62 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



clean clothes, to the amount of about a fourth part of 

 the acetone, and shake well. Then allow the mixture 

 to stand and settle. The water will then go to the 

 bottom, and the clear varnish is to be drawn from the 

 top, to be again tested as to whether it will dry clear 

 and firm. If it does not, add a little more benzine and 

 try again. 



A clear drying varnish having been thus obtained, 

 then, and not until then, add about two-thirds of the 

 weight of the dry celluloid taken, of castor-oil, shake 

 well, and give it time to thoroughly mix so as to obtain 

 a uniform product. Then try it on a piece of line. If 

 not tough enough when perfectly dry, which will be in 

 a few hours, add a little more oil. If too soft, add an 

 ounce or two of celluloid solution, and so on until the 

 mixture gives the desired result. If bought celluloid 

 varnish is used, estimate the dry celluloid it contains at 

 about ten per cent. 



Acetone, which is to be used merely as a diluent, may 

 be treated with benzine by itself to eliminate the water 

 it may contain, in which case use twenty-five per cent, 

 of benzine, shake repeatedly, and give plenty of time 

 for the water to precipitate. 



It is to be understood that the foregoing directions 

 are not based upon personal experiment in waterproof- 

 ing fishing-lines with celluloid, but upon the practice in 

 the art of making artificial leathers by coating cotton 

 flannel with celluloid. They are intended, therefore, 

 merely as a guide to experiment, and not as a hard and 

 fast recipe. The coating of those leathers, as nearly as 

 repeated examination and testing allows me to judge, 

 seems to be just the sort of impregnation an enamelled 

 waterproofed line should have, while the mixture has 



