Head Cement

[Wildfisher]

Was in Banchory today and strolled into the Orvis shop hoping  they might have Kamasan B170s  in 14. They did but only in  overpriced 25s which I bought a few boxes of  anyway.

Incidentally, this is a shop that is best visited AFTER removing your credit cards from your wallet and leaving them at home. Some of these Orvis flee rods and reels looked very nice indeed.

Anyway, I digress?? what was this about???oh aye,  heid cement??..

I bought some fly tying stuff including  a bottle of Orvis aqueous head cement. Being water based it takes a wee while longer to dry, but it really is like water and is great for sealing whip finishes  under the hackle  on Klinks and parachutes.

It really sooks in well.

[haresear]

I must confess I don't bother with varnish any more at all  :worms

Alex

[Wildfisher]

To be honest for most flies you probably don't need it. However, for any fly I tie using spider web (klinks / parachutes), which is very slippery, I think it's a good belt and braces measure.

[.D.]

To be honest for most flies you probably don't need it. However, for any fly I tie using spider web (klinks / parachutes), which is very slippery, I think it's a good belt and braces measure.

That sounds reasonable enough to me. I use Fly-Tite head cement for the same sort of thing. I also like to use it on the heads of elk hair sedges etc. too. And one or two other things.

I use clear nail varnish and superglue too sometimes, but I never varnish a conventional whipped finishing knot at the eye - no need to.

.D.

[Highlander]

Whilst I agree that flies finished off with a "good"whip finish do not necessary need varnish I do not think it does any harm whatsoever.
I always varnish but maybe that is just what I am used to. Only problem I can see in not using it is the fact thay many threads in use are nylon based & are inherently "slippy". They could work loose & cause the thread to unravel making the fly useless. Varnishing seals everything off & using it is what I call "good tying practice. On an aside it never ceases to amaze me how many tiers create a wee work of art then spoil it by screwing up the varnish part.
As for type, I have settled on the American Fly-Tite, Veniards No 1 was the standard for years & is still pretty good. But do not do what one poster I read about on another forum was to use Veniards No 2 & wondered why he could not get a smooth head. Quite simply No2 is for rod building.
Tight lines

[Tim]

I never use varnish and have never had any problem with whip finishes unravelling or any such.

Have had probs with sharp trout teeth shredding ostrich herl on flies like a herl snowshoe emerger which I love to fish, but hate to tie. It's a bit frustrating if a fly only lasts a couple of fish after all the effort of getting the herl right and finding a piece that doesn't break while you are tying it. I was going to try and varnish this year's batch - any suggestions what to use?

Tim

[The General]

Tim
When using ostrich herl or peacock, try using fluorocarbon as a rib, it is f... all good for anything else (that should provoke a response) and a good way
of using up the stuff that you bought.

Davie

[haresear]

Have had probs with sharp trout teeth shredding ostrich herl on flies like a herl snowshoe emerger which I love to fish, but hate to tie. It's a bit frustrating if a fly only lasts a couple of fish after all the effort of getting the herl right and finding a piece that doesn't break while you are tying it. I was going to try and varnish this year's batch - any suggestions what to use?

For that reason, I must confess that I very rarely use any herl at all now and substitute various dubbings instead.

It is an approach that will horrify the purists, but the fish don't seem to mind at all

I don't know if it would work for your herl emerger though, Tim.

Alex

[Tim]

Alex

I use various dubbings, but the herl does seem to do the job well in some circumstances - early season olive hatches on the chalkstreams especially - although its probably just that I got lucky a time or two.

Davie I'll try some flouro on the 12s but will struggle on the 16s!

Thanks

Tim

[The General]

Shouldnt struggle on the sixteens, Tim, as that is my second most favourite size of fly.  My wee friend has a fly attributed to him called the Loch Maddy
and when tying in the herl he makes a rope from three pieces and the tying thread but I find that the fluorcarbon not also helps to keep the herl intact
when used as the "rope" but also adds to the security of the body materials and gives it a rib.  The fluorocarbon is 4lb test but is half as thick as "normal" nylon, it also lets the colours of the fly shine through.

Davie