To Varnish Or Not To Varnish

[@schmoonkie]

Adding the dubbing and the CDC in the same dubbing loop is a neat trick. I normally do it by splitting the thread and dubbing one half as you did--same outcome. Just another thing I learned by watching your videos. I'm especially fond of this one. So much to learn... Thanks for sharing!

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

Thanks for watching. Doing it that way came to me out of pure laziness 🤣🤣 it turned out well... I prefer to do it with loop because bobbin is not heavy enough to spin two materials tightly together... Dubbing twister ibhave is full brass... Pretty heavy

[@schmoonkie]

@@Oholisfliesandfishing Before retiring a couple of years ago, I expected I'd be tying ( and fishing ) quite a bit more. So while I still had a good job I stocked up on some tying and fishing gear. I bought a bunch of Rite Bobbins on sale which are hefty enough to spin the split thread. By the way, I got through The Feather Mechanic's section on tools. Interestingly, I own a J-Vice from South Africa. It is a superb rotary vise. I also like some of Marc Petitjean's tools mentioned, including his whip finisher. I make my own bodkins from good quality bamboo chop sticks and beading needles. ( I drill a hole into the core of the chop stick and insert the needle's eye and shaft with about 2 cm sticking out. Super Glue keeps the needle from sliding out. ) I'd still use a commercial bodkin to apply resin to Perdigon style flies. The chop stick bodkin is much better at clearing the eye of tiny hooks and to apply tiny amounts of Super Glue. Most of the time I use good quality cuticle scissors for fly tying. For dubbing brush, I use velcro glued to a small emery board ( nail file ), which is similar to what the author uses--and similar to what you use. Good quality tools can make tying easier and a task to look forward to.

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

@@schmoonkie that was a smart move. I like the look of J vise... Maybe one day i decide to change my old traveler... But i would feel bad to change it before it breaks. I almost bought new vise but i felt like i am betraying a friend. 😂😂 I tried most of the tools. Marc's too... Good tools only tool i hate is his bobbin holder. I love C&F tools the best and their boxes. Amazing quality.

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

Your flies are elegant. . :-)

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

Thanks so much. 😂😂😂

[@duderoony]

Excellent patterns explained thoroughly and then technique tips..... Can’t go wrong. Thank you for another upload dude. Keep keeping safe.

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

Thanks 😃, U too. Any chances to fish recently?

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

Wonderful demonstration. :-)

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

Thank you so much 🙏

[@thierrylerinckx1340]

I love the refinement of these techniques. Thanks for showing and explaining them so well! I know it can be applied to other styles of flies but do you make Tenkara flies?

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

Thank you so much. Sure, as you said, it can be applied to other styles too. As for tenkara, i tied few long time ago, but i kind of embraced some details from them- legs on nymphs going perpendicular to the shank or slightly forwards.... Which improves mobility of fly... And to be honest i dont know much about tenkara flies.... In my world i would just use same flies i am using now 😂

[@thierrylerinckx1340]

@@Oholisfliesandfishing Tenkara are indeed wet flies only. But you are right, this season I will for sure try CDC dry flies with my Tenkara rod like I use weighted nymphs and Perdigon's as well (very good explanations on the Perdigon on your channel, I am a fan)

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

@@thierrylerinckx1340 i have two friends who use mostly those common flies with tenkara rod... They are satisfied. Only downside i can see when needed to dry fly after fish... No enough speed. But if u tie flies in series.... They can dry on a fly patch. Thank you for compliments on my perdigon videos.... I am thinking to do some more. 😀

[@thierrylerinckx1340]

@@Oholisfliesandfishing the Sakasa style (reverse soft hackle) flies are very good for mobility (as you say) when manipulating the fly with the Tenkara rod. The Futsu style (perpendicular hard hackle) are very good for anchoring the fly in eddies and in pockets. In general Tenkara allows for a very good control of the fly beyond the classic dead drift. I am looking forward to see more of your videos. I have adopted the loop dubbing technique from your videos and I will try the woven bodies as soon as I have the embroidery thread. I tried with Veevus floss bus as you said it's too slippery.

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

@@thierrylerinckx1340 i will dig a bit into it since i am not all about dead drift. You probably saw it in my euronymphing videos, which is similar to tenkara in some aspects. Floss becomes very obedient if you wax it 😉 just make sure you are using few shades lighter colour than targeted because wax will darken the thread. But it will mske it more durable too. (paraffin candle works as good as wax abd it darkens it less)

[@rjf1877]

Great video Vladimir, do you strip your own peacock quills ? I started using an eraser to rub off the fibers and it works really well and of course, it is a lot less expensive than the packaged stripped quills. If you get a chance, I would like to see your creations using my two favorite materials, CDC and snowshoe rabbit !! Thanks again, Bob

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

Thanks a lot. I used to strip them. Eraser, bleach... Too time consuming. I prefer to buy them. Especially if i can find some cool colours. I guess i am lazy to do some stuff 😃😃

[@hankvana2149]

Good video Vladimir! Strange that people still use the term "varnish" as everybody uses lacquer (be it called "nail polish" or "head cement" - it's the same stuff). More recently CA glue or UV resin have become my favorites, haven't used (real) varnish or shellac for fly tying in 50 years!

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

Thanks Hank. Glad you like it. Well, i guess its a term I picked up from Oliver Edwards. I was watching his videos as a kid, learned some words... I am not native speaker, english is my second language so i make some mistakes, use wrong or not adequate terms occasionally. And now that i know... I am not sure i would pronounce lacquer correctly 😃😃

[@hankvana2149]

​@@Oholisfliesandfishing Vladimir, it's not just you that uses the term "varnish" for describing head cement - it seems that most tiers do - maybe it's me being too literal and the expression is meant to describe the action rather than the product. Keep on using the term "varnish" - everybody will know what you mean and that is all that matters :-) I expect that the new generation of tiers have picked up the term from watching tiers like Oliver Edwards (love his videos), Davie McPhail and Barry Clarke. Varnish is a (natural based) viscous amber liquid that used to be very popular for wood finishing. It still has it's following (I use it on my canoes) but many people prefer the modern (plastic based) polyurethanes and acrylic finishes. If you have done any wood working you will know that the names for the finishes are constantly being misused and there is a huge confusion as to what is actually in the tin. Cheers!

[@grantbreckell3081]

@@Oholisfliesandfishing If Oliver says it's varnish it's varnish because he is the King,. Cheers

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

@@hankvana2149 cheers, makes it clear now... But, as u said, i will use varnish i guess 😃😃

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

@@grantbreckell3081 sure, one of the best.

[@Nature_FlyFishing]

學習了

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

😃