Dubbing with Seal's Fur

I'm finding this material very difficult to dub successfully because of the
long, quite stiff, springy hairs. Is there a "best" way to handle this
material? Does using the loop technique with a spinner make it any easier?
Any comments on a ball-bearing loop spinner vs. a twister? Thanks.

On Tue, 3 Aug 2004 22:02:38 -0400, "James McCall"
wrote:

I'm finding this material very difficult to dub successfully because of the
long, quite stiff, springy hairs. Is there a "best" way to handle this
material? Does using the loop technique with a spinner make it any easier?
Any comments on a ball-bearing loop spinner vs. a twister? Thanks.

The one tying technique I hate with passion is using a dubbing loop.

So I have a small collection of dubbing waxes, one of which is so freaky tacky
it can pin a chunk of coaxial cable to the hook, never mind seal guard hairs.

The label has long worn off - maybe someone will recognize it: ridiculously
tacky deep yellow colored wax in a blue push-up tube with a bright yellow
cap...

/daytripper (it's the good stuff, whatever it is :-)

On Tue, 3 Aug 2004 22:02:38 -0400, "James McCall"
wrote:

I'm finding this material very difficult to dub successfully because of the
long, quite stiff, springy hairs. Is there a "best" way to handle this
material? Does using the loop technique with a spinner make it any easier?
Any comments on a ball-bearing loop spinner vs. a twister? Thanks.

The one tying technique I hate with passion is using a dubbing loop.

So I have a small collection of dubbing waxes, one of which is so freaky tacky
it can pin a chunk of coaxial cable to the hook, never mind seal guard hairs.

The label has long worn off - maybe someone will recognize it: ridiculously
tacky deep yellow colored wax in a blue push-up tube with a bright yellow
cap...

/daytripper (it's the good stuff, whatever it is :-)

"James McCall" wrote in message
. ..
I'm finding this material very difficult to dub successfully because of
the
long, quite stiff, springy hairs. Is there a "best" way to handle this
material? Does using the loop technique with a spinner make it any
easier?
Any comments on a ball-bearing loop spinner vs. a twister? Thanks.

I use a normal "loop twister" for my loops(i thought about buying a C&F ball
bearing spinner, but the price is insanely high). I love dubbing loops,
because you can make som really good looking bodies. I also use wax on all
my loops. I use BT's super tacky wax for all my loops.

When you get the hang of it, the dubbingloop is your friend. It took a while
for me to learn how to make good even bodies, but now they look superb now -
regardless of what i use for dubbing.


--


Tak, Danke, Thanks,
Thomas Schreiber
-
Life is simple, but not easy.

"James McCall" wrote in message
. ..
I'm finding this material very difficult to dub successfully because of
the
long, quite stiff, springy hairs. Is there a "best" way to handle this
material? Does using the loop technique with a spinner make it any
easier?
Any comments on a ball-bearing loop spinner vs. a twister? Thanks.

I use a normal "loop twister" for my loops(i thought about buying a C&F ball
bearing spinner, but the price is insanely high). I love dubbing loops,
because you can make som really good looking bodies. I also use wax on all
my loops. I use BT's super tacky wax for all my loops.

When you get the hang of it, the dubbingloop is your friend. It took a while
for me to learn how to make good even bodies, but now they look superb now -
regardless of what i use for dubbing.


--


Tak, Danke, Thanks,
Thomas Schreiber
-
Life is simple, but not easy.

"James McCall" wrote in message
. ..
I'm finding this material very difficult to dub successfully because of
the
long, quite stiff, springy hairs. Is there a "best" way to handle this
material? Does using the loop technique with a spinner make it any
easier?
Any comments on a ball-bearing loop spinner vs. a twister? Thanks.

I use a normal "loop twister" for my loops(i thought about buying a C&F ball
bearing spinner, but the price is insanely high). I love dubbing loops,
because you can make som really good looking bodies. I also use wax on all
my loops. I use BT's super tacky wax for all my loops.

