new thread - cant play yet.

[ratherfish]

I was planning to ask a question in the fly tying section but it says I have to have at least 50 post before I can play. Right now I am at 4, and I have a fly in the vice....uggg. I guess I'll figure something out for tonight.

 

[mcnerney]

I moved your thread to the fly tying section, so ask away. You don't have to have 50 posts to start a thread, but you do to sell on the forum, maybe you were in the classified section.

 

[rangerrich99]

Ask your question here. Or in general discussion. Just put a note at the top explaining why it's not in the fly tying section or whatever.

 

[ratherfish]

Oh cool - maybe I did do it wrong. So, I have some Griffs Thin Head Cement, it did not come with anything attached to the lid to transfer it to the fly. What do we use to get the glue from the bottle to the fly? I tried a needle, a toothpick, and a plastic deal. The needle didn't want to seem to hold anything, the toothpick seemed to absorb it, and the plastic deal didn't want to release the glue....I can't know.

 

[flytie09]

I'd think a tool called a bodkin would be able to transfer the material to the head of the fly. I did it for years that way. It's basically a metal pick. Larger in diameter to a needle, not porous like a wooden toothpick and will release unlike plastic.

Your other option is pour it into one of these. This was what I evolved to using. Wapsi Head Cement Applicator Bottle - Duranglers Fly Fishing Shop & Guides. They're cheap and very handy. Like a squeeze bottle for your head cement. It has a fine tube tip so just a drop exactly where you want it is possible.

Good luck....

ft09

 

[ratherfish]

I'd think a tool called a bodkin would be able to transfer the material to the head of the fly. I did it for years that way. It's basically a metal pick. Larger in diameter to a needle, not porous like a wooden toothpick and will release unlike plastic.

Your other option is pour it into one of these. This was what I evolved to using. Wapsi Head Cement Applicator Bottle - Duranglers Fly Fishing Shop & Guides. They're cheap and very handy. Like a squeeze bottle for your head cement. It has a fine tube tip so just a drop exactly where you want it is possible.

Good luck....

ft09

Well I have no clue what a bodkin is - but I do like that bottle with a snipes beak! I will have to find one of those!

---------- Post added at 07:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:30 PM ----------

BTW - I went back and did a little investigation and yes, I was doing it wrong, I was in the classified section.

 

[flytie09]

It's nothing magical - Just Simply Tools Bodkin / Half Hitch Tool | J. Stockard Fly Fishing

Snipes beak bottle.... I gotta chuckle outta that one.

Cheers....

ft09

 

[ratherfish]

It's nothing magical - Just Simply Tools Bodkin / Half Hitch Tool | J. Stockard Fly Fishing

Snipes beak bottle.... I gotta chuckle outta that one.

Cheers....

ft09

That's a bodkin, that's what I was talk'n about a needle - its just on a stick.

Hey we have finally got a good little family of snipes here by our house, I am trying to keep the stupid kids from killing them and their nest.

 

[Ard]

I have been using a dubbing needle / Bodkin since 1968, flies below all finished using the same dubbing needle.

From a tiny dab on various materials as I build a fly, up to and including beautiful high gloss finished heads the Dubbing Needle has been my applicator.

 

[pnc]

Once had head cement llabled thinner. Cement very thin. Great for penetrating wraps. Had similar problems.
Toothpick will work. Coat with cement let dry. A piece of thin wire, such as magnet wire. Folded so business end has tight loop works to. Loop holding cement better than single strand or needle. Thinking about it maybe backside of needle. Needle eye.

........ pc

 

[flytire]

grifs thin is very thin head cement. just about the viscosity of water. coveted by fly tyeres as it is no longer available

bodkin = needle

needle = bodkin

make one - stick a needle into the end of a wooden dowel or whatever

stick some velcro to the bodkin and get 2 tools in one - bodkin/dubbing teaser

just submerge the needle point into the cement and transfer to the head of the fly. you dont have to submerge the entire needle in the head cement

 

[flytie09]

I have been using a dubbing needle / Bodkin since 1968, flies below all finished using the same dubbing needle.

