When you apply head cement to a small fly, what do you use to apply it with? Bodkin? Toothpick? Just want to keep the cement out of the eye and off the feathers. Or maybe I am over thinking it.LOL
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When you apply head cement to a small fly, what do you use to apply it with? Bodkin? Toothpick? Just want to keep the cement out of the eye and off the feathers. Or maybe I am over thinking it.LOL
RHenn,
I use two different methods. I will either use the tip of the bodkin, very lightly dipped in the head cement. That way you can cover all the thread with a thin layer. Or, far more often now, I simply apply a bit of cement on a very short strip of the thread before I finish the head and the cement simply goes on more internal in the head tan external. Then again, I have been using a whip finish more and more and don't often use head cement on many of my flies.
Do what you want to. You are the one tying the fly.
Larry ---sagefisher---
I, also, apply the cement or super glue to the thread before whip finishing. I do it that way more for keeping the cement off the feathers than out of the eye. I can always clean out the eye.
Joe
Is there such a thing as "slow" superglue? I have tried applying it to the thread, but can't make my final whip before the glue hardens.
I trim out most of the bristles on the Sally Hansen brush and use that for application; any cement that gets into the hook eye I remove while it's still wet with the tip of a feather. Seems to work okay.
Regards,
Scott
Scott -Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottP
Do you dry the brush before trimming it? If so, how?
Thanks, John
I use Sally Hansen's as well. But I dump it into an old head cement bottle with the bodkin top and use that to apply it to the fly.
I don't use cement on smaller dry flies. It can be messy to apply and too easy to mess up hackles or eyes , at least for me.
The butt end of a hackle stem makes a great eye cleaner. Take the butt end of a hackle that you were going to throw away -- a soft hackle with a thicker and more tapered stem works best, strip off the remaining fibers and clip the stem at an angle.
John,
I'm sure Scott has a better way, but when I trim the bristles I'll soak the brush in polish remover for a while, let it dry and then trim it.
Joe
John,Quote:
Originally Posted by John Rhoades
No; I just cut the fibers at their base. Didn't really need, or want, to have the brush dry out.
Regards,
Scott
Ordinarily I'll touch the super glue or SHHN to the thread before whip finishing. Depending on the type and size of the fly I'll also use a bodkin to touch a drop to the head and let it soak in. I'm also a big dubbing wax user and during the "construction" process I'll touch the dubbing wax to the eye of the hook filling the eye with wax. Helps keep out unwanted glue or lacquer and the wax is very easy to remove.
I'm using Zap / Wapsi "Z-ment" and haven't had any premature hardening issues.Quote:
Originally Posted by herefishy
I use a bodkin with head cement, then put a needle though the hook eye to make certain it is clear:
http://i.imgur.com/NYVy083.jpg
If it's a beadhead, I put a drop of head cement on the top of the bead and sweep the thread through it when whip finishing. That is a GLF "trick"...
PT/TB
Thanks for all the info!
I learned this tip from Henry Hoffman.
A steel wire is inserted through the cork and adjusted so that it just penetrates the cement slightly. As cement is used and the level goes down readjust the wire. The blunt tip of the wire holds a small drop of cement. When your done tying, put the screw cap back on.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...Headcement.jpg
Herefishy.... Blick art supplies has lots of glues. Cyanoacrylate (super glue) is available with a slower curing rate. Once you check out their online catalog, you'll find a bunch of stuff you didn't know you needed... 😜 ...just a heads up..
I think it's blickartsupplies.com , but not sure. My catalog is old, but it says Dick Blick art supplies on it. I get my brushes, glues, & graphic art stuff there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jayatwork
I too learned this from Henry and would add that you can adjust the size of the drop by using different diameter wire.
i use a number 2 eberhard faber pencil with a straight pine stuck in the eraser end . ive been using the same pencil and pin for so long, I think the previous owner of the pencil was uga, he used to use it to scribble on cave walls before he gave it to me.
I use a pin or wire or whatever pointy thing is laying around.
I clear out the eye with the tip of the next hook