Krazy Glue Question For Fly Tying?

[Capt No Slack]

I am just playing around with a fly tying kit that was given to me. Nothing serious, first time ever using a fly tying kit Im just board.

I have some thread made by UTC.

Its labeled as Ultra Thread 210 black.

It's is a lightly waxed Nylon thread, I think?

Will Krazy Glue work on waxed Nylon?

Or do I need a special glue for waxed nylon?

My wife has some Sally Hansen "Hard As Nails" clear.

If I am wrapping thread around the shank of the hook and finishing with a whip finish. Of my two choices, I have on hand, which will do a better job of glueing/locking the thread in place an preventing it form unraveling or coming apart?

Krazy Glue or the Hard as Nails?

Thanks

 

[dillon]

I'd go with the hard as nails. Or, you could do a coat of crazy glue, let it dry and then a coat of the other. Then again, try both and see which one you like. I've never used crazy glue. I like zap a gap because it's waterproof. The hard as nails will leave a glossy finish which may be preferable. Many tiers use it to coat the thread bodies of chronomid patterns, such as the sno-cone. Sometimes it needs to be thinned. For many small trout flies I just use two whip finishes and no cement.

 

[ottosmagic13]

Both will work in different situations. For coating the base thread wrap before wrapping chenille on a wolly bugger I prefer super glue. Super glue has a better “grip” than Hard as Nails.

For finishing and coating a whip finish or making a head HaN works better. HaN doesn’t tend to get cloudy like super glue.

 

[dillon]

Both will work in different situations. For coating the base thread wrap before wrapping chenille on a wolly bugger I prefer super glue. Super glue has a better “grip” than Hard as Nails.

For finishing and coating a whip finish or making a head HaN works better. HaN doesn’t tend to get cloudy like super glue.

Agree with super glue or zap a gap for coating base thread. Sometimes when tying steelhead tube flies I coat the thread after tying in each new material. I helps make for a more durable fly.

 

[flytie09]

I would tell you personally to not worry about any head cement of any type on your smaller trout flies starting out. I started out using head cement on all my flies and now on trout flies I don’t bother. They rarely come apart. There are exceptions to this rule of course. If you need something, use the water soluable head cement. It’s a lot easier to work with.

UV cure is handy if you make copper johns or shellback nymphs.

Now for streamers that’s a different story. I like to use UV cure resin on the heads. It’s quick, easy, resilient, and only requires one coating.

On certain streamers like Intruders.... I use superglue through out the initial steps to anchor the hook in place and the eyes. It’s also handy for fishskull heads.

Eventually as you advance you’ll learn where to use superglue, uv cure resin, and head cement.

If you’re starting out..... I wouldn’t worry about it right now.

ft09

 

[silver creek]

I use a 5 turn whip finish and no head cement or glue. It is an extra step that is not needed after a whip finish.

 

[nevadanstig]

I use superglue, and yes it works on waxed thread. I prefer to coat an inch or two of the thread first, then whip finish.

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[corn fed fins]

There you have.

1) SH or HH
2) CA glues
3) Whip finish only
4) UV resins

6) Guess I'll add lacquer
7) and epoxy

Anything else?
Paint? Lol

They all work. Some perform better than others in certain situations.


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[pnc]

Both will work. Both have issues you may eventually deal with. Krazy glue is water soluble unless otherwise stated. Hard as nails could be used to finish after krazy glue. Neglecting type of glue. I once used hard as nails, many do. Many believe hard as nails to be the same as head cement. The two may be similar. However the reason I no longer use hard as nails as a final finish. Is because in time it (If I remember right took 3 yrs........ krazy glue alone 3 months had blob of gue on hook) seperated from head, flaked off. Never with head cement. Imo, while both products may be similar. Head cement is tougher & long lasting.

.......pc

Almost forgot..... if you whip finish twice, one on top of the other. Glue or cement is no longer used by some that do this. Very durable. I also coat with cement after second whip finish. If there is room to do so.

 

[flytie09]

Ok... I'll make it easy. Whip finish and forget it. Next....

ft09

 

[jspfishing]

I use superglue, and yes it works on waxed thread. I prefer to coat an inch or two of the thread first, then whip finish.

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Same. Super glue or head cement the thread then whip finish.

 

[corn fed fins]

Ok... I'll make it easy. Whip finish and forget it. Next....

ft09

Just make sure to whip toward the eye.

