206 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



In the other methods the winding, and the ring, and its 

 keeper are all manipulated in the same way, but the bur- 

 nishing is omitted. The first of these is to wind with silk 

 directly from the spool without waxing, and when the 

 joint is finished to varnish with the same varnish as the 

 rod. The silk, thus swollen by the varnish it absorbs, 

 becomes very tight, and is pasted down and adheres to 

 the rod itself; but every roughness of the silk remains 

 and is increased, so, though it makes the most durable 

 and efficient job, it looks so badly as to overvveigh its 

 advantages. 



The remaining method is to wind without waxing the 

 silk or burnishing, then to wet the wrapping with hot 

 water, and lastly to brush it over with thin glue. The 

 silk must first be wet, or the glue will not penetrate and 

 bind the silk to the wood as it should. This, as inti- 

 mated, fastens the silk securely to the wood, and gives 

 it almost the firmness of a metal band. The original color 

 of the silk, too, is preserved far better than by any other 

 method, and every projecting fibre is glued down smooth- 

 ly. It also stuffs the silk so that at least two less coats 

 of varnish are required to finish. Were it not for the 

 difficulty of handling the slippery silk without neutraliz- 

 ing that property by the aid of the wax, this would be 

 the best method. But taking all things into considera- 

 tion, it is advisable to begin with the first. When you 

 make a split-bamboo then resort to this. 



VARNISHING THE WRAPPINGS. 



This is the concluding step. Use the same varnish 

 recommended for the rod, though it may be thinned even 

 a little more to advantage, at least for the initiatory coat. 

 First, with a small chisel-pointed stick, insert a drop of 