When you get the hang of it, the dubbingloop is your friend. It took a while
for me to learn how to make good even bodies, but now they look superb now -
regardless of what i use for dubbing.


--


Tak, Danke, Thanks,
Thomas Schreiber
-
Life is simple, but not easy.

"James McCall" wrote in message
. ..
I'm finding this material very difficult to dub successfully because of
the
long, quite stiff, springy hairs. Is there a "best" way to handle this
material? Does using the loop technique with a spinner make it any
easier?
Any comments on a ball-bearing loop spinner vs. a twister? Thanks.



Only baby seal fur dubs easily. If you have anything else, it can cause
problems. The wax that Daytripper refers to is Overtons wonder wax, George
Gehrke also sold a version of this which was very good. Perhaps it is still
available? He called it Fly-makers-wax. It is not quite as good as the
Overtons, but better than most others.

Lastly, you can dub this material without using wax at all, simply form a
"torpedo" shape on the thread, without making any attempt to twist it tight,
and simply wind this in. This gives a very spikey "buggy" light reflecting
and translucent body. Much better than tightly twisted dubbing. Mostly, a
rib is required in any case, and so the bodies so made are pretty robust.

I don´t like using the loop method for seal fur, except on quite large
flies. It gives too much bulk, and just does not look right, but you can use
the split thread rechnique effectively. For this you need multi-strand
thread ( I use Danvilles fly-master usually), simple spin the bobbin holder
until the thread is untwisted, split the thread with a needle, place your
dubbing in the opening, and then re twist the thread.

TL
MC

"James McCall" wrote in message
. ..
I'm finding this material very difficult to dub successfully because of
the
long, quite stiff, springy hairs. Is there a "best" way to handle this
material? Does using the loop technique with a spinner make it any
easier?
Any comments on a ball-bearing loop spinner vs. a twister? Thanks.



Only baby seal fur dubs easily. If you have anything else, it can cause
problems. The wax that Daytripper refers to is Overtons wonder wax, George
Gehrke also sold a version of this which was very good. Perhaps it is still
available? He called it Fly-makers-wax. It is not quite as good as the
Overtons, but better than most others.

Lastly, you can dub this material without using wax at all, simply form a
"torpedo" shape on the thread, without making any attempt to twist it tight,
and simply wind this in. This gives a very spikey "buggy" light reflecting
and translucent body. Much better than tightly twisted dubbing. Mostly, a
rib is required in any case, and so the bodies so made are pretty robust.

I don´t like using the loop method for seal fur, except on quite large
flies. It gives too much bulk, and just does not look right, but you can use
the split thread rechnique effectively. For this you need multi-strand
thread ( I use Danvilles fly-master usually), simple spin the bobbin holder
until the thread is untwisted, split the thread with a needle, place your
dubbing in the opening, and then re twist the thread.

TL
MC

daytripper wrote:



The one tying technique I hate with passion is using a dubbing loop.

So I have a small collection of dubbing waxes, one of which is so freaky tacky
it can pin a chunk of coaxial cable to the hook, never mind seal guard hairs.

The label has long worn off - maybe someone will recognize it: ridiculously
tacky deep yellow colored wax in a blue push-up tube with a bright yellow
cap...

/daytripper (it's the good stuff, whatever it is :-)

uh...you don't have a liposuction waste facility nearby, do you? g

jeff (nip/tuck)

daytripper wrote:



The one tying technique I hate with passion is using a dubbing loop.

So I have a small collection of dubbing waxes, one of which is so freaky tacky
it can pin a chunk of coaxial cable to the hook, never mind seal guard hairs.

The label has long worn off - maybe someone will recognize it: ridiculously
tacky deep yellow colored wax in a blue push-up tube with a bright yellow
cap...

/daytripper (it's the good stuff, whatever it is :-)

uh...you don't have a liposuction waste facility nearby, do you? g

jeff (nip/tuck)