Fly Floatant

On 21 Aug 2004 21:28:07 GMT, ojunk (George Adams)
wrote:



I have used FF and Cab -o- Sil side by side all this season...

WHICH Cab-O-Sil? Do you have the container? What does it say?

From:


WHICH Cab-O-Sil? Do you have the container? What does it say?

Because I didn't think I'd ever need more, I discarded what little information
I had. I can tell you the following:

I ordered from an outfit called Spruce Aircraft from their online catalog.
IIRC, I had to do a search function as Cab -o- Sil wasn't listed. I think
Spruce is in CA. I found them via an internet search .

The only container was a plastic bag with a twist tie. No info in it or on it.
I seem to recall that Cab -o- Sil was described in their online catalog simply
as "fumed silica".


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

"George Adams" wrote

I have used FF and Cab -o- Sil side by side all this season, and see no
difference in performance betewwen the two.

I'd be interested in very specific ordering info ... where, part number,
listed additives, etc

I don't doubt that what you and Willi have works as well as FF, but I know
that just "fumed silica" isn't enough information to guarantee satisfaction

I'd like to try exactly what you are using and bet I'd be pleased.

From: "Larry L"

I'd be interested in very specific ordering info ... where, part number,
listed additives, etc

Larry, see my reply to R. Dean. Unfortunately, other than the source, I have
very little info, and it is unlikely that Spruce Aircraft would know how Cab
-o- Sil compares to Frog's Fanny.

I got the Cab -o- Sil name from a thread on ROFF sometime late last year, and
simply Googled the name, and came up with Spruce Aircraft as the most likely
source.
If you looked in the archives under Frog's Fanny, Cab o- Sil, or fumed silica,
you might find more info.



George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

George, could this be the stuff / site you are refering to? Sounds the
same, bag and all. $5.20
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...es/cabosil.php


George Adams wrote:

From: "Larry L"

I'd be interested in very specific ordering info ... where, part number,
listed additives, etc

Larry, see my reply to R. Dean. Unfortunately, other than the source, I have
very little info, and it is unlikely that Spruce Aircraft would know how Cab
-o- Sil compares to Frog's Fanny.

I got the Cab -o- Sil name from a thread on ROFF sometime late last year, and
simply Googled the name, and came up with Spruce Aircraft as the most likely
source.
If you looked in the archives under Frog's Fanny, Cab o- Sil, or fumed silica,
you might find more info.



George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

George, could this be the stuff / site you are refering to? Sounds the
same, bag and all. $5.20
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...es/cabosil.php


George Adams wrote:

From: "Larry L"

I'd be interested in very specific ordering info ... where, part number,
listed additives, etc

Larry, see my reply to R. Dean. Unfortunately, other than the source, I have
very little info, and it is unlikely that Spruce Aircraft would know how Cab
-o- Sil compares to Frog's Fanny.

I got the Cab -o- Sil name from a thread on ROFF sometime late last year, and
simply Googled the name, and came up with Spruce Aircraft as the most likely
source.
If you looked in the archives under Frog's Fanny, Cab o- Sil, or fumed silica,
you might find more info.



George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

"George Adams" wrote

I have used FF and Cab -o- Sil side by side all this season, and see no
difference in performance betewwen the two.

I'd be interested in very specific ordering info ... where, part number,
listed additives, etc

I don't doubt that what you and Willi have works as well as FF, but I know
that just "fumed silica" isn't enough information to guarantee satisfaction

I'd like to try exactly what you are using and bet I'd be pleased.

"Larry L" wrote:
I'm not convinced that fumed silica, as sold for thickening resins, IS the
same as Frog's Fanny. I bought some from West Marine ( not "cab-o-sil"
brand, but fumed silica sold for same market) and it DOES look just like
Frog's Fanny, and DOES dry a fly just like Frog's Fanny.

BUT, that fly does NOT stay dry nearly as well as with Frog's Fanny.
Someone here on ROFF has said that Frog's Fanny (hereafter referred to as
FF
is "just a desiccant, not a fly floatant" That is not consistent
with
my experience OR the FF label/marketing packaging which clearly promotes
FF's ability to repel water and thus trap air around the fly for nymphing
use.

I heartily agree. Willi gave me a zip-lock full of silica gel (having
that laying around the house raised a few eyebrows), and although it works
quite well, it isn't the same as real FF, per Larry's observations.

George Adams wrote:


Cab-o-Sil. Fumed silica. Available from aircraft and boat supply houses. Got
mine from an outfit called Spruce Aircraft, IIRC.
Cost is about 12 bucks a gallon, which should be a lifetime supply.

As rw said, Albolene is available at nearly all drug stores for about 12 bucks
for a large jar, so for 25 bucks you can outfit yourself with a lifetime supply
of floatants.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

Great info and thanks.

Albolene ? who'd a thunk it. This is great for me and no problem to
get. My wife is a Pharmacy Tech. and even gets a discount, and I don't
even have to get off my butt to get it myself, so...win / win I will
surely give it a try.
Now the Cab-o-Sil is not quite so easy to get but I will give it a try
as well. Found some online for $5.20 for 1 gal. The Cab-o-Sil is a
powder correct? Does it protect againt the water saturating the fly or
does it just dry out the flies fibers (or both)

From: (Goat)

Now the Cab-o-Sil is not quite so easy to get but I will give it a try
as well. Found some online for $5.20 for 1 gal. The Cab-o-Sil is a
powder correct? Does it protect againt the water saturating the fly or
does it just dry out the flies fibers (or both)

There may be more than one type of Cab -o- Sil. (see Larry L's posts on this
thread) The one I purchased was from Spruce Aircraft, and I think it was more
expensive, but I might be including shipping charges. My memory ain't what it
used to was, and I discarded all the info I had long ago.

In my experience, it dries out the fibers, and also acts as a floatant, but
it's main advantage is as a super dessicant that will dry out delicate fibers
like CDC and ostrich herl. The trick is to work it into the fibers completely
with a brush. You may want to consider purchasing one container of FF to get
the supplied brush.

As rw and Dave L mentioned, you may also need a suitable container for the
Albolene. It wouldn't hurt to buy a bottle of Gink and refill it as needed. As
an aside, I was just looking at a Fly Fisherman magazine from the early
seventies that showed Gink being sold in a small wide mouth jar.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller