best fly tying thread

[SilverCreek 0]

Gary Borger turned me on to Nymo beading thread. It is nylon, lightly waxed and comes in spools that fit readily into Matarreli mini bobbins. It comes in colors.

 

 

http://www.fusionbeads.com/Nymo-Nylon-Thread#!Nymo-Nylon-Thread

 

 

[SCOwens 0]

Silver Creek does it lay flat, I have found that is the largest difference in sewing thread and fly tying thread, is how it lays on the hook. I have found depending on the application you can use sewing thread.

[Stippled Popper 0]

I've been washing tshirts, underwear and jeans made of cotton and nothing has rotted yet. Why would cotton thread be different and how long does it take to rot? Anybody have a scientific answer and proof?

 

Norm, that's an interesting point. The only thing I can think of is that if the stuff stays wet; with clothes, we dry them out. With flies, most folks stick them in a box wet. After Katrina, I salvaged some of my cotton clothes that had sit in saltwater for a week, when I got to them a week after that, there was mold on most of it but a couple washings in hot water and color safe bleach provided me with clothes I didn't have to replace.

I'm just thinking if wet cotton thread remains wet in your box, mold could grow and eventually lead to rotting. Not scientific proof just thinking of what happens to cotton stuff that remains damp.

Then again, if you seal the thread wraps, water wouldn't get to it. Like acrylic paints used on poppers, it isn't water proof but when coated with epoxy, the water doesn't get to it and every thing is honky-dory.

 

Kirk

 

 

Why wouldn't wet flies tied with cotton thread or any other natural material if left wet and closed in a fly box not encourage mold,

rot, and rust?

 

After a trip I find a nice out of the way place where I can completely air dry the entire box/boxes of flies that I've used and those

in the box with them. It has proved fool proof so far. Some have been wovens tied with cotton embroidery thread.

[djtrout 0]

I've been washing tshirts, underwear and jeans made of cotton and nothing has rotted yet. Why would cotton thread be different and how long does it take to rot? Anybody have a scientific answer and proof?

I'm short on the scientific evidence, but your laundry (mine is in as we speak ...) does not rot/mildew because you dry it. Have you ever balled up your cotton t-shirts into a tight ball, wet, and left it there for a couple weeks (I have, after a rainy backpack trip, stuffed in the bottom of my pack and left it there)? Mildew. Have you ever ruined a tent (I have) by storing it wet (read: folded/stuffed - i.e. compressed) after a rainy camping or backpacking trip? I have a waterproof kayak bag that stores life vests (for those kayakers in here - I know, I know, don't store vests in bags ...), paddles, gloves, anchor bags, cord and rope, and a few other accessories. If I put the equipment away wet and zip the bag, all cloth materials will be mildewed in short order (I have a spray skirt that the previous owner mildewed that way, I have attempted to restore it somewhat with mild bleach solution) because the closed bag prevents moisture escape. It is the combination of wetness and compression (preventing an item from drying) that will rot the material, and cotton is expecially vulnerable.

Now, think about spinning reels. Mono or braid is nylon or a super material that is mildew proof. 150 yds of mono wound on a spinning reel will not rot when you put the reel away after fishing. If that line was cotton, because it is wound hundreds of turns tight, the inner string would still get wet by soaking, but would not have a chance to dry out, and it will mildew/rot. OK, the wraps on a fly are just like spinning reel line. If they are exposed to the wet, all the underlying wraps will be wet, but they will be unable to dry out before some mildew sets in. As another poster pointed out, most of us tend to box our flies wet.

As a previous poster pointed out, you could use cotton tying thread if you sealed/waterproofed the thread wraps. Under epoxy, for example, it would not rot.

My staple is Danville 6/0. I use 8/0 for midges and small flies, but #22 is my smallest. I have 3/0 but rarely use it. I spin deer hair with 6/0 and do OK. I do have flat waxed nylon I use for spinning as well. I use mono for selected patterns, but not very often. I have recently started using denier 70 which I think I like better than the Danville 6/0 - I'm just trying to use up years of thread acquisition (get me, thread is not expensive, if I don't want to use the Danville anymore, just get different thread ... sheesh ... cheap to the core).

2 cents.

[Randyflycaster 0]

For trout flies I now use Veevus thread. It is stronger than Uni, so I can use a lot of thread pressure and fewer wraps which, according to A.K Best is important. Any thoughts?

[FlaFly 0]

Not that it matters much, but most sewing thread sold today is polyester, not cotton.

 

I'm going with Silvercreek's suggestion... if I can find it. Really cool!

[FlaFly 0]

I was shopping around for Silvercreek's beading thread (JoAnn has it) and I found the following.... beeswax conditioner gadget. I get tired of typing long URLs since for some reason I can't copy/paste herein, so here's a pic with the URL.

[JasonV 0]

I've been washing tshirts, underwear and jeans made of cotton and nothing has rotted yet. Why would cotton thread be different and how long does it take to rot? Anybody have a scientific answer and proof?

