Antron yarn won't turn black when heated with flame

[SpokaneDude 0]

I have some yellow Antron yarn (from several different brands) that when I heat it with a lighter flame, it melts the end a light brown color; but doing the same with olive, the end turns black. Shouldn't the yellow Antron turn black also? Any ideas why it's not turning black ?

[SilverCreek 0]

Antron is nylon so go to nylon in the video below.

 

[chugbug27 0]

Olive is a mix of gray and yellow. Could be the flame burns the gray into black, which overwhelms the brown that's burned from yellow

[flytire 0]

is it really really necessary for the yellow to turn black??

 

[tjm 0]

When I've melted nylon rope ends they just got slightly darker, maybe like from white to cream/light-amber, I think what you are seeing is that olive starts out darker than yellow.

So, this begs the question, why do you want the ends black? Well, really, why are you burning the yarn?

[SpokaneDude 0]

I'm tying the Peeping Caddis/Eruciform Larvae; I am melting the end to simulate the head of a Caddis pupa coming out of it's cocoon under the surface and splits it's pupal shuck...

[tjm 0]

I see.Not a technique I'm familiar with.

[SpokaneDude 0]

Oops... wrong pattern; I wanted to tie the Peeping Caddis/Eruciform Larvae (I have edited the comments above)

[chugbug27 0]

Really cool pattern... Re burn color I'm noticing your yellow is a pale yellow (light call color) and theirs is bright yellow, that could be the difference

[tjm 0]

 

Take a one-inch piece of Antron yarn and hold the end over a cigarette lighter. The fibers will fuse and turn brown. Tie-in the yarn on top of the hook at the bend so the dark head protrudes over the bend.

From the instructions on the page you linked. If I desired black, I would do as suggested and touch it with a permanent marker.

Given that the caddis is going to vary in color naturally, I'm not sure I would be real particular in my imitations, but my flies are usually more suggestive than imitative, so...

 

(Thinking back on cased caddis that I have examined, I think most were reddish.)

[flytire 0]

Fly tyers can be masters at making things complicated!

[Prybis 0]

I'm tying the Peeping Caddis/Eruciform Larvae; I am melting the end to simulate the head of a Caddis pupa coming out of it's cocoon under the surface and splits it's pupal shuck...

 

According to the instructions, the antron will turn brown. Does not say it will turn black.

 

2. Take a one-inch piece of Antron yarn and hold the end over a cigarette lighter. The fibers will fuse and turn brown. Tie-in the yarn on top of the hook at the bend so the dark head protrudes over the bend.

[SpokaneDude 0]

Prybis: so it says... I was relying on the picture, which shows black... thanks for bringing that to my attention...

 

SD

[mikechell 0]

"Black" comes from actually burning the fibers. If you're just melting them, they won't get black. Start with a longer piece, and let it catch fire ... blow it out immediately and you should end up with a black knob.

[Nick94 0]

I believe I read in some fly tying book (so specific right?) that melting a yarn or mono line with a butane lighter produces a much lighter color than when burning the line with a candle. Never tried, I have only used butane lighters.