NCP Thread & Color Preserver

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I've noticed some talk on the INTERNET from the East Coast saying that color preserver, from now on called "CP" and NCP thread were both bad and should never be used. NCP thread was bad because it was very porous and soaked up finish like a sponge, and also because the color in the thread had no sparkle or life to it. Now NCP stands for "NO COLOR PRESERVER" (required) but does not mean that it cannot be used. In my opinion, if you like the look of nicely burnished (smoothed and flattened) NCP thread, which if done properly will look like it isn't even thread but a plastic sheath, then you should go ahead and use it. It is also okay to use CP on NCP thread. You will not soak up quite so much finish, plus it preserves the color, as NCP will typically darken somewhat if no CP is used. So if you like the look of NCP thread, I think you should use it, no matter what other people might say. Make your own rules.

It is not an absolute requirement that you either use or don't use color preserver on your rod. If you do not use it, you will have a much stronger bond between your rod blank, guide and thread. This is both a plus and a minus. The minus side is that if you ever want to move or replace a guide it is darn near impossible to remove in most cases. Many fly rod builders use this technique to produce beautiful and strong wrappings on their products.

Color preserver does exactly what it says in the literature. You apply two to four coats of CP, allowing it to dry between coats and then apply the rod finish that you prefer. The CP will act as a sealer that keeps the finish from actually penetrating into the thread. Now the CP can be used and not used in combinations with regular and NCP thread to create different effects that can be quite striking. You can underwrap your guides and then color preserve them. Then overwrap with a regular thread and finish the top wrap without CP. This gives you a beautiful effect as regular thread turns translucent without color preserver. To see or visualize what the wrap will look like, CP the underwrap, do your overwrap as planned then wet the overwrap with water. This is what the finished wrap will look like except for the depth and gloss of the finish coat. This same effect can be done by done by triple wrapping using a metallic thread as the middle wrap. Then overwrap this metallic thread with the desired regular nylon and finish, this can also be quite striking. Just remember this rule, the darker the regular thread the less translucent it will be. Also any regular thread will darken or take on the color that is underneath it when no color preserver is applied. Next month we will finish up on with this subject.