Wax question

[DarrellP]

I was reading another lengthy post on waxes and came across a reference to tying wax vs dubbing wax. Can someone explain the difference and some examples of each? I never knew that rhey were different. Going down the rabbit hole.

[Terrestrial12]

Oh man it is a rabbit hole indeed. I'm not really a historian and don't claim to be THE authority on the subject but I do make and sell waxes and know a fair amount. I would say the differences historically speaking are all kind or relative because everyone had their own recipes and made it how they liked it, with the materials they had, and for the climate they lived in. Generally speaking to me the difference would be.....
Dubbing wax is softer. From pliable, all the way to as soft as something like a Vaseline consistency you couldn't handle without it being in a vessel and is also more "sticky".
Tying wax, cobblers wax, hard wax, whatever you want to call it is typically harder and only softens and gets sticky when warmed with body heat or a lamp. I would describe it as having a "bite" rather than being sticky.
Tying wax is usually sticky enough to use for dubbing, but conversely dubbing wax is typically too soft and isn't really good for general Tying as in waxing primrose silk to a greenwells color, or putting a little on for some bite whole setting a hair wing or wing slips. Hopes this helps but there are no real hard and fast rules and it's kind of like head cements ther are a million different nuanced exceptions and recipes

[Terrestrial12]

Lisenring gives a pretty short but concise description of what he likes in a wax if you have his book. I make both tying and dubbing wax as well as some other folks here. I'm happy to send you some samples if you're not currently tying with wax because you should be haha

[wsbailey]

https://www.rackelhanen.se/eng/10284.ht ... able%20fly.

[DarrellP]

Terrestrial 12, I tried to PM you. Would not accept you name for some reason. I would love samples of your wax. I currently use Bees wax or Wapsi wax. I will gladly pay postage, etc.

Darrell Phillips
7890 NW Westside Rd
Carlton, OR 97111

[DarrellP]

Wsbailey, good article!

[letumgo]

It is also worth noting that Bill Bailey (wsbailey) makes outstanding series of tying waxes (cake fly tyers wax, cobblers was, liquid wax, etc.). I've used them all and highly recommend them.

My other go-to tying wax was one made by our late friend Bill Schuck. He gifted me a disk of the wax many years ago, and I still use it when tying flymphs and creating spun bodies. It works beautifully with silk thread.

I've collected many different waxes over the years, and enjoy learning how to use them for different applications. A very fun "rabbit hole" indeed.

[DUBBN]

Sadly, the disc of wax that Bill gifted me was inadvertently thrown away. My son was tying at my desk and thought it was trash.

[letumgo]

Wayne - That’s a bummer. My disk of Shuck wax could easily be mistaken for trash. It’s all wrapped in aluminum foil, only open on one side. My wife would not think twice before tossing it out. My Bailey tying wax is stored in a little metal storage tin, so it looks more like something to keep.

[DUBBN]

Ray, man that was alot of years ago.