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Tying Wax

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6.1K views 31 replies 16 participants last post by  The Duck  
#1 ·
Dumb question here, but I just started using the type of tying wax pictured below that I bought from one of the online shops.

Do you heat this up at all before use? Or just keep at your tying desk and run along your thread as is?

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#4 ·
Dumb question here, but I just started using the type of tying wax
Cody...! There are no dumb questions, and this is in fact an extremely good one!
This is a "hard wax" which is used differently than a "tacky wax".
Perhaps we all should talk about wax more on this Forum... given how essential it is. I remember having a similar questions about hard wax Cody.

I concur with other tyers on these Pages, that Overton's is amazing stuff. It is a great "tacky wax" that isn't too soft nor too hard. It is the "Goldilocks" of dubbing waxes. I have used it for over over 40 years... and reach for it whenever I want something to stick to tying tread. I often add it to thread just before trying to dub seal fur :oops:. Everything sticks to Overton's....which is great in these situations.

Hard cake wax, like you pictured in your post, along with the Veniard cake wax and the darker Cobblers wax, is much much better for locking in tails, veilings, hackles, wings, and horns, etc on salmon flies, and for preventing thread wraps from sliding (thread avalanches) when finishing a head.
Everything locks in tight, exactly where you want it when using good hard cake wax. I use it on every thread wrap I make from the start to the end of a fly. After finishing a fly with it, a head becomes essentially a tiny hard bead of wax.
 
#5 ·
Cody...! There are no dumb questions, and this is in fact an extremely good one!
This is a "hard wax" which is used differently than a "tacky wax".
Perhaps we all should talk about wax more on this Forum... given how essential it is. I remember having a similar questions about hard wax Cody.

I concur with other tyers on these Pages, that Overton's is amazing stuff. It is a great "tacky wax" that isn't too soft nor too hard. It is the "Goldilocks" of dubbing waxes. I have used it for over over 40 years... and reach for it whenever I want something to stick to tying tread. I often add it to thread just before trying to dub seal fur :oops:. Everything sticks to Overton's....which is great in these situations.

Hard cake wax, like you pictured in your post, along with the Veniard cake wax and the darker Cobblers wax, is much much better for locking in tails, veilings, hackles, wings, and horns, etc on salmon flies, and for preventing thread wraps from sliding (thread avalanches) when finishing a head.
Everything locks in tight, exactly where you want it when using good hard cake wax. I use it on every thread wrap I make from the start to the end of a fly. After finishing a fly with it, a head becomes essentially a tiny hard bead of wax.
This is extremely helpful! It hadn’t even crossed my mind to use different waxes for different steps in a fly. Thank you!
 
#6 ·
As Duck says, use it throughout the tie. Before setting my bronze mallard wings I coat the thread along with the top of the thread base the wings will sit on. Further, and I believe critical to a proper set, I coat both the top and bottom sides of the BM slips. I can literally place the slips on top and one or two thread wraps (I tie in the pair of slips as one as does Mcphail) holds them pretty securely in place and even allows for some minor adjustment if needed.
Yes, good wax used often makes tying so much easier. - Rob
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#9 ·
As Duck says, use it throughout the tie. Before setting my bronze mallard wings I coat the thread along with the top of the thread base the wings will sit on. Further, and I believe critical to a proper set, I coat both the top and bottom sides of the BM slips. I can literally place the slips on top and one or two thread wraps (I tie in the pair of slips as one as does Mcphail) holds them pretty securely in place and even allows for some minor adjustment if needed.
Yes, good wax used often makes tying so much easier. - Rob
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Awesome stuff! Can’t wait to dive in on this. Thanks for the tips and photos. HUGE help!
 
#8 ·
I am very glad we are talking about wax, since I’ve had similar questions!
One thing to note, if you are using a gel spun thread (I mainly use nano silk 50D / 12/0) the harder black wax is better
 
#12 · (Edited)
I look forward to hearing what some of the great tiers here think about wax, but it changed my tying for the better
Personally I love using the Veniard wax as is, and keep it handy on my desk. I picked some up after watching Davie McPhail. Then started paying more attention to spinning my thread to strengthen it and waxing as needed. It really does increase the grip on materials when using finer thread and helps to minimize wraps on technical flies.
It makes "waxed" threads even better and I find it also adds much needed grip when using gel spun threads.
I often use loon low tack dubbing wax in dubbing loops but that's about it for the pasty stuff
The Veniard is just as good or better when touch dubbing and it doesn't spread to my fingers or make a mess of materials (Especially feathers).
I've been using the same puck for 4 years now and I've hardly made a dent.
Highly recommend it.
 
#16 ·
I look forward to hearing what some of the great tiers here think about wax, but it changed my tying for the better
Personally I love using the Veniard wax as is, and keep it handy on my desk. I picked some up after watching Davie McPhail. Then started paying more attention to spinning my thread to strengthen it and waxing as needed. It really does increase the grip on materials when using finer thread and helps to minimize wraps on technical flies.
It makes "waxed" threads even better and I find it also adds much needed grip when using gel spun threads.
I often use loon low tack dubbing wax in dubbing loops but that's about it for the pasty stuff
The Veniard is just as good or better when touch dubbing and it doesn't spread to my fingers or make a mess of materials (Especially feathers).
I've been using the same puck for 4 years now and I've hardly made a dent.
Highly recommend it.
... great thread! ...the day I discovered waxing changed everything for me.I started experimenting (wasn't working at the time:D )...making my own ,creating various types with different properties such as stickiness and malleability .The experiment resulted in a wax that suits my specific tying needs...and a drawer full of wax types that are given away as they will certainly never be used.I really don't believe all the fuss was necessary, however it was a lot of fun. For those out there that want to cook up their own concoction here is all you need Pine Rosin (resin crystals),Beeswax (pellets),ice cube tray with flexi bottoms and a tin can. A ratio of 4:6 or 3:7 rosin to wax seemed good for my use...
Cheers Steve

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Sounds like it’d be a blast…and I’m sure a long rabbit hole to go down lol
 
#13 · (Edited)
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My puck of AOFeathers tying wax is now over a decade old. It's a hard wax that becomes malleable by warming it up in your palms.

