Gravity Orange Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Just wondering how many of you think that its a good Idea to use wax for dubbing, and how many of you don't use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave robinson Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 For the most part I don't use dubbing wax. There are times that dubbing wax is useful, such as when the dubbing material is too coarse to stick to the thread or properly wrap around it, then wax can help, or, if you are trying to make a material that normally sinks be waterproof, or help perserve the dubbing material color when it gets wet. You can get around the former problem by use of a dubbing loop and the latter by choosing a synthetic material that floats and doesn't darken when wet. So my need for dubbing wax is pretty minimal. I still have a small amount of dubing wax that I got in 1965. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vince Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Dave 1965 eh...that must be when the cows came home and they could not find you till that day on the Edson.....maybe I'm right ....maybe I'm wrong....only the cows know for sure. Also, a reminder to you for about 4 sheets each of our membership and club cards..that way I can give some to you guys for the Calgary trip in hopes of selling a membership or two. Vince Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertabowhunter Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 I have used the was ... but I find it gets to be more of a pain.... I just wet the ole fingers... that seems to do the trick for me.... and lots of twisting.... just if you use some of the synthetics....it as Dave says... YOu may need it for some of the coarser types.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadagrey Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Most thread is already waxed so unless you are using really fine thread with a coarse dubbing wax should not be necessary. I find that the best thing is good old fashioned saliva. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisS Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Dido on the spit thing I've got wax but haven't used it in so long that it growing hair whoops thats old dubbing. Tight Lines Always Dennis S. NLFT&F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave robinson Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Vince: Them cows from '65 are long dead and turned to steak or glue. The dubbing wax was a homemade concoction from the Calgary H&H It came in a little paper cup like the ones you get at fast food stores for ketchup. Wouldn't want to put it on french fires though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry H Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 I used to use wax quite a bit also. I also have my orignal container of bees wax, but it wasn't bought in 1965 -- sheesh, I was still in university then. I guess Dave R must be a lot older than me. Anyway, I've gotten away from using wax, but rather than doing the spit thing, I just keep a small damp sponge in a little plastic container on my tying desk. Dampen the finger tips a little and dub dub dubadub dub. Works great . Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerBob Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 (edited) Wouldn't want to put it on french fires though.Uhm yeah.. about proof-reading that newsletter again. Feu de français? K... on topic... make your own 'Poutine' here (dubbing wax): http://globalflyfisher.com/tiebetter/dubbingwax/ Toilet Dubbing Wax Anyone? http://globalflyfisher.com/tiebetter/dubbi...t_ring_wax.html For thre record, I use it when required -- but normally a good gob of spit does the job. Loogie Fly Swap anyone? Edited January 24, 2006 by RangerBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Andersen Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Guys, I was quite surprised so few of you use fly tying wax. I use it all the time depending on what I'm tying. Playing the other day with some Easter Egg Basket stuffing tinsel [ mylar] - needed a decent wax to hold it to the thread so that I could loop dub it for stickleback patterns. Or for tying some # 26" c/w very thin body of dubbing so that the dubbing didn't come loose and interfer with the hackle et al, and on and on. Good stuff - wouldn't leave home without it. Mind you - the wax I sue hasn't been made in years. That is why I bought 2 when the inventor died. catch ya' Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratch Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Don? Andersen??? Could it be? REBEL! Crazy Coot! Mind you - the wax I sue hasn't been made in years. That is why I bought 2 when the inventor died.Note - he's been using the same wax since Bee's invented it... therefore - he doesn't use MUCH... I think we all use wax occasionally - or for specific applications - but as a daily item - I think we tend to spit on our hands and get to business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerBob Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 (edited) "Oh Bother... ", said Pooh. "I am all out of dubbing wax! Edited February 7, 2006 by RangerBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Andersen Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Scratch, Dubbing wax has been around a long time. Used to us it a lot before bobbins were invented when I tied each fly with a 18" piece of thread and 1/2 hitched each step. Mind you, that's when I had a home made vice that looked a lot like the Renzetti's of today. The vice went out the door. The wax stayed. The stuff I use was "mixed" from various oils/waxes/resins/animal spit by a guy in his basement. The secret died with him. regards, CC [ crazy coot] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanJuanWorm Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 I use wapisi's wax in a stick. Like the others said only for PITA dubbing that will not stick to waxed thread. For the most part i use a dubbing spinner which is quite handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratch Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Don't get me wrong Don - I use wax - sometimes more than I should I think... Where I think it has the most value is with either slippery thread (Dubbing on kevlar, or the UTC threads - unwaxed) or with materials that will not hold readily on their own (I also like it for seal fur dubbing - though more often than not - I'll omit it there. My concern is that on small flies - dries in particular - it adds to the overall weight of the fly - though I suspect it traps some air in the fly for buoyancy at the same time. I guess we'll have to play with that a bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Andersen Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 Scratch, I use it on some real fine dubbing materials particularly synthetics. I find synthetics rarely stay wherre you put them and will work out of the thread. For that reason, on many of the tiny [ <20's] that I tie, I use a dab. Also for real springy furs like seal or some larger denier materials like Phentex. In this case, the wax "tames' the fur/yarn long enough to get it captured in various types of dubbing twisters. And as you say - each to his own. Amazing how often methods vary but the result works just fine. CC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agrombacher Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Hey Guys, Canadagray and the others don't like using tying wax, because they like using rabbit and muskrat dubbing that comes off their fingers as they wet them continually as a substitute for CHEW! Their wives won't let them spit in the house. I am a judious user of sticky tying wax just like Don. When using seal and SSH, sticky tying wax helps make a great fly. Dennis will find the same is true with pig's fur/wool. But not all dubbing material need added wax as the waxed thread and the consistancy of the material makes dubbing them easy. Plain Bee's wax is about as good as the snot from my Angus' nose. Some Bee's wax blends can be good. Superfly and Lafontaine's website sell a good tying wax. Cheers, Alberta Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerBob Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) Lafontaine's website sell a good tying wax. Is it http://www.thebookmailer.com/ you refer to and this wax - http://www.thebookmailer.com/Supplies/body_wax.html? Edited February 13, 2006 by RangerBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisS Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Snot from an angus' nose not sure how sticky that would be. I guess one should not use that in combination with spit you may end up with more than you were bargining for. I do use a bit of wax at times gain as you say it is on the seals wool and yes pigs wool. Tight Lines Always Dennis S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agrombacher Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Hey Dennis, My Angus (Chocolate Lab/duck retreiver) always seems to have enough of it to spread around! Cheers, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadagrey Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Al: Are you bottling Angus snot yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agrombacher Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Hey Brian, I should as it sticks to everything like a magnet. Especially to my wife's black silk pants!! Cheers, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerBob Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 (edited) Al: Are you bottling Angus snot yet? I just spewed coffee all over my monitor again. I hate it when that happens. Edited February 14, 2006 by RangerBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Andersen Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Guys, Anyone make their own waxes? Have heard that toilet bowl sealer wax is good mixed with rosen [sp] that the baseball types use for ball control + some bees wax for stiffness. 'course, you could always get a Bassett hound for an endless supply of semi-sticky stuff. regards, Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertabowhunter Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 need wax? grab a Q-tip... no? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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