Best sealant for a tubular tyre?

Rather than replacing what look like almost new tubular tyre, could I use a latex (or any other?) sealant to mend small, circa 3mm cut caused by a thorn?

Tyres are lowly Vittoria Rally, replacements are stuck in international post...

Can't unstich it and patch?

If so, Vittoria used to sell a combined sealant / inflator thing.

I've used the Effetto Mariposa tubeless sealant with success on some dugast tubs before.

In the tubeless thread a few people have recommended this https://www.gardenhirespares.co.uk/1991-genuine-oko-tyre-puncture-sealant-1-25-litres.html so that might be worth trying

It appears bloody Rallys can't be treated with sealant after all thanks to non-removeable valve 😳

Can't unstich it and patch?

I've done pretty much everything on a bike aside from suspension overhaul and this.

Anyone know a good how-to they can link? Can't find Corsas with the anthracite sidewall anymore...

Try tire worm covered in loctite powerflex. It may not work at tubular pressures

Anyone know a good how-to

I rang a bloke who provides a mending service and he gave me a great tip. But I can't remember it. Here's a guy who does it without removing or unstitching the tyre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGdYntNxK6g&t=321s

I somehow managed it just fine as a teen nearly 40 years ago. My primary-school sewing skills came in handy.

It was fairly straightforward. Pull off around 10-15 cm of backing tape; unstitch enough exposed stitching to work on the tube; patch the tube; add a touch of talc; resew the carcass, going through the original holes and overlapping a couple of stitches at either end; restick the backing tape with copydex. More faff than changing a tube, but priceless for the skint teen that I was.

Did you remove the whole tyre from the wheel, or just the bit with the puncture? Was it hard to find the puncture?

Yes, remove the whole tub first. The punctures were obvious ones, as I remember. Tubs take a load more pressure than tubes, so the puncture should be easy to find. Check for dodgy valves first, obvs.

Some people claim not to remove the whole tyre. What do you reckon?

I guess it's feasible. Keeps most of the tub seated.
I always punctured out on a ride, so I'd already stuck the spare on anyway.

How do you patch a latex tube, anyway?

Normal patches are supposed to work but the best solution I've been told is to use an old piece of latex tube as the patch, because it remains supple unlike a butyl rubber patch which is substantially less flexible.

Hmm, definitely something I'd want to practice before sewing a tubular back up...

Dunno about sealant but i got into sewing up punctured tubs a few years back.
A right fucking hassle. But technically not difficult and rather satisfying.
Always had the tubs off as they had been swapped as lesterama describes; I used normal patches as i wasn't using posh tubs and they were fine.

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posh tubs

Be mad to bother with em these days if they weren't posh, but I sure wish mine had butyl tubes... latex is just silly.

latex is just silly

It would help if there was a good mini pump with built-in pressure gauge.* Track pumps are not very packable. Scope Atmoz might be nice if it wasn't the price of a bike.

*Maybe there is https://www.cyclist.co.uk/reviews/lezyne-digital-pressure-drive-mini-pump-review

They were dark days. At no point in the future will I do anything like that again.