Alternative to dubbing wax

[00camaro16 0]

Is there an alternative for dubbing wax. I bought a kit to make an elk hair caddis for my first fly and it didn't come with wax. I didn't know you needed this until later on and my flies suffered. I also cant find it in any stores around my home of south lyon.

 

Chris

[utyer 0]

Beeswax toilet gasket rings will work. They can be found in any hardware store. They are pretty tacky, but a little soft and hard to use. If you can find bow string rosin, then you can mix your own dubbing wax. You can google homemade dubbing wax to get a formula.

 

I have several bars of ski wax that work great, but they are not readily available any were. Many of the old cross contry waxes were just about right.

 

Glue sticks, will work, and Berts Bees lip balm also works.

[00camaro16 0]

Beeswax toilet gasket rings will work. They can be found in any hardware store. They are pretty tacky, but a little soft and hard to use. If you can find bow string rosin, then you can mix your own dubbing wax. You can google homemade dubbing wax to get a formula.

 

I have several bars of ski wax that work great, but they are not readily available any were. Many of the old cross contry waxes were just about right.

 

Glue sticks, will work, and Berts Bees lip balm also works.

 

Actually I have been using Berts Bees Lip Balm to see if it worked but it wasn't working that well so I thought I was doing it wrong and watched a video of how to do it, I wasn't. I have string resin somewhere and thought that would work... but I cant find it(moved 7 times in the three years I haven't seen it so I'm guess its lost). I think I will try a glue stink, thank you.

 

Chris

[FrequentTyer 0]

Chris,

Choice of dubbing wax or substitutes borders on religion. You will eventually find something that works for you. But good dubbing technique is more important than wax for most dubbing. I only use a little wax on my finger tips for really unruly dubbing mixes. You didn't describe the problem that you are having, but I would bet that if you just tried using a lot less dubbing you would find that your flys turn out fine without wax.

[sclucero 0]

I tie most of my flies with no wax if they are over size 18. If 18 or smaller I will use wax if i am dubbing. I usually add a litle at a time and usually works just fine. If I do need to use wax I use Bees wax I got years ago from a hardware or craft store. One 1/2 lbs. chunk has lasted me over 10 years so far and still have about half left. I do only tie for me, my wife and 2 friends.

[Soft-hackle 0]

Hi,

I assume you are dubbing directly to the tying thread. In this case, try a bit of water. I've done this on many of the flies I tie, and it works just fine.

 

Mark

[flytire 0]

saliva works!

[perchjerker 0]

FrequentTyer nailed the problem: Poor Dubbing Technique! If done correctly, wax is unnecessary for successful dubbing. When dubbing, remember: LESS is MORE!! Be willing to bet you used way too much dubbing at a time. Assuming you are twisting your dubbing around the thread, use just enough to cover the thread; NO MORE! Keep applying dubbing as necessary to build up the tapered body; AND, Remember, it is perfectly OK to dub in both directions on the hook to get the desired body shape.

 

To coin a phrase: BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT!!!

 

aged_sage

[Soft-hackle 0]

perch,

While I agree that usually new tiers use too much dubbing, some dubbing techniques require the use of wax. Dubbing to the tying thread usually does not.

 

Mark

[flytire 0]

I bought a kit to make an elk hair caddis for my first fly and it didn't come with wax.

 

you dont really need wax. heres an elk hair caddis that doesnt even use dubbing

 

[Soft-hackle 0]

flytier,

I find that wax is not important in some instances. In other instances, it is important. Ever try to cast on Pearsall's Gossamer without waxing it? If you don't wax, it slips off the hook shank. Every create a Leisenring style dubbing brush without using wax? It'll unravel on you if you don't wax the thread some. It all depends on the technique and materials one uses. Some tiers of North Country flies would not be caught dead without a good wax to wax their silk with for making bodies. It all depends on what you are doing or want to do.

 

Mark

[FrequentTyer 0]

flytier,

I find that wax is not important in some instances. In other instances, it is important. Ever try to cast on Pearsall's Gossamer without waxing it? If you don't wax, it slips off the hook shank. Every create a Leisenring style dubbing brush without using wax? It'll unravel on you if you don't wax the thread some. It all depends on the technique and materials one uses. Some tiers of North Country flies would not be caught dead without a good wax to wax their silk with for making bodies. It all depends on what you are doing or want to do.

 

Mark

 

Mark,

That is a different beast. The wax used on the tying silk or unwaxed thread is a hard cobblers wax. And I agree it is a necessity in those situations. Dubbing wax on the other hand serves mostly to give you some traction on the dubbing to help spin it on the thread. The only time I think it is absolutely necessary is touch dubbing.

Mike.

[perchjerker 0]

softhackle:

 

First, let me say that I do not use silk as either a line, a leader , or a tippet. Therefore, you comment about "...cast on Pearsall's Gossamer..." does not make sense to me. I use silk threads for rod wrapping.

 

It is apparent that you are confusing using waxed thread with using dubbing wax on the thread. These are two different things; and, yes; I do use waxed thread. I have tied any number of Al Troth's Elk Hair Caddis, and have never ever used dubbing wax on any of them, and they hold up quite well! I will admit that I have never used silk as a tying thread; but, I have used unwaxed nylon and polyester tying threads, and they all benefit from being waxed prior to use.

 

Given that I have tied every type of fly, other than fill dressed salmon flies, and have been doing so for 40 years, and have boxes full of flies with dubbed bodies, I stick by my original statement that dubbing wax is unnecessary to properly dub a body. I will admit that, though I have never tied one, Gary LaFontaine's 'Touch Dubbed' bodies would be very difficult to tie without some dubbing wax on the thread. This technique requires just a 'wisp' of dubbing on the thread, and the easiest way to get such a fine wisp to adhere is to add a minute amount of dubbing wax to the thread.

 

aged_sage

[Soft-hackle 0]

Hi Friends,

You are correct, FrequentTyer, dubbing wax is different than wax for threads. I was thinking of making dubbing brushes as well. I use the Leisenring method of creating dubbing brushes, and these need a wax to help keep them together, initially. I guess this would qualify as a dubbing wax. I have actually used Leisenring's wax supplied to me by my friend, Jim Slattery. This wax takes getting use to, however, it surely holds these dubbing brushes together really well. It is not cobblers wax, but something else. It is so good, you can wax some Pearsall's Gossamer and "Cast it onto"(wrap it onto) the hooks shank and tie with it using no weight on the thread to hold it in position. Yet it's not sticky or gooey at all.

 

perchjerker,

You will have no argument from me that there are many instances where wax is not needed. The only thing I can ask is, have you ever fashioned a fly using the Leisenring method of dubbing or creating a dubbing brush? I'm not saying that in every instance you need wax. You don't, however I do believe there are certain applications where wax is needed. I've been tying for 49 years, and while I may not be a versatile a tier as you, I've tied long enough to know that wax can be a valuable additive to success in certain tying applications.

 

Mark

[flytire 0]

soft hackle

 

basically, the original poster said

 

"I bought a kit to make an elk hair caddis for my first fly and it didn't come with wax."

 

i replied with

 

"you dont really need wax. heres an elk hair caddis that doesnt even use dubbing"

 

i only said you dont need wax based on the the video in my last post. i never said wax is not needed