anyone help? (knots)

[spoof85]

got a question.. i have a Matarelli finisher, and a Thompson finisher.
i wrap my thread counter clockwise, (lefty) the Thompson finisher instructs you to rotate clockwise around the eye... i assume by finishing clockwise against the counter clockwise wraps is as good as pissing in the wind...
if i put a few half hitch loops in.. say three... is that enough to reverse the direction? or should i just stick to the Matarelli finisher? or do they make a counter clock Thompson? anyone got any ideas?

hoping for help,
spoof

[Allan]

Yes! Learn to wrap your thread clockwise throughout the tying process.

Allan

[ScottP]

I almost always half-hitch but when I do use a whip finish, I do it by hand; hands don't care if you're tying clockwise or counter.

Regards,
Scott

[Steven]

This is too hard to see in my head, but just one half-hitch should be enough to allow you to reverse the thread.

[spoof85]

Allan, learning to wrap everything clockwise would be awkward, im left handed so the vise and eye of hook are too the left...

Scott, i always do half-hitch's throughout, safer that way! lol i also whip finish with my hands, but sometimes the fly calls for a Thompson...

i agree Steven, but by reversing the thread you create a weak point, or so i think.... i always do at least 3 half hitch's (by hand) before whip finishing, it seems to give the thread the chance to lock the knots together.....

[ScottP]

Spoof,

Sorry I couldn't help. I tie for speed and I tie for myself and a double half-hitch (+ a little Sally Hanson) is just about all I ever need. Hope you find your answer.

Regards,
Scott

[herefishy]

I think if you are wrapping left handed, you can just follow the directions for the clockwise whip finish.

[skondolf]

Spoof -

I'm a left-hand tyer myself and usually I do a few half-hitches at the end and don't bother with a whip finish at all.

Most tying instructions assume a right-hand tyer so wrap directions are geared to them. Don't get hung up so much on the DIRECTION of the whip finish. The concept here is that you want to wrap the whip finish the same way as you've been wrapping the thread on the fly. So a left-hand tyer is wrapping the thread on the hook in a counter-clockwise direction (using your left hand to wrap the bobbin) so when you do the whip finish using the Matarelli tool you'll wrap that in the same counter-clockwise direction.

I know there are issues with how thread is manufactured and the twist that forms during the process. And I've read a left-hand tyer is actually 'unwinding' the thread as they wrap on a hook but IMO I don't know how much it really affects the tying process or the end result. And you can always spin your bobbin to re-tighten your thread if necessary.

And remember, us lefties are the only one's in our RIGHT MIND!

[spoof85]

Spoof,

Sorry I couldn't help. I tie for speed and I tie for myself and a double half-hitch (+ a little Sally Hanson) is just about all I ever need. Hope you find your answer.

Regards,
Scott

thanks for the input, every post helps i just tried to wrap a scud clockwise.... half was clockwise, half was counter... lol damn muscle memory!!

[spoof85]

ha that funny couse' we are more right brained and left, and right mind..ha....lol (slight chuckle)
i honestly dont trust my half-hitches... i always feel like im doing them wrong, maybe i am....
i do use a matarelli finisher, hell the first one i had was fashioned out of a clothes hanger, (looked bought too)
but im mainly talking about the thompson finisher.... designed to go clockwise.... none of my flies have fallen apart yet..... yet... lol
lefty's unite!!!
spoof