fly tying waxes?

[Normand]

http://singlebarbed.com/2009/07/13/u...-a-good-thing/

has anybody used any of the products written about in the above article? or even heard of those waxes?

[rookie]

Norm,

I do use my own, beeswax and bow rosin mix. I use different proportions as necessary.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

I use some homemade wax produced by a gent in the UK. It colors the silk appropriately, is somewhat tacky and is a nice tying wax. It's a beeswax/rosin/oil combo, some of which is colored dark to give primrose silk the correct "Greenwell" color.

I also use some wax made by Jim Slattery. I've used the Leisenring wax he sells and it's okay. Takes a lot of time to work it to working stiffness though. I really like the new wax he sells. Comes in small pea sized pieces, soft enough to apply to the thread without working. It's tacky enough for touch dubbing as is.

For dubbing waxes I prefer BT's tacky and super tacky waxes.

To answer your question, no I haven't used any of the waxes mentioned in the article. VEE has some museum wax she uses for fly displays. I may have to give that a shot for a tying/dubbing wax. Never thought about trying it before you posted the article. Thanks for that.

REE

[eaustin]

I use a wax done by Bill Bailey in Ft. Wayne Indiana that I like very much. It is reasonably soft to the touch, and very sticky. I like Jim Slattery's wax too, but I've got some of his earlier, harder wax, that needs to be worked to be right. I like the consistency of Bill's a little better, but they're quite similar. I never used to use wax at all, for years. Now I'm discovering that I really like it for some things. What it will do for you is keep a tail you've tied in, or a wing, right there, in place, immune from thread torque etc. after the fact. Now those that Crazy Glue all the stages won't care, but I really like it, and for the heads of full dress salmon flies, it's a must unless you're gluing.
Eric

[kglissmeyer]

Just a question? How many out there use wax consistently? I haven't used any for over 10 years in my tying. I'm sure there are some applications I'm missing out on, but it always seemed more trouble than it was worth. I'm not knocking it's use, I'm just curious as to how many tyers use wax regularly.
I do tie several hundred dozens every year, so I do sit at the vise regularly, in fact, almost every evening.
Just wondering...

Kelly.

[Fly Goddess]

I don't use it either. I was under the impression it was a good aid for beginners.
Wet my fingers does the trick. Most threads are waxed anyway.
But then I will do dubbing loops every chance I get.

[FISHN50]

I came across 4 of the green containers of " Wonder Wax" at a garage sale & grabbed them all. I'm set for life. That's the best wax going.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

I admit, after 40 plus years at this, I'm still a beginner , but I use wax for a lot of applications, other than dubbing. For touch dubbing, though, the good tacky wax does make it easier. As mentioned in my post above, I use wax on almost all my tying silk to alter the color, and help hold materials in place, and provide a bit of translucency.

[Fly Goddess]

I just like what water does to silk

[JohnScott]

I bought some wax when I first started tying flies about five years ago. I used it a couple times right after I started tying and couldn't see why I bothered. Haven't used it since. The flies I tie regularly catch fish so I see no point to adding anything to the process or to the flies.

John