Head Lacquer

[flytyerinpa 0]

Really hoping somebody can help me out on this one, I tie with blk. thread 99% of the time and for some reason over the past year or two after a few months the heads are turning white even new unused flys. Is there a formula for how much lacquer thinner you can use to thin it out, or how many times you can thin it out. I'm at a total loss on this one.

[FlaFly 0]

That's strange. It has never happened to me, and I use several different head cements, depending on whether I want to just secure the thread or build up a shiny head. I use, or have used: hard as nails head cement, Sally Hansen, epoxy, Loctite Go2 glue, Krazy Glue, Aileens Fabric Fusion, maybe more. Never used any thinner though. I also use a variety of threads, including fly tying thread and synthetic threads from JoAnn Fabrics and none of them ever turned white. You might experiment with the same thread and a variety of cements to see what works and what doesn't.

Maybe someone else has experienced what you are and can help more.

[mikechell 0]

Usually, whitening of lacquers and enamels are due to moisture content ... mostly, humidity present at the time of application. But, if there's an alcohol component to your liquid ... then the alcohol will absorb moisture from the air. Over time, it will get the milky quality when dry. I think the only possibility at that time is to throw out the old and buy some new.

[Chase Creek 0]

I've used Sally Hanson's for years and never had that happen. I does turn kind of milky (not white, though) in the bottle after a long period of time, but I just buy another bottle.

[flytyerinpa 0]

I think Mikechell might have hit the nail on the head with my whiting problem , I tie all year long and it might have tied some in the heat and humidity of the summer, I don't know it makes any difference but I've been using Rumpf head cement, I originally said Lacquer as that was all my suppler carried, he has since closed his store so I started using Rumpf head cement.

[Stevester 0]

Sometimes getting over enthusiastic with wax on the thread can effect the clarity of the head cement. Sometimes you have to just toss an old bottle of cement out and get a new one.

 

Steve

[crazy4oldcars 0]

Umm..... Two 3-turn whip finishes and no head cement. The only thing I put anything on is a Black-nosed Dace or some other such. I also keep a bottle of black nail polish for those times when the head absolutely, positively HAS to be black. The bottle I have now I got at Halloween a few years ago. It's shaped like a coffin.

Cyano-Acrylate (super glue) will fog up when exposed to water, unless you get a waterproof formula. I have had Sally's fog up on me, too, after a dunking. I just shrug my shoulders and keep fishing.

 

Kirk

[mikechell 0]

I ALWAYS use some kind of cement, fingernail polish or glue in the final threads. I fish a fly until it falls apart ... and I can guarantee, a non-cemented head will come loose before a cement head will.

Okay ... to appease some of you (those who want to say it's my fault) ... on MY flies, a non-cemented head will untie before a cemented one will.

 

My favorite head cement is the cheapest clear polish I can find.

[crazy4oldcars 0]

In the interest of full disclosure, I am much more likely to lose a fly before it can come untied, lol.

 

Kirk

[Swamp Fly 0]

I only have a problem with clouding when I have repeatedly thinned lacquer over time. Of course these days I just go out in the shop and dip out some more lacquer from my trusty quart can of Watco Lacquer and then add clean stones to the can in order to displace the removed liquid so the air content stays down. That can is 5-6 years old, it stopped owing me money a long time ago seeing that I would have paid many times the cost if I would have bought the same stuff in little jars at the the fly shop. Consequently I don't have the slightest problem with disposing of a few ounces of "bad" cement every once in a while. I have noticed that when I hit the too thinned tipping point and it starts to cloud it's always on a really humid day. I know, high humidity in Florida, who would have guessed!

[add147 0]

Well I am no expert on fly tying as some of you know but I can provide some insight concerning lacquer. Years ago I used to be a paint contractor and I have sprayed a many of gallons of lacquer on cabinets and raised paneling which was the "in" thing to do back in the 80's. Anyway I never sprayed lacquer on a rainy day because it would become milky or white. I am like mikeshell about the alcohol being in the mixture. Alcohol will attract moister thus creating a milky looking finish. That's my story and I am sticking too it! LOL LOL

[flytyerinpa 0]

Thanks to all the wonderful reply's I have figured out what my problem was, I don't know exactly why but hands really sweat while tying thus getting my thread wet when I apply the lacquer so I'm now letting all my fly's set at least a week to make sure the head is dry before I apply the head lacquer, Once again thanks to everybody.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I had a similar issue many years ago, as the cement dried it would end up very cloudy white. It wasn't a moisture issue I don't believe, but could have possibly been.

 

Turned out the problem was the waxed thread & cement combination I was using at the time. When I used un-waxed thread there was no problem. Something in the cement solvent was reacting with something in the wax. Moisture/humidity might have contributed to the issue. I changed cement to the Sally Hansen's and never had that issue again. I've always used Danville threads, so that's easy to determine, unfortunately I don't recall what cement I had the problem with. I have used lacquer in the past, but don't believe that's what I was using at the time.