Finishing Thread With Fingernail Polish

[tacklecrafter]

I was wondering if anyone has ever finished the thread of a jig or fly with black fingernail polish. Here is a picture of my black bucktail. I'd like the thread to shine a little like the head. I always use head cement. I've seen ants and other flies that are very glossy. Anyone with info let me know. I also have made a video of me tying this jig. As soon as I figure out how to edit the video I'll post it on you tube.

[bassrecord]

I was wondering if anyone has ever finished the thread of a jig or fly with black fingernail polish. Here is a picture of my black bucktail. I'd like the thread to shine a little like the head. I always use head cement. I've seen ants and other flies that are very glossy. Anyone with info let me know. I also have made a video of me tying this jig. As soon as I figure out how to edit the video I'll post it on you tube.

I'm not an authority on woman's fingernail polish - red, black, clear or any color, but I have applied lots of head cement. I tie mostly bass bugs that must take tremendous punishment and I want my thread wrapped heads to hold up under the damage. So with the data you posted, here's a start.

There are two types of head cements, water based and solvent based. As a general rule they both are about as durable and both penetrate within the thread. From my experience, since tying threads have wax, or a petroleum product, the solvent based head cements penetrate wrapped thread deeper and allow a subsequent material coating to penetrate deeper and hold better than water based head cements. So a solvent based black fingernail polish would be stronger than a water based black fingernail polish.

However the head cement products are sold to protect thread wrapping, and are not sold to be extra glossy. Over the years instead of head cement, many fly tiers use Sally Hansen clear fingernail polish. I have used Sally Hansen Hard As Nails clear glossy for a head cement. It meets all my needs. I have used one of her reds but not any of her blacks. Sally's polish comes in various blacks which may meet your needs.

You should be able to get a uniform glossy coat two ways. Use Sally's Extreme Nail black and coat your entire jig, or use Sally's Hard As Nails clear coat to coat the entire jig. My guess is it all depends upon how glossy you want glossy to be <g>

Hope this helps. Good luck!

John

[HellRAISER]

I was wondering if anyone has ever finished the thread of a jig or fly with black fingernail polish. Here is a picture of my black bucktail. I'd like the thread to shine a little like the head. I always use head cement. I've seen ants and other flies that are very glossy. Anyone with info let me know. I also have made a video of me tying this jig. As soon as I figure out how to edit the video I'll post it on you tube.

The Fingernail Polish is to hard, and it seems that in long run it have's te downside to crack or chip away

[Peterjay]

Yeah, what John said. "Sally Hansen Hard As Nails With Nylon" nail polish is probably the best head cement on the planet. I use multiple coats of clear when I don't feel like messing with epoxy. I wrap all my my saltwater fly heads with Krystal Flash under Sally Hansen or epoxy, and it makes for a nice iridescent effect. All the saltwater guys I know use Sally Hansen, and judging from what I see on flytying forums, it's used extensively in other parts of the country as well. Very tough stuff. BTW, coloring epoxy is also very easy if you'd want to try that.

[garyo1954]

I was reading a European forum about their use of nail lacquer as a top coat. Naturally my 15 year old wasn't happy when dad waltzed into the women's department and started reading labels, but once I start giving him advice on the products his girlfriend should be using he'll appreciate my curiosity.

I bought four products, Sally Hansen, Arissa, Nailene, and L.A. Colors that claim 'high gloss' or 'ultra high shine,' quickly setting the colors, fast drying, no chipping and no yellowing.

Those fish may be confused, but probably more impressed, with "Green tea enhanced" or "with Diamond Powder" stuff.

Fashion conscious fish will appreciate the "Formulated in France label."

The eco-conscious fish will love the "not tested on animals label." That will reassure them this is not a test when they are about to bite that hook.

My personal favorite is "Formulated in France - Assembled in the PROC" label.

That almost sounds like a valley girl argument.

"Made in China?"

"No! Assembled in the PROC." (People's Republic of China)

LOL

Just my opinion but I can't see see a downside.

Edited February 28, 2010 by garyo1954

[Peterjay]

I was reading a European forum about their use of nail lacquer as a top coat. Naturally my 15 year old wasn't happy when dad waltzed into the women's department and started reading labels, but once I start giving him advice on the products his girlfriend should be using he'll appreciate my curiosity.

I bought four products, Sally Hansen, Arissa, Nailene, and L.A. Colors that claim 'high gloss' or 'ultra high shine,' quickly setting the colors, fast drying, no chipping and no yellowing.

