Vicki, I love head cement. I love smooth, glossy, black heads on flies. You can't get this with wax.kanutripr wrote:Head cement is the work of the devil!!!
Vicki
Head Cement ???
Moderators: William Anderson, letumgo
Re: Head Cement ???
Re: Head Cement ???
OK I give! 
I only use head cement on flies bigger than a size 10 and then usually only if I'm worried the head may come unravelled or I'm trying to make it look pretty. Sometimes the look of the fly is quite influenced by the look of the head. This is just something I learned when I was first starting out tying and have continued with. It matters not which brand I use although I usually use one that absorbs into the thread first and then a second coat of something that will sit nicely on top and stay nice and smooth. Usually the second coat is just clear nail polish.
Now you know my dirty little secret. I'm going to go have a shower now.....
Vicki
I only use head cement on flies bigger than a size 10 and then usually only if I'm worried the head may come unravelled or I'm trying to make it look pretty. Sometimes the look of the fly is quite influenced by the look of the head. This is just something I learned when I was first starting out tying and have continued with. It matters not which brand I use although I usually use one that absorbs into the thread first and then a second coat of something that will sit nicely on top and stay nice and smooth. Usually the second coat is just clear nail polish.
Now you know my dirty little secret. I'm going to go have a shower now.....
Vicki
Listen with your ears, hear with your heart.
Re: Head Cement ???
Uh huh. Well I use Griff's Thin on just about every fly I make now. Streamers MUST have head cement, if I am doing them. There is no substitute for a great looking head. Now for flymphs, nymphs, soft hackles, no you don't have to use head cement, but many times I do, out of habit, probably more than anything else.
Re: Head Cement ???
I use Veniards Cellire Number 1 Clear a lot on silk.
Sometimes I use just a little touch of their Floo Gloo on Spider heads.
I aways use some kind of varnish, they look untidy without,
and I don't trust just a whip finish.
They also do coloured varnish, black, red and yellow.
Sally Hansen is good on flies with a prominent head.
On a salmon or seatrout/steelhead fly, several (2 or 3) coats of black allowed to dry,
between coats and then finished with a coat of clear will make a beautifull head,
although a good well wrapped start off makes all the difference.
Just like Kelly's fly above.
Sometimes I use just a little touch of their Floo Gloo on Spider heads.
I aways use some kind of varnish, they look untidy without,
and I don't trust just a whip finish.
They also do coloured varnish, black, red and yellow.
Sally Hansen is good on flies with a prominent head.
On a salmon or seatrout/steelhead fly, several (2 or 3) coats of black allowed to dry,
between coats and then finished with a coat of clear will make a beautifull head,
although a good well wrapped start off makes all the difference.
Just like Kelly's fly above.
Re: Head Cement ???
Good to know. I have some of that clear Veniard's as well as the black. I was also able to get some Pro-Lak. I would not try to use the Pro-Lak on tiny heads though.