I am about to tie some flies that require light touch dubbing. I have acquired some Kundry’s Balsam.
Has anyone experience with aforesaid Balsam.
Donald,
I have not, but I have found that the push-up glue sticks (for gluing paper) work better than any wax I have been able to find.
Joe
I recently have been experimenting making dubbing waxes. I think I’m getting hooked on playing with the possibilities. Marvin Nolte (famed U.S. Salmon fly tyer) makes his own wax and has various formulas for dubbing and finger waxes. He recommends 7-2-1 proportions of rosin/bees wax/castor oil.
When I first started “playing” I bought violin rosin and beeswax. Pretty expensive for fooling around. I now collect rosin from the leakage that occurs on Ponderosa pines, and use the wax from toilet bowl sealing rings. A small Teflon pan from $ Tree, likewise a strainer and a few minutes on a hot plate at very low temperatures results in a pourable product. I’ve experimented and now have very sticky/moderately sticky and barely sticky at all waxes. Marvin’s 7-2-1 proportions makes a not too sticky wax that is good for most purposes. For a touch dubbing wax I have found a greater proportion of Rosin is needed.
Thanks Joe, I have tried glue sticks and they did a nice job, but afterwards when I looked at the stick it said ‘not waterproof’ (so that the little darlings don’t stick little Johnny to the wall), and I wondered if all the dubbing would drift off in the stream. Mike Connor recommended waterproof glue sticks but I can’t find any in the stores. Maybe I’ll give the standard glue stick another chance, it does do a nice job.
Donald,
I haven’t thought of that, but I use waxed thread anyway and that should help if the glue does wash away. I know La Fontaine always said that just wrapping the thread on the hook locks the touch dubbing in place. Doesn’t the wax (or glue) just help the dubbing adhere to the thread while you are applying it anyway?
Joe
I apologize for jumping in here, but, Joe’s comment on push-up glue sticks brought something to mind. I try to not use any wax in my tying unless I absolutely have to. In my mind, what little I have, I think that a good fish-catching fly has a lot of movement in the water which I feel attracts fish. I feel that when you wax the material on the hook it locks the material down and would restrict some it’s movement in the water. Joe’s recommendation to use push-up paper glue sticks I think is a good one because most of that type of glue is water soluable which means once the fly is in the water the glue would disolve and this would free up the material. After all, you only use the wax to help hold the material on the thread long enough for you to tie the fly, so, why not use a glue that would wash out after it gets wet. These are just thoughts and nothing more. Once again, I am sorry for hi-jacking this thread.
Mike Connor was who I got the idea of the glue stick from as well. I even find it easier to work with than wax, too.
I don’t know the dynamics of what the glue or wax does in the water, but Warren may have a great point.
Joe
Donald,
First, I have no experience with the aforementioned Balsam.
I have been doing a lot of touch dubbing lately and find the best wax I’ve ever had (next to Overton’s) is BT’s Tacky and Super Tacky waxes. I like the buggy look so I hanen’t been wrapping the dubing on the hook. Just a few swipes of dubbing against the waxed thread gives a nice spikey body when wrapped on the hook. For a tight body, once the dubbing has been touched to the thread, a few twists between thumb and forefinger makes a very tight body.
REE
I have been using BT’s sticky wax for several years now. I would not be without it on my tying bench.
It is so good I can not visualize anyone even thinking of using anything else.
Just my 2? worth.
Denny
my understanding is that the purpose of waxed thread is to bind the thread fibers together and has no influence over how well or poorly dubbing will adhere to it.
Another vote for BT’s.
Will
Never used a wax, or glue, for any dubbing, with no problems.
BT’s all the way, it the best wax out there.
Been using the same stick of Bt’s wax for years.
I’d be lost without it.