On Jan 16, 2:23 pm, wrote:
Mike wrote:
If you want to use this to colour with markers etc, then use unwaxed,
as it will not take the colour properly otherwise. The same applies to
dyeing it. I have used it a lot in the past for forming under-bodies
on some flies, but I don't use it much any more now.

I liked the color effect I got using waxed, as some of the ink
rubbed off right away, but it retained enough to give a nice muted
color. But I'll try it with unwaxed to see how it looks.

Does waxed versus unwaxed have any effect on flotation? In
general, does it tend to float when used for mayfly bodies?

How you manipulate it is important. Keep it flat for "forming" shapes,
and twist it tight for segmentation etc.

Yeah, I was playing around with different effects. I was thinking
it would be a cheap alternative to some other body materials used to
give segmenation such as biots.

Chuck Vance (OK, so it's not about money as much as I just like
playing around with different ways of tying)

If the flies are treated with a decent floatant, and have decent
hackles etc,then they float well enough. I can´t say I noticed any
difference between waxed and unwaxed in this regard. Latterly I always
used unwaxed anyway. I have not tested it, but I would expect the
waxed stuff to float better initially at least, as it is simply more
waterproof.

The main problem with colouring the waxed stuff is that quite a few
floatants just dissolve the colour off it. If you use liquid "dip"
type floatants, this can cause other problems as well, When you dip
other flies in it, they get coloured by it! The colour does not
actually soak in to the waxed stuff, as you have noticed, it just
colours the wax on the surface.

TL
MC