Dubbing Wax

[mickalo]

The other night I was tying up some mini leeches and decided to try something. The pattern calls for a dub body and I had a piece of candle wax in a tray and thought ..... hmmm, ... will this work as a dub wax?? So I tried it. Rub some of the candle wax on the thread, applied the dub and it seems to work quiet nicely. Doesn't clump up like some other waxes do. The wax is dry and hard

So I was wondering if anyone else has tried this and if it's a feasible alternative to regular dub wax?

Mike

[Denny]

I vote for BT's Super Tacky Dubbing wax. They are also a Sponsor here on FAOL.
I use silk for fly tying so there is no wax on my thread like there is on a lot of different kinds of thread.
It works for me. It is easy to buy.

Denny

[Ron Eagle Elk]

If I'm using Pearsall's or a similar silk thread I prewax with a Keane type wax or a cobbler's wax. For dubbing, I find that I unless I'm touch dubbing on the silk, I really don't need any other wax. If I am touch dubbing then it's either BT's Super-Tacky or Tacky formulated waxes for me. The choice resting on the size of the fly.

Come to think of it, that's what what dubbing wax I use on regular threads as well.

REE

[narcodog]

I wax everything. I use Wonder wax for most but when I am tying S/H's I have about six different waxes. I like BT's for course material like seal.

[fishbum]

When I do use wax ,which isn't often, I use a mixture of bees wax, turpentine and violin rosin. Its's hard, tacky, and can be made any consistancy you want.

fishbum

[Buddy Sanders]

Mickalo,

AS you can see so far, lots of folks like particular waxes forthier tying.

To answer your question, yes, myself as well as many others have tried plain old candle wax as a substitue for the myriad of dubbing type waxes out there.

It works if you like how it works. So many folks expect so many different things from dubbing wax, which is why there are so many different brands, formulas, and types.

So, if you find that you have the need to use a wax, and candle wax works for you, then by all means use it. It's certainly cheap and easy to get.

Good Luck!

Buddy

[narcodog]

Here is another cheap source that some use and that is a wax toilet bowl ring.

[mickalo]

I don't use allot of wax when dubbing unless I'm using some dub that refuses to stay on the thread. Got a couple tubes of the Wapsi wax from a couple of years ago. The candle wax seems to work just about as well as the Wapsi I have and I got tons of candle wax We burn allot of candle in the house during the winter months here.

Mike

[Wes]

i still have some overtons. 1 tube about 3/4 full, 3 tubes never used.

[JeffHamm]

I use cobbler's wax for some flies, to darken the thread (it's black). When I just want to add some wax but produce little colour change, I'll use pure bee's wax.

- Jeff