet proof. Al Troth uses it in everything he does.

And, yes…use unwaxed thread. If you need wax, wax it yourself.

john trout