Head Cement - Some Casual Research

[DarrellP 0]

This is all good information.   I use all of the above and have to admit they all work. For bigger flies I just put superglue on the last half inch before a whip finish.  If I want a shiny head I use Sally's.

[DFoster 0]

I use 3 head lockers depending on what I'm doing.  SHHAN is great stuff and it's what I use on most of my flies.   If the pattern calls for U.V. resin somewhere on the body I will also use it on the head.  I also prefer U.V. for gloss heads like those on winged wets.  Bees wax on the thread prior to the whip finish works well if I want a dull head.  

 

[cencalfly 0]

Still have a bottle of Griff's. Good stuff.  Presently I use thin Loctite CA glue (superglue) to lock everything in.  Then hit it with some Sally's hard as nails to get the gloss.  The CA penetrates very well.  Actually I have to be careful to not over-do-it.  If to much is used it will travel (capillary action?) and goober up the head/collars/throats/whatever.

Never went with the modern cements like those offered by Loon or others. Including UV.  Just didn't see the need (stuck in my ways).  Years ago I used high gloss lacquer.  It looked good and penetrated but took more coats.  I've also used shellac which looked good too but was brittle.  

Been thinking about trying out Testors Enamel model paint for certain flies.  When I was a kid building models Testors was the kind.  Their high gloss enamel was good. There are many color options too. 

[Gene L 0]

The Griff's I have is very thin and liquid-seeming.  Is this the way it should be?

[DrLogik 0]

Gene L,

 

Griffin made two types of Griff's a light and a thick formula.  The light was really watery.

[cencalfly 0]

1 minute ago, Gene L said:

The Griff's I have is very thin and liquid-seeming.  Is this the way it should be?

Got a a couple bottles on the shelf.  Viscosity is kind of perception in these matters.

For me, thin rules. Use an application of the thin to actually make the fly durable.  Then, dab some thick to give it shine.  In the day (my experience only) a shiny super glossy head was not the goal. Although it did make for a nice presentable fly to fishermen.  Honestly, there is also a great sense of satisfaction for the tier.  Me included.  I'm probably not alone in that.  Fish may not be so concerned.

Realistically though: confidence and durability is very important.  Drawing a fish to strike/take is what matters.   Today, flash makes for confidence. That matters.  Roe or beads work great.  Hell, buy a net or maybe some explosives.

Please tie without the internet and it's input?  Go outside and fish! For Gods sake fish.  Use that first hand experience. Observe nature. 

[gillage 0]

This is something I saved that Silver Creek posted on a different forum.

I use it and it works GREAT.

For those of you looking to thin your SHHAN.

This is from @Silver Creek

The ingredients of Hard as Hull are Ethyl Acetate, N-butyl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Nitrocellulose, N-butyl Alcohol, and Camphor. Sound familiar? Slightly different order of ingredients and Camphor. Nail polishes contain camphor as a plasticizer. Does the list sound familiar. Check it against the Sally Hansen’s Formulation.

Since the volatile head cements seem to be formulations of nail polish, I recommend a thinner such as the Beauty Secrets Nail Polish Thinner. It is the house brand at Sally Beauty Shop and sells for about $4.50 for 4 ozs. The ingredients are Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, and Heptane. The evaporation index is less than acetone and so the head cement will last longer.

Both ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, the two primary solvents used in nail polish, evaporate more slowly than acetone. Both the ethyl and butyl acetates will be the first two ingredients in nail polish. The mixture of the two controls the evaporation rate.

 

Dissolving Solvent Relative Evaporation Rate - lower number = slower evaporation

Acetone * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *5.7

Ethyl Acetate * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4.1

Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) * * * * * 3.8

Isopropyl Acetate * * * * * * * * * * * * *3.0

Heptane * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *2.8

Methyl n-Propyl Ketone * * * * * * * *2.3

Propyl Acetate * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *2.3

Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK) * * 1.6

Isobutyl Acetate * * * * * * * * * * * * * *1.4

Butyl Acetate * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *1.0

 

[flytire 0]

i say bring back "pharmacists formula" and "grifs thin" head cements 👍👍

[SilverCreek 0]

On 7/17/2024 at 6:09 AM, gillage said:

 

 

 

 

If you have a Sally Beauty shop near you, they carry the thinner. Make sure it is not the Beauty Secrets acetone nail polish remover

 

https://www.sallybeauty.com/nails/nail-color/nail-color-remover-and-thinner/nail-polish-thinner/SBS-163400.html?yoReviewsPage=2&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw1920BhA3EiwAJT3lSdBqsXnjsAdTS_Tf5-ZDOmv1lgpspPW58-PaxZJHw6-EQd9QgfXRQBoCS54QAvD_BwE

 

 

[flytire 0]

[DFoster 0]

17 hours ago, flytire said:

Yup- I have a can just like that. I don’t know about the other brands, but it certainly works well with Sally Hansen’s.