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[bigjim5589]

IMO both can be useful for tying. Ideally, learn to wrap the thread properly & use half hitches or whip knots and neither SH or SG are necessary to keep the thread from unravelling. It it best to not use them as a crutch because of poor tying technique. However, depending on the fly type you may be tying, and the target fish species, you may want to have some extra durability that using super glue/and or head cement/Sally Hansen's may provide. Super Glues are an adhesive, and do not make the best coatings. SH is a coating, not an adhesive although it will adhere to some materials quite well. I've never had any issue with SH as a head coating, and usually the fly is lost or destroyed by fish before there's any indication that it may be chipping or flaking.

There are now various head cements, and other coatings or adhesives that are widely used for tying. Which to choose & use is primarily a matter of personal preference.

Tying flies ( or jigs) is not the same as building a Swiss watch, nor is it the same as building an Army Tank. How you pursue it may fall somewhere in between. Cements & adhesives are short term products & aids, not a replacement for good tying practices. Flies are also a short term use product, and none will last forever. But you can certainly make use of these various cement or coating products to extend the possible useful life of a fly as long as you understand that use of such glues & coatings can also hinder other features desirable in some flies if care is not taken when using them.

As has been said, a proper whip finish knot, particularly on dry flies can exclude having to use coatings or glue on the head and won't add further weight to the fly. This can be important since they're supposed to float.

If you're tying flies for Pike or other toothy fish species, you may want to glue & coat that head thread even if you whip finish.

 

[karstopo]

A lot of tying videos have folks gluing this step or that. Putting glue on the thread and wrapping it in. Gluing down dumbbells and bead chain on clousers and the like. To me, all that glue on this step or that is just not all that necessary and a waste of time. I think many patterns in general are better with less glue on them than more. I skip or omit nearly every intermediate the apply glue here or there steps in the videos if I’m copying or doing something similar to the video. The only one I might do is the bit of glue at the end. I might put a tiny bit of UV on select rough and tumble saltwater stuff. Just enough to cover an area that’s prone to being worked over by sharp teeth. I carry a little tube of UV in case I have a good pattern on and the finishing wraps start to unravel.

In my experience, I don’t see flies with CA glue or head cement lasting any real time longer than the same pattern without glue. You could try doing several of the same pattern with and without glue and then see how they perform. Does the one without all the glue fish better? Does the one with the glue last longer? Experiment out there and see what works best for you.

 

[Rip Tide]

I use Krazy Glue after each and every step on my saltwater flies.
But that's only necessary if you're wanting your fly to last through to the second fish. :secret:

One of the reasons that we tie our own flies is to have a better, longer lasting fly than you can buy.

On my poppers, there's 3 types of cements and none of them are head cement.
Epoxy holds the foam to the thread wrapped hook shank
Krazy Glue closes the gap of the foam over the shank
Hot glue cements the tail fibers into the hole in the popper butt.
And this one also has an epoxy coating.... no paint

 

[dennyk]

On smaller flies I rarely use any type of glue, just whip finish. If you choose to use the Zap-A-Gap be aware there are two different types. one is a liquid, intended for your purposes, the other is a gel, used for gluing on eyes and things of that nature.

If I do use cement on my wraps it's a needle tip full of nail polish.

Denny

 

[pnc]

I think what all have said. Is to make flies as durable as necessary. Post by Rip, reminded me of using K/glue to attach popper heads. If you wrap hook shank with thread & tie off before gluing. Then glue & install head. Glue will then penetrate threads around shank already attached, and head. More secure, less likley head twists.
Realize to that there is a difference in how tough a fly needs be. Freshwater trout may test a tiers abilities. Saltwater fish do that and then some. Bluefish for example, will make short the life of anything not metal. I have old tins with gouges in them from blues.
Next twist is a torn up almost nothing left on fly. Might work better than a new fly. Tie sparse.

......... pc

 

[fredaevans]

Both will work in different situations. For coating the base thread wrap before wrapping chenille on a wolly bugger I prefer super glue. Super glue has a better “grip” than Hard as Nails.

For finishing and coating a whip finish or making a head HaN works better. HaN doesn’t tend to get cloudy like super glue.

I have two bottles of Helly Hanson on my tie desk. One's full strength the other cut about 1/3 with nail polish thinner. Couple of coats of the thinned (you want it to really soak in) then a finish coat of full strength.

Better yet HeHanson comes in dozens of colours so you can get pretty creative.
The other odd bit I do is use very light leader for my tie thread; much stronger (for its size) than thread.

fae

 

[flytie09]

You use tippet as thread Fred? I’ve not heard that trick before.

 

[fredaevans]

You use tippet as thread Fred? I’ve not heard that trick before.

Sure do; Works a treat most of the time. Stuff is 'cheap as chips' and comes in every color you can dream up. Given a choice I'll use Dacron, far stronger than cotton.

ALMOST forgot! Skip using your expensive fly tie clippers; this stuff will wipe them out in short order!