Q-tips make great tubes. Some years ago Marc Petiitjean showed me a very good way to hold them while tying. Cut one end straight and mushroom the end with a flame. Cut the other end at 45 degrees. Take a length of stiff wire and bend the end 1/8th inch at 90 degrees. Drop the wire into the tube from the angled end. Fix the wire in your vice with the mushroomed end against the jaws. This is a good method as it doesn't rely on friction against the inside of the tube. Once tied remove the fly from the vice and wire. cut the angle off straight and mushroom that end.

By using this you will never get the problem of the thread squashing the tube onto the mandrill. I have had this happen with other methods. It is very disappointing to tie a fly to find the only way to get it off the mandrill is to cut it off.

Cheers,
A.