How to apply dubbin?

[holensum]

Hi Folks and Happy Thanksgiving,

I'm sure the answer to my question is somewhere in the mass of threads here, but I haven't been able to find it.

I am coming back to fly fishing and tying after a 40+ year absence (makes that Junior Member tag a bit misleading), following AJs Basic Tying instruction to get back into the tying part. Back in the day, I never used dubbin, only tying with feathers and yarn, mostly bass and pan flies, so this dubbin stuff is brand new to me. I have the concept of a little goes a long, long, long, long way and always going in the same direction with the thumb and forefinger. My problem is getting the stuff to wrap neatly around the thread. I've watched videos where the the tyer just zip, zip, zip and the dubbin looks as neat as can be.

When I twist dubbin in, it doesn't stick to the thread and ends up looking like a small cloud just kind of surrounding the thread and not really attached in any way. I've tried wax, but that doesn't seem to help.

Any help will be appreciated.

Gordon

[ScottP]

Since I'm terrible at applying dubbing, I can give advice on a few things not to do:

don't apply too much material
twist the dubbing on in one direction

Great thing about the Interweb is there's so much info on-line nowdays; go to Youtube and check out how Hans Weilenmann, Davey McPhail, Craig Mathews, Wally Wiese, etc do it. Btw, welcome to the forum.

Regards,
Scott

[chewydog]

Everything you ever wanted to know about dubbing, and then some:
http://ukflydressing.proboards.com/i...ay&thread=4046

[pillcaster]

Everything you ever wanted to know about dubbing, and then some:
http://ukflydressing.proboards.com/i...ay&thread=4046

This is good stuff - thank you for posting

[chewydog]

When I twist dubbin in, it doesn't stick to the thread and ends up looking like a small cloud just kind of surrounding the thread and not really attached in any way. I've tried wax, but that doesn't seem to help.

That's the point were I lick my finger tips and give it one more tight twist.

[holensum]

Thanks all,

The post from the ukflydressing was most informative and the tip about licking the finger tips. I have very dry skin, too many years working in and with concrete and concrete products. Just moistening the finger tips and putting more pressure on the thread made a world of difference.

[ScottP]

Fingers to mouth after touching feathers and animal fur/hides/pelts?? I'd keep a bowl of water around.

Regards,
Scott

[Denny]

After tying for over 68 years, I always felt my methods (all of em) made something lacking in my tying.
After learning Don Os "Rope dub" I can dub anything and it looks far better on the completed flies I tie.
http://www.fantasyflies.com/ropedub_dvd.php
It works for me.

Denny

[holensum]

Ok, so here are pix of an early fly and one I tied that is similar but after learning a little about applying the dubbing.

DSC03079.JPG
This is an early fly on a #12 hook with extra fine grey dubbing


DSC03081.JPG
And this is #16 with extra fine olive.