Over the years we see the subject of dubbing wax, or the reason for not using it being continually recycled. Now I have another option. There is an ALL PURPOSE GLUE STICK sold by ELMER’S for applications like mounting photos in an album. It is a sticky adhesive that is about as tacky as the adhesive on POST-IT notes and costs about $1 for a lipstick type tube.
I’ve used it for light touch dubbing and for heavier loop dubbing and it gives super results. A single wipe down the thread is invisible and all that is needed.
One more thing with using it is that some of it is water soluable which means if it is used with a dubbing loop, it will help hold your material on the thread until you spin the dubbing loop and then when you fish it, it will wash away which will free up your material so it will have more movement! It is a win-win situation! I have used it for that reason alone.
When I first started tying, I thought I had to use wax, as I got better I dumped the wax, no real need for it. I keep a small wet sponge to dampen my finger tips and dubbing goes on fine. I tie 1200 to 1500 fles a year and every added step adds time to the time it takes to tie a fly.
You can buy that glue at most $1 dollar stores in 3 pack for a $1. I buy them take out the glue and fill them with wax. I buy the wax at Home Depot. The wax I buy is a wax toilet ring for a $1.96, It will fill about 40 of the tubes. I give this to my tying students. It is super sticky so a very little goes a long way. Just my 2 cents. John
I must be doing it wrong. I’ve never used anything but my fingers for dubbing. Are you supposed to use wax, or glue? Mine have never come apart or anything. I’ve always though that twisting the dubbing loop is what keeps the dubbing in place, and on a regular dub, I thought it was the twist you put on the dubbing around the line that keeps it in place.
Here goes: Doesn’t the Elmer’s glue leave a scent that the fish can smell or change the color of the fly? I had to ask. I’ve been using the touch dubbing method and I like it. I’ve been using Loon’s High Tack.
I only use the wax/glue when I need to do a “touch dub”. With “touch dubbing” if the tying thread is not a little tacky, you can “touch” it all day long with dubbing and it will not stick. I do not need it for a “pinch dub”. Sometimes a little wax/glue will assist with holding coarse dubbing in place inside a “loop dub” until you can get it twisted. I hope this answers your question. I do not use wax/glue that much, but, there are times it sure makes things a little easier.
I’ll trade you half of a wax toilet ring for some of that thread from the needle shop. Trout can’t smell the wax from a toilet ring, well at least before it is put into use.
TyroneFly,
I just make the finger tips moist, not sloppy wet. A one inch square piece of sponge in small container is all I need. Too much water & the dubbing won’t spin on the thread. As Mikey says, try it you’ll like it.
