FLYMPH FORUM

Good day all!! Well I've been making some traditional dubbing body ropes. I have been making good progress on different colors. I sat down at the desk last night to spin a few more and the wax, "Custom" formula which is supposed to be the original formula of Leisenring and Hidy according to Gunpowder Custom Tackle who I purchased it from is getting very hard. Hard as like two day old chewing gum and extremely tacky! My question is, what do others do to store the wax between tying?

I don't believe the gunpowder product is legitimately Leisenring's formula. After melting the ingredients, Leisenring poured them into a bucket of water. He then carefully picked up the molten mass with wet hands and pulled it like taffy. I'm positive gunpowder isn't doing this method at all just by the looks of their wax. I make this wax and it's a pain to make. I doubt that any commercial outfit would ever bother to make it this way.

Buy the wax produced by the above author = problem solved.

OR

Make your own. My favorite mix is this:
One small block of beeswax (octagon shaped, about the size of a “chunky” candy.
One equal part balsam, fir or pine sap - which is very easy to fine while walking in the woods anywhere. Just find a big white chunk of harden sap on a broken branch. Very easy to find once you do it.
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.

Use a double boiler on low to melt all three ingredients together, stirring thoroughly. Pour the warm mix into little shot cups that come on top of a bottle of NyQuil…… The quantities above will give you three of those little cups, which lasts a lifetime.

Good luck

Dana

I’ve found that many things waxes work fine for the bodies. Not the dubbing waxes that are soft and sticky, but most cake style waxes will bind the silk and dubbing fibers in a cord when stored on the cards. The best ones are kind of hard/hardened when you pick them up but if you take a small pea sized piece and wears it between your fingers, your hands and the friction from the silk passing over it will soften it just right. Avoid greasy waxes and try several. Bailie’s wax is awesome. I’m sure he can help you get some.

And Call Jim’s Fly Co. in Montana. He sells a Leisenring wax that comes as little hard pellets. That stuff is fantastic.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Hi William! Thanks again and I'm loving the block!!

Saw the post from William Anderson and wanted to tell him how much I like the dubbing block I purchased from him a few months ago. Nicely made and works as it should. Like making bodies with it. If anybody wants to purchase a dubbing block William's are great.

funny

You guys are all very kind. Thanks so much for the positive feedback. I have thoroughly enjoyed making them available. It’s always good to have new folks exploring the traditional techniques. I’ll be glad when we can all get together for a tying event to swap trade secrets again.

I do have to admit that the first few bodies that I spun I was using plain thread. Now that Im getting comfortable using the block and figuring out how much dubbing to use, i'm more confident to use silk thread. I know that there's still plenty to learn and to experiment.