Silver - a very well written response and excellent conclusion...however, it misses the levity in which the original post was intended.In a chain of knots, the weakest knot is the one that will fail. Therefore, the most common knots to break and/or slip are the leader to tippet knot and the tippet to fly knot. For me it is the tippet to fly knot.
I can't recall in over 30 years of fly fishing having the fly line to leader or fly line to backing knot break; or for that matter, having a leader butt to transition knot break. So if one is to using UV Knot Sense to prevent a slipping knot, it only helps me for the leader to tippet knot. I certainly am not going to use it on the tippet to fly knot.
If one accepts my premise to be true, UV Knot Sense is not for strengthening a knot. Rather, the purpose is to smooth over the bulky knots so that the knot slips through the guides without the knots hanging up.
I have found that having a knot fail is a great motivator to learn how to tie knots properly. YMMV.
...or to learn another knot that one can tie better, and which serves the same purpose. I arrived at the blood knot because I could not tie a double-surgeon's knot in which I had any confidence, regardless of how much I worked at it. The blood knot has since saved me many hours of frustration.I have found that having a knot fail is a great motivator to learn how to tie knots properly. YMMV.
That's exactly how everyone I know who uses knot sense uses it, to smooth out leader and connection knots so they slide through the guides easier and to keep weeds from catching on knots. I like to tie my own leaders, and although I don't use knot sense for trout I do on my saltwater and steelhead leaders.Really who would use UV Knot Sense in the ways they have portrayed.
I guess I need to post this Lefty Kreh tip again on how to prevent knots from catching on the guides when reeling in fish.Whether it's used to secure knots, or to help the knots slide better through the guides, I can see a positive use for it, especially for a new beginner who is still having difficulty with knot tying.