10-28-2008, 11:39 AM
You know what makes this kind of thread difficult? It's the fact that we all do what we do, without thinking it's anything special; that, surely, everybody already knows these things.
The extra bobbin thing is a great idea, if your fingers are geared that way. I have friends who use them for all sorts of material---floss, for instance. Basically, anything that comes on a roll can be applied with a bobbin, and thus minimize wastage.
For me they don't work all that well, as my thread bobbin gets in the way. It's simpler for me to cut a section of wire--floss--other body material---long enough to tie several flies, and work with that. Do I waste some? You betcha. But I shrug it off as a cost of the hobby.
One tip I can offer is to get one or more exacto-type knives to keep on your tying table. Even with the finest scissors it's all but impossible to truly cut thread etc. off flush. Instead, put some tension on it, and touch the exacto blade to the materal. A clean, flush cut every time. This works for most soft body materials, like thread, floss, estaz, chennile, etc. For hard materials, like wire, lead, etc., twist the material back and forth over the tie-down wraps. Metal fatique will cause it to break at that point, without leaving a sharp, pointy edge.
Another tip: To assure sparkle material (tinsel, krystal flash, etc.) used for bodies or ribs is locked down; bend the material back over the tie-down threads, and make another wrap or two over it before trimming off.
If you use epoxy a lot, and don't invest in a drying wheel, shame on you. I've done them one at a time, holding the hook in a pliers and rotating it slowly. To me that ranks with the old Chinese water torture.
To assure spun deer hair is compact, without hurting your fingers, just take the barrel of a ball-point pen and use it to push the bunches of hair tightly together. The hole in the barrel fits over the hook eye.
On body materials made like rope---that is, a thread core holding other material--such as chennile, estaz, etc., strip off a quarter inch or so of the other materials, exposing the central core. Use that to tie the material down, thus reducing both bulk and a sloppy connection.
I'm a big believer in durable flies. So, for everything except drys (which I don't tie, anyway) I use head cement liberally, applying it at almost every tying stage. Tie in some chennile for a body? A drop of cement at the tie-in, as well as the tie-off point. Applying any material for a wing? Hold the bunch in place, apply a drop of cement at the tie-on point, make a soft-wrap and pull it down. And so on. My flies might not be the best. But they never come apart.
Brook
http://www.the-outdoor-sports-advisor.com
[signature]
The extra bobbin thing is a great idea, if your fingers are geared that way. I have friends who use them for all sorts of material---floss, for instance. Basically, anything that comes on a roll can be applied with a bobbin, and thus minimize wastage.
For me they don't work all that well, as my thread bobbin gets in the way. It's simpler for me to cut a section of wire--floss--other body material---long enough to tie several flies, and work with that. Do I waste some? You betcha. But I shrug it off as a cost of the hobby.
One tip I can offer is to get one or more exacto-type knives to keep on your tying table. Even with the finest scissors it's all but impossible to truly cut thread etc. off flush. Instead, put some tension on it, and touch the exacto blade to the materal. A clean, flush cut every time. This works for most soft body materials, like thread, floss, estaz, chennile, etc. For hard materials, like wire, lead, etc., twist the material back and forth over the tie-down wraps. Metal fatique will cause it to break at that point, without leaving a sharp, pointy edge.
Another tip: To assure sparkle material (tinsel, krystal flash, etc.) used for bodies or ribs is locked down; bend the material back over the tie-down threads, and make another wrap or two over it before trimming off.
If you use epoxy a lot, and don't invest in a drying wheel, shame on you. I've done them one at a time, holding the hook in a pliers and rotating it slowly. To me that ranks with the old Chinese water torture.
To assure spun deer hair is compact, without hurting your fingers, just take the barrel of a ball-point pen and use it to push the bunches of hair tightly together. The hole in the barrel fits over the hook eye.
On body materials made like rope---that is, a thread core holding other material--such as chennile, estaz, etc., strip off a quarter inch or so of the other materials, exposing the central core. Use that to tie the material down, thus reducing both bulk and a sloppy connection.
I'm a big believer in durable flies. So, for everything except drys (which I don't tie, anyway) I use head cement liberally, applying it at almost every tying stage. Tie in some chennile for a body? A drop of cement at the tie-in, as well as the tie-off point. Applying any material for a wing? Hold the bunch in place, apply a drop of cement at the tie-on point, make a soft-wrap and pull it down. And so on. My flies might not be the best. But they never come apart.
Brook
http://www.the-outdoor-sports-advisor.com
[signature]