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softbody (plus a complaint about ez-shape sparkle body)

2K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Sprocket 
G
#1 ·
A couple of years ago i bought some stuff called softbody from feathercraft (www.feather-craft.com) that i never got to try before leaving striper land for the PNW. I dumped it on Juro, but i don't know if he ever had a chance to try it out - it's supposed to be something like a non-toxic version of softex, and it comes in two consistencies - thick and thin.

Has anybody tried this out? if so, i'd love to hear about
- what applications, heads, gluing eyes, etc.
- is it stronger than silicone?
- does it stink after it dries?
- does it go cloudy/white after exposure to water?
- ..

The latter issue is my complaint about ez-shape sparkle body - sure it dries into some very nice looking colors, and i've made some killer crab shells, squid bodies and eel/fish heads with it, but take those nice looking flies and fish with them for a few minutes and the stuff turns back to the same milky (practically white) colors that it is when it is in the bottle!
The only way i've been able to prevent that is to overcoat the stuff with a clear liquid vinyl that i got from feather-craft (i think they called it vinyl jig finish) but this is certainly not how the stuff is advertised, and it sure takes the non-toxic nature away from it.

thanks for your feedback,
bill
 
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#2 ·
Bill -

I recently applied the non-toxic softex stuff you gave me over braided bodies for silverside patterns (thick version). It worked fine, although it seemed a touch cloudier than the real softex. Once in the water there was no difference.

But when I sniffed it from the paper bag I didn't lose consciousness! ;-) Seriously, the idea of NOT breathing the toluene was comforting. I appreciate having it now that I am tying those patterns.

I'll bring some of these out for coho soon!
 
#3 ·
me no like

I found the Loon hard head to be extremely cloudy, so I tried the Loon soft head, and it was only a little better. Better, but certainly not clear - I had the same results you report. I now use the softhead to coat knots and such (easier to use than aquaseal because of the bottle and brush built in). Since I rarely fishing salt anymore, I rarely use epoxy on flies, and so haven't settled on an alternative.

good luck, some chemist out there will hopefully be reading this
 
#4 ·
I like the Loon soft-head stuff - it's easy to use, clean up & form.
I have 2 bottles, one thinned & one "straight" - I use the thin stuff for he intermediate steps of flys & the straight for large heads.
It doesn't scuff like hard epoxy & haven't clousered my tips yet...also easy on gelcoats.

my .02,
TMS
 
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