whip finishers

[mudflaper]

ok maybe a little slow but i cant seem to get it and do you have to use it

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

Not really , you can become proficient with the half hitch. But if you learn it which only really takes about 5 minutes you will have more options and in my opinion it makes a neater fly. Plus when using the half hitch every once in a while you lose grip on the fly and flub the whole thing.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flyt...ers/part6.html

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flyt...ers/part5.html

Here is a video showing how to use the matarelli

http://copperfly.net/fly_tying_videos.php

I find the Matarelli easier to use but your milage may vary .

Easy to learn and quite soon you will wonder why you ever had problems with it.

The more complicated to use Tompson whip finisher is the better one to use when finishing a head near your hackle . It will not so readily trap the long hackle feathers and ruin the fly. It is worthwhile learning how to use it if you do a lot of dry flies.

There are also half hitch tools that you can use.

[Fontinalis]

No you do not have to use a whip finishing tool. You can perform a whip finish with your fingers. Now on the other side, for wet fly tying I prefer to use the whip finishing tool to help form a nice smoothe looking head. All my classic wet flies for show and fishing are done with a Matarelli whip finisher.

Fontinalis
AKA Andy B

[dudley]

It's best to learn to whip finish by hand before you start using the tool

[Joe Valencic]

It's best to learn to whip finish by hand before you start using the tool

...unless your hands have as much callous as mine do from my work. No amount of hand cream ever gets them soft in the winter, so the Matarelli is my friend. I also use half hitch tools for small flies.

Joe

[jmeyerc]

...the Matarelli is my friend. Joe

I also find it hard to use the Thompson whip Finisher, and then i got the Matarelli and i have never looked back - but i must get out the thompson and try again soon. It came as part of 1st kit when i just started out....

i find the hand whip finish is difficult to acheive for me as much as i try to do it - i had an operation on both my hands a few years back and they are still a bit stiff for stuff like this.

Jeanne

[gadabout]

You don't have to use a whip finisher but I think you will get a better result if you do, compared to half hitches. The Materelli is simple to use, but maybe hard to explain how to use it in words. If you can get someone to show you, you will see how simple it is.

[Bugsy]

Whether you whip finish with a tool or by hand, the principle is the same.

Google whip+finish+video and you'll find plenty of videos.

[AlanB]

I believe to be competent a fly tier should choose witch to form a whip finish. If you can't do one method then you can't choose to use the other you are stuck with it. By its very nature a tool is slower. You have to find it each time and sometimes you will drop it on the floor. That of course doesn't matter if speed is not a consideration.

Cheers,
Alan.

[Ray Kunz]

The Materelli is the way to go. The Thompson is more complex to use adding to the fact that it cannot be used by a left handed tyer without a modest but critical modification.