It's been faithful for all these years. It's been used on airplanes, driftboats, amusement parks, theaters, church, hammocks, cars, bed, etc.

It's tied intricate classics to simple dry flies.

Big and small.


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Always with silk tying thread, the same puck is all I've used for over a decade. I couldn't tie in hand without it.

Good wax is an in-hand tyer's best friend
 

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#15 ·
... great thread! ...the day I discovered waxing changed everything for me.I started experimenting (wasn't working at the time:D )...making my own ,creating various types with different properties such as stickiness and malleability .The experiment resulted in a wax that suits my specific tying needs...and a drawer full of wax types that are given away as they will certainly never be used.I really don't believe all the fuss was necessary, however it was a lot of fun. For those out there that want to cook up their own concoction here is all you need Pine Rosin (resin crystals),Beeswax (pellets),ice cube tray with flexi bottoms and a tin can. A ratio of 4:6 or 3:7 rosin to wax seemed good for my use...
Cheers Steve

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#19 ·
So on the wax , thoughts i do have overtons and agree with everything said on it , i have gotton in a mess with it on fingers and then i felt like i was tared and featherd lol
has anyone have experience with plain old natural bee wax , i have a local source near me and i was thinking of getting some for my waxing needs ? Its all natural ,simple Bees- wax. ?
Thanks
David
 
#21 ·
So on the wax , thoughts i do have overtons and agree with everything said on it , i have gotton in a mess with it on fingers and then i felt like i was tared and featherd lol
has anyone have experience with plain old natural bee wax , i have a local source near me and i was thinking of getting some for my waxing needs ? Its all natural ,simple Bees- wax. ?
Thanks
David
Yup.I know what your experiencing David. I found when playing with my "cooking" that the resin I put in was necessary for the end product to be sticky. The greater the ratio of beeswax ,the softer the result became and yes had a tendency to melt once in contact with skin. I would imagine that 100 percent beeswax would be almost useless for most of my needs because it would "melt".
The results of my fun experiment left me with a great sticky tying wax that does make things easier and doesn't melt , however any TYING wax available on the market (which most likely has resin in it) should suffice ,and thereby create circumstances that necessitate the tier to simply improve ones methods for delicate procedures.
Steve
 
#25 ·
Interesting topic. I have to admit that I have a tendency to try any kind of wax that comes along. Like many of us, my long term favorite is Overton's. I have recently tried "Marvel Wax" from "The Silver Trout," Fayston Vermont. This is a great product and well worth a try, no financial interest, just a happy customer. I have also tried their nickel silver ferrule lube and line dressing, all good stuff.
 
#31 · (Edited)
I’ve ventured down the wax rabbit hole recently. I’m far from an expert, but will highlight my journey.

I have the original tube of Wapsi tying wax in the orange tube that I bought 35 years ago. Fine for general use like dubbing loops and slippery dubbings….. but spit worked good too so I used it sporadically.

When I expanded my tying 8 years or so ago, I started tying flies where bad things tend to happen around the head like hairwings and featherwings. Stuff rolling out of place, slippery hairs, funky shaped feathers, blown apart wings, avalanching heads and I started reading more. This led me towards Overtons Wonderwax.

Overton’s is great. It’s sticky and did a good job and along with improved techniques and using better stronger thread…. led to neater steps, cleaner and stronger heads, nicer flies and less stressful tying. But….. it didn’t do certain things I was looking for. On complex heads with a lot of stuff like underwings, and sides and cheeks and toppings I just felt certain steps at the end weren’t cured with Overton’s. I still leaned on superglue and stronger threads. It worked….but to a point.

If you’ve been tying long enough and watched enough tying YouTube videos….. you’ve seen Davie McPhail. That gob of hard wax he kept on his hand. I would come to learn it’s Veniard’s wax. He went to it like a pitcher to the rosin bag. He didn’t use Overton’s. Why? So this led me reading about the harder “cake” waxes. Bees wax, cobblers wax, secret recipes….. what’s the dilly yo. So I decided recently to purchase some. I bought some Semperfli cobbler’s wax.

My experience is limited with it in the past month or so…..but my initial observations is the grip one can achieve with this stuff far outperforms Overton’s. It doesn’t goop up your fingers. So I’ll be experimenting with it more. For now….. Semperfli do or die cobbler wax, Nanosilk thread, Cellire tying cement and let the fun begin.

Fly tying is hard enough. Who would have thunk thread, scissors, cements, wax, material prep, steaming, and all of the fiddly little things here and there one would obsess over. We’re a nutty breed for sure that this type stuff relaxes us.

If you want to do things well….. you owe it to yourself and your tying, to experiment and try different things. You just might find something that works better.

Happy tying Speypagers……