The hooks with these foams are there to give an idea of scale – size 18 with the opaque foam (top), size 14 (bottom) with the translucent.

Foam is a relatively new tying material, and its most obvious characteristic is it floats. However, foam is also elastic, cuts easily and exactly and, depending on the type of foam, ties well. To me, that means it crushes down under thread pressure without cutting or tearing too easily. In theory we could cut strips from thick foam blocks if the cell size was small enough; in fact, the thickness of the sheet and the cell size matter quite a bit.

Razor Foam comes in two types, cut in several thicknesses. Opaque Razor foam has very small cells and a smooth surface, making it ideal for small fly bodies. The sample packet has half a dozen strips in three colours (tan, yellow and lime or chartreuse) and two thicknesses (thin and thinner.) Cut to size and tied in, this is a relatively tough foam, not too easily cut by thread and it crushes down nicely. The colours and texture suits making dry fly bodies and the like, and it takes marker pen well.

Translucent Razor Foam has slightly larger cells, the samples are darker more muted colours, black, olive and dun, the thinner sheets could make wings, the thicker sheets suggest beetles, nymphs and the like. Cut to size and tied in, this foam seems a fraction more fragile, more prone to cutting under thread pressure. However, it seems more buoyant and more elastic, and, with a little care, ties in easily.

Both versions of Razor Foam are suitable for a good range of hook sizes, both are very useful tying materials.