Two questions from reading other threads

[Flyfisher for men]

Reading other threads, I don't exactly understand what dubbing wax does. Also, I am a priest and have been cleaning out an old chapel storage closet. There's some old pieces of candles (enough to fill a box) that I was going to throw out. Church candles are normally a high percentage of beeswax and some of these I know are 100%. Should I save them?

Next question: I have some felt pieces I used on a couple of basic nymphs. I'm new to this and the flies look like something only a starved bluegill could love. Looking at it with my inexperienced eye, though, the felt doesn't appear to be the right material to give the nymph the woolly/crinkly look of gills and legs. Is that anyone else's experience or is it probably my due to my inexperience as a tyer?

[Terry Beeson]

Dubbing wax is used to help hold the dubbing material to the thread while tying. I don't think it does much afterwards, but may help hold it on the fly a bit longer during use. Beeswax is a pretty good dubbing wax, so keep a few of those candle pieces for sure. I don't use dubbing wax. I think my syliva must have some waxy substance in it because I have never had the need for wax for my dubbing...

Felt for a nymph? I'm not sure how you are using it. I would think that maybe running a bit of felt in a coffee grinder (one that has the two blades similar to a food processor or blender) might make pretty good dubbing. But felt might be a bit "limp" compared to other dubbing material. If you are looking for a more spiky look, try blending in some beard trimmings with your dubbing. I'll be glad to donate some in a couple of weeks...

With that in mind, there are a couple million dubbing recipes out there to give your fly the look you are looking for.

[Flyfisher for men]

Thanks for the reply, Terry.

I think you're right about the felt being too limp. It's very wispy. I'll play around with some other materials and see what happens.

[Danoinark]

Rev

Some of the yarns that you can pickup in hobby shops or notions areas would work for nymph bodies, etc.

Dano

[gonefishin]

Wax is what our ears and Bees make. Terry never has to use dubbing wax because he spends a lot of time with his finger in his ear.

Felt is a feeling: Terry felt the hook when stuck way down deep in his waxed finger.