Tips for parachute hackle

[Bucky]

I have the problem whenever I tie a parachute pattern that when tying off the hackle or whip finishing, I often tie down some of the hackle fibers over the eye, no matter how careful I am to pull the hackle back. How do you all keep the parachute hackle from getting caught in these final wraps? Thanks for any help!

[ScottP]

I wrap the hackle with the dull side up so the fibers "cup" up, tie off the hackle with a few wraps at the base of the post, then double half-hitch at the eye. Keeps from trapping any fibers at the eye; haven't had any fail this way.

Regards,
Scott

[Bucky]

Thanks ScottP, I'll have to give that a shot.

[Jayatwork]

Wrap the hackle counter-clockwise looking down from the top. The fibers will be angled away from you, at the eye. When you wrap and whip finish the head, angle the thread 45 degrees, as you wrap over the top. The fibers get brushed out of the way by the thread and don't get trapped.

[Cold]

Whip finish around the base of the post. Problem solved.

[Normand]

use super glue. another way to solve the problem

[Scruffy Fly]

I use Hans Van Klinken's method for whip finishing around the post. It makes the whip finish feel natural and easier to do.

Some of the time I do catch some fibers under the thread but they are never around the eye of the hook. Any trapped fibers are easy to trim off if you want to trim them off since they are not over the eye of the hook.

http://www.rackelhanen.se/eng/10110.htm - see step eight for tying then Klinkhamer Special

Give it a try you may finb you like it also.

[ScottP]

Thanks ScottP, I'll have to give that a shot.

Bucky,

Picture is worth a thousand words and a video is even better (btw - it's Charlie Craven):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_XZlX0mau0

Regards,
Scott

[Gadams]

I'm with Normand. Here's how I do it. First step is to tie in the post/wing. Reinforce the base of the post with several wraps of thread, and add a tiny bit of super glue to the wraps. Tie in the tails and dub the body right up to the head. Tie in the hackle at the base of the post. let the thread hang over the back side of the post. Take the fly out of the vise, and reinsert it 90 deg from the original position, head down. wrap the thread to the top of the post. Wrap the hackle, first wrap tight to the body, and wrap to the top of the post. Tie off hackle, clip off excess. At this point, you could half hitch the thread to the post, but it really isn't needed. Put a small amount of super glue at the tie off point, and allow a minute to dry. Cut off thread, and the fly is done. I tie down to size #26 with this method, and find the resulting flies to be effective and durable, as well as quick and easy to tie.

[Holden Caulfield]

Another vote for tying of at the post.

Even the great Charlie Craven does this now - check out his site...

http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/fly...m?parentID=131