From a tiny dab on various materials as I build a fly, up to and including beautiful high gloss finished heads the Dubbing Needle has been my applicator.

Nice flies by the way Ard. 1968.... that's a long time at this game.

I don't use much traditional head cement anymore. I use either water based with the little applicator bottle (snipe beak bottle) or the UV cure stuff. The water based head cement doesn't make a mess of my work area and the UV cure is just faster.

FYI..... I still use a bodkin (needle) to smooth out the UV cure, as the stuff I'm using is super gooey and highly viscous. I know there are different types available... just what I happen to be using now.

ft09

 

[dillon]

I don't know anything better than a bodkin. However, if a lacquered glossy head is not needed, coat a few inches of the thread with super glue or zap a gap. Then make a few tight wraps and cut it off. A half hitch or whip finish isn't needed. I don't even use glue or head cement on most trout flies, just one or two whip finishes.

 

[flytie09]

I agree w/ this.... I don't use head cement on my dries or nymphs much any more. I had so many issues early on with clogging up the eye of the hook that I just don't do it. The literature I referenced back then just had it as a basic step. This was before google/Youtube and forums existed

For streamers for Steelhead...... I use super glue and UV cure stuff. They can get tore up after a couple of fish.

ft09

 

[Ard]

Nice flies by the way Ard. 1968.... that's a long time at this game.

I don't use much traditional head cement anymore. I use either water based with the little applicator bottle (snipe beak bottle) or the UV cure stuff. The water based head cement doesn't make a mess of my work area and the UV cure is just faster.

FYI..... I still use a bodkin (needle) to smooth out the UV cure, as the stuff I'm using is super gooey and highly viscous. I know there are different types available... just what I happen to be using now.

ft09

Thanks

They are photos from before I went into the tubes in a big way, on the tube flies I use the super glue technique described in another post. A dab of that then trim the thread. Even though it isn't needed I still build up a glossy head on them too I guess it's a carry over from traditional tying.

That fly with the translucent head, If you want to get that affect just for looks I used to finish flies of whimsy using silk. I discovered that if you tied off the regular tying thread and then finished the build of the head that the silk would become almost emulsified when you lacquered it.

These two don't show the see through effect as well as I'd like but were finished off using deep red silk. They were loose interpretations of Cains River style flies made years ago when I was hooked on swinging a Cains River Miramichi or others for steelhead. I liked the texture of that tinsel a lot but can't say it helped with the fish catching

I liked the look and thought the heads resembled Garnet gems. Of course I used a Bodkin needle to apply the head cement, that's what the topic is right? The one with the wood duck tail actually caught a few silvers a few years back. The other one with the Tragopan pheasant tail was never used, it was just too fancy

Sorry for the thread hijack

 

[ratherfish]

Man, you guys are awesome fly tiers. So to get warmed back up I tied a bass fly tonight. The whip about whipped me, but I "think" I whipped it...I think.

I did not know the Griffs thin was a hot item, shows you how long I've been stagnant. Wonder what makes it wanted and why don't someone just make some if it's wanted....

And don't worry about hijack'n no thread from me, its all conversation, all good here.

---------- Post added at 08:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:59 PM ----------

Ok, I am going to make my own bodkin's this winter, I make stuff for fun. I will post pictures. It'll be a while, it don't generally get so cold here to hole up inside that often. And I have some request for a few custom made letter openers and knives already so I will be very busy on the few cold days here.

 

[ratherfish]

Well I told my daughter what I needed for a glue bottle and described to her what a snipes beak bottle looked like. She picked me up a real nice one at Hobby Lobby. It came with a fine tip 20ga/0.5mm beak and the cap has a little needle that goes in it to keep the passage open. Also what may be nice is - I can buy additional ends for it that has other size beaks if I need to use a thicker glue or something. I am happy tonight.