Hi Folks,
Thought I might chime in here.
I have found when using a highly adhesive type wax (high resin count) whip finishes can have thread breakage problems that can usually be alleviated by doing two things.
1. Do not wrap your whip finish turns too tightly
2. pull the thread in the direction that it has been wrapped over with the whip finish turns. For me it is towards the back of the hook( the tail end) and on the far side of the fly away from me(the side I can not see).
Hope this helps.
Jim
Wax problem
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Jim Slattery
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Re: Wax problem
Jim,
Many thanks for the input. After some practice I intuitively started doing both of those things, along with slowing down the movement, being more aware of the thread action. Out of a couple dozen ties, I had only one other thread breakage, and that happened before starting the whip finish. I'm wondering if the act of waxing the thread with this sticky wax might be causing damage if I don't pull the thread through the wax fast enough.
Lance
Many thanks for the input. After some practice I intuitively started doing both of those things, along with slowing down the movement, being more aware of the thread action. Out of a couple dozen ties, I had only one other thread breakage, and that happened before starting the whip finish. I'm wondering if the act of waxing the thread with this sticky wax might be causing damage if I don't pull the thread through the wax fast enough.
Lance
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Mataura mayfly
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Re: Wax problem
Lance, just my novice observations, but breaks at the whip finish are usually cause by heat and or friction of forming the knot severing the fibre of the thread. Breaks elsewhere on individual flies and not most of a tying batch are often caused by us inadvertently nicking the silk on the hook point, rough skin or fingernail, often unnoticed until that section of the silk is put under the stress of forming a wrap. Depending on the size and gape of the hook, if you nick the silk on the point the break may not occur until wraps are up near the head of the fly.
Of course you do get the odd bad spool of thread, or if your using very old silk........
Of course you do get the odd bad spool of thread, or if your using very old silk........
"Listen to the sound of the river and you will get a trout".... Irish proverb.
Re: Wax problem
Jeff, yes, nicking the thread on the hook point is a hazard that I am aware of, and which has done me in once or twice.
I do have some old wooden spools of Pearsall's gossamer, but they don't seem to be the problem. Anyway, I may have made this sound worse than it is. In the past two months, I think the thread has broken twice. It is just that one time was when I was using this new winter wax. Now I know better how to use it safely.
Lance
I do have some old wooden spools of Pearsall's gossamer, but they don't seem to be the problem. Anyway, I may have made this sound worse than it is. In the past two months, I think the thread has broken twice. It is just that one time was when I was using this new winter wax. Now I know better how to use it safely.
Lance