?Hackle Guard?

[Lotech]

When I tie flies, I have a real problem keeping hackle fibers out of the whip finished head. I find myself picking hackles fibers out of the finished head with tweezers before I apply head cement. I'm curious about how to use a "Hackle Guard." I use a Matarelli Whip finish tool, but that takes two hands for me to use. If I use a "Hackle Guard" how should I keep track of all my hands?
Silly question looking for an intelligent answer.

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Lotech,

I think that just about all fly tyers have the same problem from time to time. One solution that is helpful is not to crowd the eye of the hook. Try and leave some room between your last wrap of hackle and the eye of the hook as they do on Catskill-style dry flies. The other solution that I use is a set of three hackle guards that came with my first Herter's fly tying kit. They are nothing more than three, slightly-cone-shaped pieces of metal with center holes for different sized hook eyes . Different styles and types of hackle guards are still available. I use them only when I seem to be winding down a lot of hackle. Good luck! 8T

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Joe,

Best bet is to contact Al Beatty. He had a way of using them that actually made sense. I'm still using my fingers to make one or two tight wrap in front of the hackle to keep the barbs back, then whip finishing.

Here's a Black on Black Spider. Brown Pearsall's silk waxed till almost black, black hen hackle wrapped close to the eye with a three turn whip finish in front of the hackle.



For me, the key is keeping a tight wrap against the hackle to control it.

REE

[Panman]

Joe: Here is a simple and free solution - at least it works for me. Get yourself some drinking straws of various diameter. Cut them in pieces about 1/4 inch long or shorter. Take one piece and stick it on the stem of your bobbin. When you get ready to finish the fly slide the straw piece up the thread and cover the hackle. I would not be without this most valuable yet free tool. Have different sizes ready for different sizes of flies.

Tim

[WarrenP]

What Panman said....that's what I do and it works just fine...

[ducksterman]

Well if you are like me and forget to put them on your bobbin you can have a slit along their length and slip them on afterwords..................................in fact I don't ever put them on the bobbin.

[alra195]

I'm with Tim and Warren on this one. A short section of straw over the bobbin can be a real help. I've collected a variety of sizes from the various fast food places over the last several years. My wife thought I was crazy when I was putting a half dozen straws in my pocket every time we went out to eat.

It's just possible she right about the crazy part but the straws work well for keeping hackles out of your whip finishing. A good, no cost trick worth trying out.

[Gringo]

Or an old paintbrush with the fibres removed, or a pen with the ink bit out, or a tying tool for that purpose. Some flies that have the crowded heads like humpies I don't bother to do any more without one.

[Greg H]

I have used a hackle guard that is 5 holes on a tin 'bar'. After securing the hackle (held in fingers) with a couple of firm wraps I apply the hackle guard for about 4 more wraps. That usually keeps fibres out of the way. Then I can put down the hackle guard and whip finish.
However for a few years I have been wrapping hackle this way . If you seesaw the thread as you wrap forward (maybe a little slowly), no hackle is trapped and once at the eye all you have to do is whip finish. At that point there is nothing to bind down or cover up. I have converted a few others in our club to the same method.

[Steven]

When I tie flies, I have a real problem keeping hackle fibers out of the whip finished head. I find myself picking hackles fibers out of the finished head with tweezers before I apply head cement. I'm curious about how to use a "Hackle Guard." I use a Matarelli Whip finish tool, but that takes two hands for me to use. If I use a "Hackle Guard" how should I keep track of all my hands?
Silly question looking for an intelligent answer.

Presumably it takes 2 hands because you are holding the bobbin?

If you have a bobbin with a knob in front like a Renzetti Traveller or DanVise, you have an automatic third hand.

Assuming you're a right handed tier, get your Matarelli all set up with the thread hooked up, then hook the bobbin over the knob. This will free your left hand to hold back the hackle.