Head Cement going stringy ?

[Scythe]

Howdy,

I've started using a lot of superglue as of late to fish my heads off with as you can get them rock hard as well as super smooth (with a few applications) but that's not my point...

What I actually mean to ask is, I have some head cement (the thicker kind that forms a nice head and doesn't soak all the way into the thread) which is now going stringy. Is there a way to save it or should I simply keep it for buggers/big ugly flies and get a new bottle for tying smaller flies instead ?

[MaXiMuM]

Keep the supper glue ing the deep freeze... head cement in the fridge...

[dpammenter]

i don't use head cement - but i reakon after the tellows get hold of my flies this weekend i might have to!

[Yellowfever]

I don't use cement at all, prefer to make a double whip finish. Saves time and hassle of getting the eye clogged and unclogged! Decent whip finish won't come undone. Only solution on small flies.

You can get into Boo... your girlfriends stash of nail varnish remover and add that to the cement, or get tippex thinners or paint thinners.

Sally Hanson make some great stuff for tying, they may have a thinners in the range as well.

BTW When in need of a rush stop sniffing the bottle that's why it goes dry

[Gael]

Putting the head varnish will definitely work, I know allot of girls that do that with their nail varnish, great way to make it last if only replace it every couple of years.

Just take it out a while before you tie so that it warms up as it will be a bit thicker at cold temp.

Loon also make a waterbased head cement and some folks say that they is better for the “taste” of the fly, but they also have a water based thinner you can use on it to thin it out if it thickens too much (or you forget to close the lid properly on your hardhead bottle )

[Scythe]

Single 3 wrap whip finish on small flies with head cement == indestructible fly.

If you then combine that with fine wire as the backbone for your dubbing loop instead of thread you have a fly that lasts beyond the lifetime of the hook.

Nothing pisses me off more than a fly that unravels, especially when it is working !

Thanks Max, will try that.

[Yellowfever]

DP,

Fishing for tellows again, yeah those fish are bastard on a fly! ;-)

I find I tend to lose the whole fly before the thread goes.

Also I don't like the smell of HC flies. Used to leave them in the open for a few days or dip them in the almond or aniseed ...... ahahah LOL.

[dizzy]

I dunno, I'm with Yellowfever on this one. The whip will last if it is done properly.

At least, for me it does.

[dizzy]

Reminents (is that the word?) of a bait fisherman there YF?

[ShaunF]

Try Loon's Flexible head cement. It comes in a squeezy bottle with a hypodermic type needle applicator and is water based and water like in consistency. The applicator allows for very accurate application without clogging eyes etc, and the cement is absorbed by the thread. I've never had a fly come undone using this stuff and it also seems to last ages too. I've had mine for around 3 years and I'm about 1/3 down the bottle, and it shows no signs of degradation, going hard etc either.

Good stuff this. Never had a fly come undone using it either.