Nail polish thinner

[Stillinscrubs 0]

I use sally Hansen hard as nails as my "head cement." If you are a new tier I'll tell you the proper placement of small amounts can make flies last 3-4x longer than flies without it.

Anyway, Lately the little bottles are getting too thick to use after I'm about halfway through them.  Does anybody have a proven method to thin it up.  I tried mineral spirits (I think) and nail polish remover and neither worked. Any advice appreciated.

[niveker 0]

 

1 hour ago, Stillinscrubs said:

Does anybody have a proven method to thin it up

Toluene is what I use.  Available in most hardware stores, unless it's been outlawed where you live.  

[DFoster 0]

I use a few drops of acetone (nail polish remover) until I get the thickness I like. 

[Stillinscrubs 0]

1 hour ago, niveker said:

 

Toluene is what I use.  Available in most hardware stores, unless it's been outlawed where you live.  

Thanks I’ll look for some. 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Me?  I simply buy a new bottle - then decant half of it into the old bottle to thin it back up to usable status... I keep that new bottle tightly closed and never use it - until... the old bottle gets too thick again - then add the last half back into it...  I don't use Sally's as much now as I did when tying bonefish bugs in quantity for shops... These days, tying flies for my guiding efforts - all I ever use is a touch of thin super glue on the thread to lock it down - so well, I'll need a good razor blade to cut through the thread if I need to re-cycle a fly... All I ever use for cyano stuff is Krazy Glue - and you can find the original recipe in any drugstore - just like Sally Hansen's... 

[sandflyx 0]

I thin goop and use, waterproof better than any cyano glue out there. 

[SilverCreek 0]

I've posted about the chemistry of head cements before.

https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/help-which-head-cement-resin-to-use-to-lock-down-threads.907202/#post-1588144

Best thinner for Sally Hansen is Beauty Secrets Nail Polish thinner. 4 oz sells for about $4.

https://www.sallybeauty.com/nails/nail-color/nail-color-remover-and-thinner/nail-polish-thinner/SBS-163400.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAk8G9BhA0EiwAOQxmfsraKAM0ta7jtfvFgt8fjWWN7VCFehf3OZH0PVoTMY4NAaofrltdhxoC4ZIQAvD_BwE

[Stillinscrubs 0]

On 2/15/2025 at 11:54 AM, SilverCreek said:

I've posted about the chemistry of head cements before.

https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/help-which-head-cement-resin-to-use-to-lock-down-threads.907202/#post-1588144

Best thinner for Sally Hansen is Beauty Secrets Nail Polish thinner. 4 oz sells for about $4.

https://www.sallybeauty.com/nails/nail-color/nail-color-remover-and-thinner/nail-polish-thinner/SBS-163400.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAk8G9BhA0EiwAOQxmfsraKAM0ta7jtfvFgt8fjWWN7VCFehf3OZH0PVoTMY4NAaofrltdhxoC4ZIQAvD_BwE

After I started the thread I realized my mistake and did a search and found your posts.  I ordered some nail polish thinner on amazon it gets here tomorrow.  I should have enough for the rest of my life. lol

[Gene L 0]

I use acetone in the rare occasions when I need thinner.  One time, I got some nail polish remover and when I added to my SHAN, got a mess at the bottom of the jar.  I re-read the contents and turns out, the thinner was "acetone-free."  Should have noticed that, but no.  

[jcozzz 0]

Acetone, but it is nasty stuff.

[sandflyx 0]

 used xylene today to thin my top coat finger nail polish and thins it very nice, same stuff I use to thin goop.