Old Hat wrote:Leisenring really liked his wax as well. He like to think that a heavily waxed thread melded to the hook when tied tight enough to be just before the thread's breaking point. He even mentions that if you aren't getting residual wax when you finish the head, there's not enough on it.
I think he was spot on...
Roy suggested I tied Pearsall's onto the hook shank, and gradually increased the tension until it finally snapped. It takes a surprising amount!
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Then wax it, and I wax again the last bit just before I tie off.
I am playing with melting natural beeswax and mixing in melted dubbing wax, the sort out of a tube, and it produces a softer, tackier natural wax. Then start to put some cobbler's wax in there as well, and you can have a lot of fun!
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
The effect of the different waxes on these silks, wound good and tight, produces some of the buggiest effects I've seen, at least to my eye.
Looking forward to seeing what the fish think, and how the effect stands up to repeated fishing - though I am thinking the wax must provide a 'waterproofing' effect, and presumably must have some effect on the sink rate? Though can't quite get my head around that yet... probably negligible anyway.
This Pearsall's silk is amazing stuff though. I am reading some of the articles by Tommy Hanna, the irish tyer, and he gives a tip where after you tie on, apply steady downward pressure on the silk with the bobbin holder, then just jerk the tag, and with the sudden jerk the tag end of the silk just snaps off. And it does! Far neater than cutting...
Andrew.