Hello all!
Recently I have been trying to tie flies in the smaller hook range (20-30). Frustrating to say the least. Anyhow, I find when I smash down the barb it breaks rather than bends. Is this common with smaller hook sizes?
Bending barbs
Hello all!
Recently I have been trying to tie flies in the smaller hook range (20-30). Frustrating to say the least. Anyhow, I find when I smash down the barb it breaks rather than bends. Is this common with smaller hook sizes?
Trout don't speak Latin.
Are you using Dai Riki hooks? That's a problem with their big and brittle barbs.
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Jude
Small flies work best. Elephants eat peanuts.
www.customflys.com
if yer bending the barb down perpendicular to the hook you can break the point off. I pinch 'em parallel to the shank and haven't had any problems.
mgj
I do the same as mikeytwoshoes and have no problem at all. I use my vise to do it witht he fine jaws in for the smaller hooks.
I also use Dai-Riki hooks a lot and have no problems with them. Maybe you are just doing it at the wrong angle Jude? Ron
I mainly use Tiemco hooks. I do bend the barbs down perpendicular to the hook as mikeytwoshoes stated. I was taught not to bend parallel to the shank because of the potential for breaking off or damaging the point. I will give mikeytwoshoes suggestion a try.
Trout don't speak Latin.
Ron,
Nope, I was taught long ago to bend the barbs at the same angle as the hooks point. I've just had bad luck with smaller Dai Rikis lately. The eyes on some aren't completely closed, and the barbs are bigger, and harder to pinch down, than the micro barbs of Tiemco or Daiichi.
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Jude
Small flies work best. Elephants eat peanuts.
www.customflys.com
Ok, would someone draw a word picture for me regarding the terminology, "...bending the barb down perpendicular to the hook"?
I bend down the barbs so that they lay down in the same line as they were before I bent them. How/why would you bend them any other way ?
For what it's worth, I too use Tiemco hooks a lot and the barbs breaking off is a common occurrance.
- Gary
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"Catch 'em all ~ Put 'em back!"
Visit [url=http://www.warmwaterangler.net:98e96]Warmwater Angler[/url:98e96]
They are saying (I believe) that you should have the jaws of your smashing implement (vice, pliers, etc) in line with the point of the hook and not laying across the hook.
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Fish more, work less!
And that doesn't damage the point of the hook?
- Gary
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"Catch 'em all ~ Put 'em back!"
Visit [url=http://www.warmwaterangler.net:97c82]Warmwater Angler[/url:97c82]
This might not be that big of a deal but what are you using to pinch the barb? pliers,or hemostats? I find that If I use a pair of hem o's they work better for me then pliers do. As they flex a little more or use your vise as others have said. This is why a extra pair of hem o's stay on my tying table just for the pinching of barbs and other fly tying activities.I pick mine up for 2 bucks a pair at the local bait shop they are made in Pakistan Later Matt
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To each there own !
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