FLYMPH FORUM

Threads about Tups always get me fired up and the current one is no different. I was going to tie a few with Mike Valla's dubbing blend and post some pictures for those who were asking about it. I find lisenring's process for dressing the tups kind of tedious but I was going to do it his way but got to wondering if you guys are using real buttonhole twist or a substitute. Separating out a single strand or 2 Guterman silk looks like it would be as good as anything. I typically just use a single strand of silk floss if I'm going to tie it by lisenring's method, but honestly I think it's kind of dumb and usually just use silk thread for the whole thing. Anyway let me know what yall are using? I love the hunt for the perfect material as much as tying or fishing the fly. It's an addiction all its own.

This article gives a suggestion for buttonhole twist that you might be able to find on eBay or Etsy.

http://softhacklepatternbook.blogspot.c ... nymph.html

I find Belding #3030 to be a good match.

You can find Buttonhole twist in many places (Ebay/Etsy/garage sales/antique shops/church bazaars (look or ask for old sewing kits). I've got a small collection that I use for tying. Some colors are more useful than others (still haven't used the lavender I picked up one time - must have been an Easter sale).

You can also get modern versions of buttonhole silk thread from Superior Thread company.

Link: https://www.superiorthreads.com/thread/ ... t/c/60-212

Terrestrial12 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 7:45 am Threads about Tups always get me fired up and the current one is no different. I was going to tie a few with Mike Valla's dubbing blend and post some pictures for those who were asking about it. I find lisenring's process for dressing the tups kind of tedious but I was going to do it his way but got to wondering if you guys are using real buttonhole twist or a substitute. Separating out a single strand or 2 Guterman silk looks like it would be as good as anything. I typically just use a single strand of silk floss if I'm going to tie it by lisenring's method, but honestly I think it's kind of dumb and usually just use silk thread for the whole thing. Anyway let me know what yall are using? I love the hunt for the perfect material as much as tying or fishing the fly. It's an addiction all its own.

I swear, there is something completely addictive about Tup's dubbing. Like today; cold, gloomy, everything is a giant glacier... I just want to make a fresh pot of coffee and go into the tying cave with a pile of material and a spice mill and start re-inventing the wheel.

Letumgo-yes etsy is a great source for many silk threads and flosses. I met a lady with an etsy shop that is a costume maker and has a TON of English silks. She was getting so many requests from fly tyers she started carding her silks off the old bulk spools for us. As Mr. Bailey suggested Belding looks pretty damn close too and you can find the real thing. My thinking tho if you're separating out a single strand anyway and it's close to the right color how much different could the real buttonhole twist actually be from what I'm currently using or from something like guterman silk I can get at he craft store? But as I mentioned earlier I think I think lisenring's dressing is kind of unnecessarily tedious. Why not just run your working silk back all the way then stop at the half way mark and do the thorax? Why take the time and effort of separating and using a second silk of the same color?
Mike- I TOTALLY get what you mean! I have a batch of tubs dubbing I made following the authentic recipe and a batch using Mike vallas wool recipe but I still find myself always tinkering around with different blends anytime a tups topic comes up. It never gets old! I got a real thrill out of finding and dying all the original ingredients. Such a cool fly

Also what was the actual original? Coats and Clark? And what size was it? I'm actually seeing a ton of options. Also....am I the only child that reads "butthole" EVERY TIME no matter how many times I see it listed hahaha. I can't be the only immature one

Mike62 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 9:08 am

Terrestrial12 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 7:45 am Threads about Tups always get me fired up and the current one is no different. I was going to tie a few with Mike Valla's dubbing blend and post some pictures for those who were asking about it. I find lisenring's process for dressing the tups kind of tedious but I was going to do it his way but got to wondering if you guys are using real buttonhole twist or a substitute. Separating out a single strand or 2 Guterman silk looks like it would be as good as anything. I typically just use a single strand of silk floss if I'm going to tie it by lisenring's method, but honestly I think it's kind of dumb and usually just use silk thread for the whole thing. Anyway let me know what yall are using? I love the hunt for the perfect material as much as tying or fishing the fly. It's an addiction all its own.

I swear, there is something completely addictive about Tup's dubbing. Like today; cold, gloomy, everything is a giant glacier... I just want to make a fresh pot of coffee and go into the tying cave with a pile of material and a spice mill and start re-inventing the wheel.

Mike I know feeling , every year I do the same thing! I pullout my multiple Tup’s dubbings and remix different materials to get the elusive color and translucency ! One thing that I have noticed through the years that my blends have more of a yellow cast to them. Many of the commercial blends IMHO have to much red in there blends. I also have focused on getting the lemon yellow spaniel hair, no easy feat because the lemon yellow color also varies widely.

Lou

Mike- I totally agree. commercial blends and really most other people that aren't total nerds like we are this forum are either much too red or much too pink. Or just basically a spectral pink. I'm really surprised that a man like lisenring who paid attention to every little detail missed the mark so badly. Or at least in my opinion he did. I would have thought he would be the type to have the original or have to blend with several components and textures but nope. I'm sure it still performs very well but I've always found that kinda curious. Also for me the lemon spaniel was the one thing I couldn't locate. Ball hair....seal fetus...no problem. Common dog...nope! Hahaha I saw a listing I think here that said something like ginger or red spaniel. Something other that "lemon"