Head Cements for Fly Tying

[tctrout 0]

I put together a video on the three head cements I use most often; if there are others that you turn to, I'd love to hear about them as well. I know many tyers that don't feel the need for cement, though I prefer its use on many patterns, especially to secure weaker materials.

 

Enjoy!

 

TC

 

[Adam Saarinen 0]

Just wasting money if you don't buy GIORGIO BENECCHI'S PRODUCTS 6464 GLUE GBP+NEEDLE APPL.

[FlaFly 0]

I have some commercial fly cement that I bought at a fly shop several years back... never even used it, and don't remember the brand. I use either Sally Hansen or Krazy Glue (in brush-top bottle) for gluing my tie-off... whichever one is handiest. If I want to build up the head after it's tied off, I use either Go2 Glue or Aileene's Fabric Fusion, again whichever is handiest. I have used epoxy and hot melt glue, just to say I did it, but that's too much trouble.

[artimus001 0]

i'm using a no name bottle of clear nail polish. it seems to do the job just fine. in transit, i have whatever brand of UV top coat and gel on the way. i really can't wait to give that stuff a go.

[FlaFly 0]

Art... you reminded me... Mikechell says he uses black nail polish to make his thread heads look glossy black. I had meant to get me some, but it slipped my mind.

[FlaFly 0]

BTW, now they've started making gel nail polish, some of which requires a UV light to cure. My wife just got some today.

[Jolly Red 0]

FlaFly, don't get caught when you sneak some of the nail polish to try. You need to be able to report to us on how it works.

[artimus001 0]

Art... you reminded me... Mikechell says he uses black nail polish to make his thread heads look glossy black. I had meant to get me some, but it slipped my mind.

got some no name of that as well. it was a tad thick, which i fixed with a few drops of acetone. now it is just right.

[artimus001 0]

FlaFly, don't get caught when you sneak some of the nail polish to try. You need to be able to report to us on how it works.

absolutely!! report! report! lol.

[CSB1 0]

I use Griff's Thin and cut it with thinner when it starts to thicken up. Is this the "Old Way"?

[FlaFly 0]

Might be a while.... I plan to try some when I get back to my desk. My stuff is all in Florida and I'm up in NC for another month. Maybe Mikechell can tell us about his results.

 

Mikey..... are you there?????

[mikechell 0]

I'm here ... but I don't have anything to add. All I use are nail polishes and super-glues. Y'all have already covered everything I could say.

[johnnyquahog 0]

I just jumped through parts of the video. I use the first two products. The fly tite product is especially good when stacking deer hair after a couple half hitches and compressing hair with tool. I have the metal hypo tube so a little squeeze gets a small drop where you want it. Funny, I thought the third product mentioned was no longer being made. Maybe that is discussed or he says where to get it. Brushable lca and a blue light can accomplish the same look much quicker.

[tctrout 0]

Thanks for all of the great comments so far, and I'm glad the video prompted some discussion. The UV gels are very cool, and I have a future video on UV glues (I chose to keep them separate from head cements being that they have different properties and are generally used for different components of the fly).

 

The Veniard's Cellire (and the Bennechi) are tough products to find, though someone on my FB page shared a link to a vendor in Canada selling Cellire via Ebay.

 

TC

[JoeBillingsley 0]

I have never used the Veniard head cement but it can be found here in the US. Here are two places if you are interested. There are probably others.

 

http://greatfeathers.com/materials/cement-wax-epoxy/veniard-cellire-head-cement.aspx

http://www.performanceflies.com/product-p/v-cell-15.htm

 

Joe