Antron or Zelon or Both

[Bob Widmaier]

This is a question that has recently bugged me for some time. I see fly patterns that call for either antron or zelon. I have read and observed these two materials are very similar in their properties and appear to be interchangeable. However, I have also read that they are not. What has been your experience and why do you use one or the other or both for different applications??

[alra195]

Bob,

I've used both interchangably, most of the time for wings or posts for parachutes. I've got some z-lon that's got a more crinkely texture that I favor sometimes for spinner wings and shucks on some patterns but I've gotten use to using either interchangably. Might not be right but it's been what I do.

[JAd]

Here you go-Just google.

http://www.google.com/search?client=...=Google+Search

JAD

[JohnScott]

Bob -

My ( limited ) experience with these materials is that Antron is straighter, finer and easier to work with for posts, wings, bodies, and smaller shucks. The Zelon that I have has more crinkle and seems somewhat heavier and stiffer, so I generally use it only for shucks on larger patterns.

John

[whatfly]

Antron and Zelon (both Betts and Blue Ribbon's) are similiar but not identical. Zelon is a finer material than Antron. This might matter to you most if you are using Zelon for shucks on emergers, or maybe posts on parachutes. If you are just twisting the Zelon for a segmented abdomen such as on a Serendipity, then Antron would work just as well. Conversely, I prefer to use Antron yarn (from cards or the spooled stuff) when building bodies and anytime when I'm less concerned with the using a heavy material. In a pinch, however, you could use either interchangeably.

[Bamboozle]

Shall we add Darlon and really confuse the issue?

I THINK that there is a difference although I don't know what it is. I have Antron yarn on spools and two kinds of Zelon; straight & crinkled in packages.

I use it interchangeably for trailing shucks although I like the regular Antron yarn & straight Zelon for that better than the crinkled Zelon.

For wings I use neither; I like HiViz.

Darlon - I don't know what the heck it is except that it is finer than all three.