Head Cement II

[Ouzel]

Buy the way, since most of you by now have one or more application bottles you can save quite a bit of money if you go to a hardwear store and purchase a quart can of Clear Lacquer ($8.00+) and a quart can of Acetone ($2.00+).
You can get the lacquer in Gloss or non.
Mix 1/4 - 1/3 lacquer to 3/4 etc. acetone. Or mix to your own needs. Thinner is most often better.
The above will give you many many refills for your application jar and will save you money.
Just stick flies in a piece of styrofoam as you're tying and then cement a bunch of them at the same time. That way your not opening and closeing the bottle frequently and having the cement dry and thicken. Also the fumes are not really good for you. That is unless your into keytones, eysters and drain bamage.

[BRY]

How important is head cement? The only time I even use it is when tying up minnow imitations and larger streamers. I never use it on my nymphs or dries...Should I change my thinking?

[Ouzel]

I wouldn't.

[ElkHair]

Well, I'm not a'sceered to ask.

Why wouldn't you use head cement on every fly you tie?

On the small streams I fish all summer long, it's not rare for me to use the same bhe or crane 3-4 outings through numerous fish. Since I tend to fish heavy-handed, often the knot comes loose, although I do whip finish them with at least 5 wraps. Any suggestions there?

[Light Cahill]

I'll give your recipe a try. I also use the batch cementing process for cementing flies - and it saves you from drying out and wasting cement really well.

[Crosby]

Being the fool that I am-- I quit using head cement a long time ago- unless it is something that absolutely requires it. When I do use something its the 99 cent a bottle finger nail polish.
Never had a problem- though during the summer I fish enough that I don't have flies last more than a few trips even if I was using epoxy. Even if I am coating a turkey feather for a laid down wing I still have no problem with fingernail polish.
And many times I have been asked by a FF woman- " You don't happen to have any finger nail polish do you?"- Why of course I do and just happen to have a bottle of wine, 2 glasses and a smoked salmon also.

[Ouzel]

I stopped using head cement (mostly) for several reasons.
I can finish flies quicker.
Breathing the fumes leads to brain damage (printed on the label of lacquer) and I'm retarded enought (I think?)
We already put enought chemicals into our eviroment, everyday.

If you are having a problem with flies unraveling I would and couple of things you try.
I've read, professional tyers always tie just under the breaking strength of the thread they are using. So play a little with breaking the thread(s) you use. Yes, it does sound a little boring but it is part of knowing equipment capabilities.

You did not indicate whether you whipped or half-hitched the heads, even 5 times.
So try this: when your finishing at the head whip 3 wraps towards the thorax, snug these down, unspin the thread a bit and whip 3 wraps towards the eye, again and finally pull tightly and trim off.
What occurs is, the first 3 wraps backwards form tiny valleys between each thread warp and when you unspin the thread the flater set of wraps snug down into these tiny valleys. When you do the final tightening the thread and tailend is further tightened down into thse valleys and resist movement.

Crosby: So, you need to get them intoxicated first do you. :-)

Cutiss: Now that's funny!

[Crosby]

Ouzel- that has been a standard in my repatoire since college----never fails

[Jeff Brooks]

I too quit using head cement a couple of years ago. I solved the problem by tying two halh hitches when finishing my flies. Usually the Cutts or Cutt-Bows where I like to fish the most will destroy the fly long before the thread at the head of the fly is damaged so I decided not to waste the time with head cement...

[Ouzel]

Nothing like a higher education.
Schooling is much the same in the Midwest.
But for post doctoral work, living in the Bay Area close to wine country is highly recomended.
Lovely memories of trout streams are a joy but so too are other lovely memories a gentleman may gather to himself.