Does glue/head cement affect action of a fly?

[downriver79]

I've got some commercially tied Hoh-Bo speys that have no cement on the thread at the front. I got a fresh one snagged between some rocks the other day and must've compromised the whip finish and caused the thread to start unraveling. I was thinking of coating the rest with a thin layer of Loctite gel super glue as a preventative measure. Is there any reason, from a performance standpoint, not to do this? I'm assuming the manufacturer (Solitude) didn't apply any as a means to save $, but just wanted to check with those of you who actually know a thing or two about tying flies. Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[Stonedfish]

As a big user of Hard as Nails and UV cures, I’d say no. Both certainly help flies withstand a beating.
SF

 

[Herkileez]

I'd noticed Hard as Nails still has a scent a couple of days after tying, and figured: If I can smell it, I'm sure the fish can too.
I've stopped H as N using in favour of super glue (or UV coating , if I need a built-up head).

 

[GAT]

When I was using head cement, I used Hard as Nails. Nowadays I don't use any head cement because most of my still water patterns have a bead head and I double or triple whip finish to keep the thread in place. So far, the multiple whip finish technique works fine.

 

[Stonedfish]

I'd noticed Hard as Nails still has a scent a couple of days after tying, and figured: If I can smell it, I'm sure the fish can too.
I've stopped H as N using in favour of super glue (or UV coating , if I need a built-up head).

No doubt it has a smell, but I’ve caught hundreds of coho and searun cutts over the years on flies smothered with it. Maybe it is the head cement equivalent to WD-40.
SF

 

[fatbillybob]

I carry that little bottle of loon UV cure in my pack. It's great when you have a fly that needs mending on the water. It cures in the sunlight in a couple seconds and you are fishing again.

 

[clarkman]

I like to use pro cure scent (I dunno if that's even a brand) to cover the scent of my Sally Hansen's....works great! actually local mud does.

seriously though, I use SH on all of my flies, even the capr ones. I'll bet that once that first fish eats it, it smells more like fish, not SH.

As far as affecting action of the fly, yes, the SH I use on the heads of my musky flies is very intentional with how and where I apply it to both hold the thread wraps together and form the very front end of the head a little better to help it push water. For that, it usually takes several coatings to get it just right.