Head cement

Fly Patterns
1

Can superglue be used as head cement for tying flies?

2

Yes it can Paf, I use it quite a lot, but sometimes it dries with a white cloudiness.

Born to fish, forced to work.

3

PAF,

Works great for some applications, mostly where all you want is for the head cement to keep the thread in place. I prefer it where I can use it.

For me, it works for 90% of the flies I tie for bass, and about 60% of the trout flies.

If how the ‘head’ looks is important, then you need something that builds, like lacquer or that incredibly expensive stuff they sell in the fly shops that are labeled as ‘head cement’.

Good Luck!

Buddy

4

Hi PA FF,

It will definitly hold your threads in
place, but it can sometimes discolor as has
been mentioned. I sometimes “butter” a
short section of thread with it and wrap it
wet and clip it. Works for me.

For general head cement usuage though I
most often use Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails.
It’s about 2 bucks at Wallyworld for a small
applicator bottle. Warm regards, Jim

5

I use " Hard as Nails ’ on my streamer heads. It makes really shiny and smooth. Works good. The rest of my flies I use just plain head cement. As for super glue, I don’t think I would try it.
…Streamcaddis…

I was fly fishing and fly tying
before it got trendy

6

Jim,
Could you please post exactly what the label says on the Sally Hansen Hard As Nails? I went into a store to see this as so many use it…and there were probably 6 different products that all said Sally Hansen Hard as Nails. I forget now what was different on each label…but I sure wasn’t sure which one to pick.

I have also read on tying a certain fly to use nail “Glue”. Now I assume that is not the Hard as Nails hardener but a glue to glue false nails on with. Your thoughts appreciated.

Gem

7

All - thanks for your advice. Also, Jim,
Can you comment on POJ’s comment regarding the hard as nails?

Regards,
paff

8

Hey folks,

My bottle says Sally Hansen across the
top. Next line in bold letters is “Hard as
Nails”. It’s a tall bottle, maybe 2 1/2"
tall, and about 3/4" in diameter. It has
Natural Tint and 8FFXT below that. It
contains .45 fl oz and cost $2.00. Hope
this helps. Warm regards, Jim

9

Thanks Jim.
The one I picked and now have here at home says:

Front
Sally Hansen
Hard as Nails
.45 fl oz
Back
Clear
4400-66

I guess it is the same product, it’s for hardening nails and to keep them from cracking. The paper backing says NOW + IRON.
Exclusive Iron & Epoxy Formula.

Soooooo I reckon it will work.

Gem

10

It’ll work, POJ…I just checked at Wal-Mart since I was there…the stuff that’s usually referred to is the “regular” nail polish that’s in the cylinder type bottle…like yours…yours is a few pennies more probably because of the iron…[guess the flies won’t get anemic]…

I use the stuff called clear shine finish…figure it must give a more glossy finish…never have compared side by side.

11

Might mention I also use a brand…Wet 'n Wild…priced similar to Sally’s…I see no difference and it comes in many colors and also with sparkle added…

12

Anemic Flies, impossible with all the iron in the hook that runs through their middle!

I prefer the Sally Hanson “Hard as Nails” with Teflon, it seems to be much thinner than the other Sally Hanson Nail Polish. It soaks down between the thread wraps, which I like.

~Parnelli

PS: I dry off the brush, and clip half the bristles off, that way I get better control apply the stuff on the head of the fly, without it getting into the hackle or eye.

13

Steven,
You might be interested in this…an idea I got from Henry Hoffman…

I too have cut off the brush but now use this method…

A straight wire passed through the appropriate sized cork…the end of the wire is blunt rather then tapered …this allows a droplet to form that is controlled better than if a taper is used like on a needle …also the diameters of the wire can be varied which gives different sized droplets…the wire can be advanced through the cork as the level liquid goes down…I got different diameter wire at the hobby shop…

Here’s a picture…this particular bottle has been corked unopened since May last year and still as good…
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/nailpolish.jpg:9d4f4]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/nailpolish.jpg[/url:9d4f4]

14

Ducksterman,

Where do you get the corks? Hobby store, too.

How about the wire? If I were to straighten a paper clip would the wire be too thick?

Thanks for the great tip.

Peter F.

Peter F
www.fishingwithflies.com
pfrailey@hotmail.com

15

ducksterman
I sense a “Tying Tips” article…send it to the Ladyfisher. Great “Tip”!
mcsteff

16

I think what is most important with the initial coating of head cement is that it soaks in between thread wraps, and not just coat over the top. This is why I just use a thin head cement.

If you want to have shiney glossy heads you can use hard as nails over the top later. Personally I think super glue will be too brittle. With modern threads nowadays there is an argument for not applying head cement at all, but for the sake of a drop of varnish I prefer to be safe.

[This message has been edited by mickporter (edited 02 January 2006).]

17

I agree with Mickporter. For a “thin” head cement, I have one of my bottle of Hard as Nails that has been thinned considerably with Acetone. I also have various bottles with various sized brushes, having cut off varying amounts of bristles with a razor blade. I do want to try the cork and wire suggestion made earlier in the thread.

Peter

Peter F
www.fishingwithflies.com
pfrailey@hotmail.com

18

For a thin head cement try Griff’s Thin Head Cement made by Griffin.

It works terrific, penetrates, and seems to stay thin forever without adding solvent. It also provides a great base coat for later coating with Sally’s for a glossy head.

I save Super Glue for assembling components when nothing else works.

19

i will add a couple items here:

“Nail Glue” is nothing more than super glue. Everytime my wife buys a pack of nails there is a tube included, but she doesnt use the full tube each time so i have several unopened tubes in my drawer.

For thin head cement i use Loon’s waterbased head cement. Nice and thin and soaks right in. Then if i want a glossier head i use Hard as Nails or Loon’s Hard Head.

I use spuer glue at various points during my tying, especially when i want to really secure something such as barbell eyes or wing posts. But i rarely use it for cementing the heads.

20

Peter,
The corks can be found at the craft stores like Michael’s ,etc. and also Wal-Mart…you can get bags of one size or assortments.

Paper clips would work but the droplet would be quite large so it would depend on the size fly you are tying.
I’ve taken a picture of different size wire in the bottles and also wanted to show the salt and pepper bottles I picked up at the 99cent store…note the size…small ones like that are a little harder to come by…

I really like how well the very fine wire works on small heads.

The particular Sally Hanson’s there is “Super Shine”…and has a cut down brush in it…

The one with the black cap is an empty I had …the brush hardened so I pulled the bristles from the stem and inserted a wire…quite large…like a paper clip probably…haven’t used it…

Note that I keep various viscosities of whatever I’m using so as to vary with what I want to accomplish…[some of the things you all have mentioned above]

[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/cements.jpg:80aec]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/cements.jpg[/url:80aec]