I fish commercially for crab and we use cotton line for escape holes. If we lose a pot somehow the cotton will rot in 1-2 months to avoid crab getting trapped in there. That is 1-2 months of underwater though. Out of the water the cotton lasts a lot longer.

[crazy4oldcars 0]

For me, the main problem with sewing thread, like Uni, is that it is a bonded thread. It will not unwind to lay flat. When I started, I had ready access to UTC Ultra thread, so that is my preference. I use the 70 denier for small flies, and 140 denier for larger (Say size 10 and up) flies. I have a couple of spools of 120d, but I never seem to tie big enough flies to need it.

Lately, I have started using some Danville Flymaster + (140d) thread after getting some on sale. I like it as well as I do the UTC. I believe UTC has more colors, tho. I could be mistaken, though.

 

Kirk

[RCFetter 0]

Veevus seems like a nice thread. I use the word "seems" because I've been tying less than a year.

 

Here's a video from Veevus:

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kslpIBNJepk

[Davidpensfan87 0]

Veevus makes a great thread and what I like about it is they offer it in six sizes, as well as GSP threads in several sizes ( I can't remember exactly how many sizes they have for GSP).

[Henrik Thomsen (DK) 0]

Veevus GPS is too slippy for me.

Best the ad in my opinion is Pearsall's Gossamer Silk. Well waxed of cause. 😉

[JoeBillingsley 0]

I only notice the GSP being slippery for the first few turns starting it on the hook and then when tying in a hair wing. It definitely does want to slide of the wing. But, when I first started tying flies 30+ years ago I had all kinds of trouble tying in hair wings. So, I started back then painting an inch or so of the thread (not GSP back then. Regular tying thread) with super glue, waiting a couple of seconds, then tying in the wing. The thread would stay where I wanted it on the hair and cement the wings in place for good. I still do that. Also, if you put a touch of glue on the bare hook shank before starting the thread it won't slip as much, either. I was told by a veteran tier when I first started that by doing that the flies would be much stronger. I still do that, too.....when I remember to do it.

 

I have been very impressed with the 30 denier GSP threads. Very strong and very small. It virtually disappears on the hook.

 

Joe

[Crackaig 0]

There are vastly more kinds of sewing thread on the market than there are fly tying threads. So the question has to be asked, what kind of sewing thread?

 

Some sewing threads are appropriate for tying some are not. Most tying threads are sewing threads repackaged. The knack is in knowing which ones to use.

 

One of the best is Guttermann Skala. However, I'm told it isn't available in the US. There's an import opportunity there for someone. It is finer and stronger than Uni, though similar in other ways. It is also a polyester thread, but not bonded so it lays flat. If you are willing to re spool it huge, and I mean HUGE savings can be made. Skala is about £10 for 15 000 meters. The comparable amount of Uni... £126.75

 

The answer is yes you can use sewing thread and if you buy fly tying thread there is about a 90% chance you are doing. However, you can't use just any old thread. Until you know what you are looking for in a thread stick to the stuff you know will do the job.

 

Cheers,

C.

[utyer 0]

In the US, one can order Gutermann Skala and other threads from Oshman Brothers. If you follow the link and scroll down, you will find the Skala 2..,240, and 360 threads. I have been told this is very much like some UTC threads. The KEY number you need to look at, is the TEX number. If you multiply TEX by 9, you get an approximate denier. The Skala 360 has a Tex of 8 which works out to a 72 denier.

 

This thread is quite inexpensive, 5470 yards is equivalent to 54.7 one hundred yard spools for $7.50. That's less than 8 cents a spool. Oshmans does have a minimum order amount, but last time I looked it was $25.00 which is 4 spools.

 

The listings for these is shown below.

 

Gutermann U81 Skala 360 Blindstitching Semi-translucent Thread, Tex 8 / 5,470 yards:
$7.50

 

Skala 360 is similar to a 72 denier

 

Gutermann U81 Skala 360 Blindstitching Semi-translucent Thread, Tex 8 / 21,880 yards:
$19.50

 

Gutermann U151 Skala 200 Blindstitching Semi-translucent Thread, "Hemshire" = Tex 15 / 10,940 yards:

$15.98

 

Skaka 200 is similar to a 135 denier and 10,940 yard spools are equivalent to 109 one hundred yard spools costing just 15 cents a spool.

 

Gutermann U121 Skala 240 Blindstitching Semi-translucent Thread, Tex 12 / 10,940 yards:

$17.40

 

The Skala 240 is similar to a 108 denier, and amount is the same at the 200, cost per 100 yard spool is just 17 cents.

 

I have not been able to purchase any of these, since I already have several 4 ounce spools of thread, and dozens of other spools.

 

I do use Gutermann mono-filament, and bulky nylon (similar to UNI streatch) for my warm water and salt water tying. I get these two threads at Joann Fabrics. NOTE always buy these with a 50% off coupon.