Do you wax on or wax off?

[Paul Arden]

Martyn’s FP today! http://www.sexyloops.com/index.php/ps/wax-on-wax-off

And finally for changing the colour of pale threads for flies like the Greenwell's-both plain wax and cobbler's do this.

This is the only time I have waxed on

Great FP Martyn!

Cheers, Paul

[Boisker]

I hardly ever use wax, it just makes a mess when I do (obviously if I used it more it probably wouldn’t) and crucially Martyn’s point of not being able to slide the dubbing up the thread is a real issue for me, I like to push the dubbing up the thread right up to the hook, wrapping thread around the hook purely to reach your dubbing just adds unnecessary bulk to the fly.

[Nick]

I do use dubbing wax. I find that using a tiny amount on the thread makes the whole process more controlled - I don’t use enough to make it impossible to slide the dubbing up the thread if necessary. For me at least, it’s faster overall to use the wax than to have to mess with dubbing sliding all over the place. It also holds better, so it can be brushed out into a fluffy body, which catches more fish!

I have no idea if I’m doing it “right”, when I taught myself to tie there was no internet, and my local library didn’t have fly tying books, so I made it up as I went along.

N.

[Boisker]

If it works then all’s good...
I’ve always been messy, as kids we’d go out across the fields or playing football and I always came home covered from head to foot... if I go near tacky / soft wax it never ends well

[flickingfeathers]

I'd say most folk would find wax a boon for general tying in. if it's making a mess it's probably too soft for the task, like high tack/touch dubb wax being used for twist dubbing or tying in. Incidentally the best tyer's wax I've ever used is the stuff Barry Ord Clarke makes, great tack fr tying, nice and firm but melts easily into the thread.

Cheers
Martyn

[Paul Arden]

I actually thought fly tying thread was prewaxed, maybe that’s a bit like gravy coming when you cook the meat

Cheers Paul

[daniel]

I'm fairly sure some of the threads are pre-waxed, maybe Danvilles and some Uni thread??

I use wax but very rarely. If I'm tying with some really spiky dubbing that's tough to dub onto the thread. Also use it to 'touch' dub mole etc and get a very fine dubbed body on north country style wet flies.

[ACW]

I actually thought fly tying thread was prewaxed, maybe that’s a bit like gravy coming when you cook the meat

Cheers Paul

Just checked a danville spool and that claims to be prewaxed,I have noticed that whereas at one time my bobbin holder tubes used to get clogged with wax ,this is no longer a problem ,that i find

[flickingfeathers]

I actually thought fly tying thread was prewaxed, maybe that’s a bit like gravy coming when you cook the meat

Cheers Paul

Most are pre-waxed, but insufficiently waxed. I feel like they used to have more wax on them but that might be just like curly wurlies being bigger when I was a kid.

[piffilus]

I like watching Davie McPhail tying flies and he always has a thumbnails worth of veniards fly tying wax on the base of his index finger and use it to maximize grip every time he puts the thread on the hook and when he ties in feathers and deer hair and a few other things. He mostly uses uni thread. I sometimes use pure bees wax for the same things but I believe the Veniards wax is better since it is mixed with rosin and maybe other stuff. Can't get it in Sweden though...