Those fish may be confused, but probably more impressed, with "Green tea enhanced" or "with Diamond Powder" stuff.

Fashion conscious fish will appreciate the "Formulated in France label."

The eco-conscious fish will love the "not tested on animals label." That will reassure them this is not a test when they are about to bite that hook.

My personal favorite is "Formulated in France - Assembled in the PROC" label.

That almost sounds like a valley girl argument.

"Made in China?"

"No! Assembled in the PROC." (People's Republic of China)

LOL

Just my opinion but I can't see see a downside.

Gary, I'd probably save the green tea and diamond powder for brown trout. Bass and pike are much less snooty, and are more apt to settle for something less sophisticated. I think I'll go "assemble" myself a cup of coffee. I believe it was "formulated" in Columbia, if I'm not mistaken.

[LedHed]

These jigs have a couple of coats of "wet n wild" clear and nail hardner...

[Jig Man]

I have been using only hard as nails polish for many years when I thread tie any jig. It is fast easy and cheap.

[Braided Line]

I read something about using FINGERNAIL

polish to "finish" with the other day and I`ve go

to say, I never gave that a thought.

Looks like some have tried it so maybe i`ll give it a go. Maybe,,

[Peterjay]

Check out the cosmetics department at Walmart. They have some wild colors, some with glitter, some pearl, in various brands. Only a couple of bucks apiece. Put two or three coats of clear Hard As Nails over the colors and it adds a nice professional touch. Back in the 1940's and 50's a lot of surfcasters in our area made their own tin jigs; they often dressed the hook and used red nail polish on the heads. They used to say it made the lure look like a wounded baitfish, but I suspect a lot of them were secretly painting their toenails. Guess we'll never know for sure.

[tacklecrafter]

Thanks for the information, I heard of people trying it but I have never myself. I will let you all know how I make out. I just hope when I get the nail polish the cashier doesn't look at me funny.

Check out the cosmetics department at Walmart. They have some wild colors, some with glitter, some pearl, in various brands. Only a couple of bucks apiece. Put two or three coats of clear Hard As Nails over the colors and it adds a nice professional touch. Back in the 1940's and 50's a lot of surfcasters in our area made their own tin jigs; they often dressed the hook and used red nail polish on the heads. They used to say it made the lure look like a wounded baitfish, but I suspect a lot of them were secretly painting their toenails. Guess we'll never know for sure.

[Kelkay]

I have used black nail polish on many of my flies in the past. If it is a cheap brand, I would use it, but I would add another coat of clear Sally's on top of that. Black polish gives off a better black shine I think. Also to consider is Loon's Hard Head. It comes in a solid black too. I thin it with 50/50 rubbing alcohol, or denatured alcohol, and put it on the head. I then spin it on the fly dryer. Let it dry two hours, and then you can re-coat. If you spin the fly with the nail polish too, I think it looks better. If you use a solid black Sally's nail polish there is no need to put more than one or two coats on, unless you want the fly to be extra showy. Another thing you might do is mix up some epoxy, and then dribble in a little black nail polish, and coat the head, then spin. It also is a fantastic way to produce a very glossy, showy looking head. (in my opinion)

I learned about the spinning of the coats, and using alcohol from a friend who has been tying a long time. That is the old traditional way to do it, and it looks GREAT.

[Peterjay]

The only problem I've had with using black (or any color) head cement is that if you get so much as a drop on the materials behind the head , it ruins the appearance of the fly. Sometimes it'll even creep back on its own if I'm not super careful. Another way of getting a really showy head is to wrap it with Krystal Flash, then follow with epoxy or multiple coats of clear Sally Hansen. I do almost all of my saltwater and freshwater streamer heads this way, and it never fails to draw comments from people I show them to. Adds a really nice touch.

[Kelkay]

I would like to see a photo if you have one on hand. I have never seen this on a fly head before, sounds cool.

The only problem I've had with using black (or any color) head cement is that if you get so much as a drop on the materials behind the head , it ruins the appearance of the fly. Sometimes it'll even creep back on its own if I'm not super careful. Another way of getting a really showy head is to wrap it with Krystal Flash, then follow with epoxy or multiple coats of clear Sally Hansen. I do almost all of my saltwater and freshwater streamer heads this way, and it never fails to draw comments from people I show them to. Adds a really nice touch.

[Peterjay]

Sure, I'll be happy to photograph a few and post the pics in the next day or two, describing the technique. I got the idea from Lefty's original pattern book. He has a deceiver tied with a red Krystal Flash head and it really caught my eye.