Is there a “right” direction to twisting your dubbing onto the thread? I put mine on counterclockwise, but it kind of looks like it unwinds as I turn it onto the hook.
herefishy… what happens when you put it on clockwise?
Hummm I’ve never once given this any thought…But after running the way I dub through my minds eye…I always dub clockwise…weather this would make any difference…I have no clue…what of the tyer who ties left handed…???..I’m sure he dubs in a counter clockwise manner!?
what of the direction of the threads twist!?..Humm…I am now going to stop thinking of this…as I’m the type to worry of things!..
After watching Poul Jorgenson (on video) dub his flies I realized the twist direction does make a difference. Dubbing twisted in one direction and then wound on the fly will untwist, the other direction will twist tighter. Simply try it both ways and see which direction works best.
If the dubbing twist is getting too tight during the winding, simply release your grip on the thread and allow the dubbing to relax. Continue this as you go and you’re able to control the thickness of your bodies.
To tighten the body a bit you can always give the dubbing a twist in the same direction as the winding after it’s on the hook.
Hope this helps…
There’s almost nothin’ wrong with the first lie, it’s the weight of all the others holdin’ it up that gets ya’! - Tim
[This message has been edited by MOturkE (edited 04 February 2006).]
Diane, it seems to loosen its hold on the thread.The only thing I have seen definitive, though was on the RS2 site, and he said wind it clockwise, then wind the first turn, then wind it counter clockwise. I just thought maybe it was intuitively obvious which way would work better.
My natural tedency is to twist the dubbing on in a countercrosswise direction as you look down on the fly. Reading that it is better to go the other direction (clockwise)because as the dubbing is wrapped on the hook, it tightens rather than unwraps, I felt this is something I had better learn to do. Although it seemed unnatual to me, I learned to do it this way. To me the difference is hardly noticable and now do it both ways depending on what I want the fly to look like and how much of a hurry I am in. However, I learned many years ago to never, never go back and forth. This is often repeated in many instructions. Its dubbing heresy. Imagine my surprise when last summer I was watching Arrick of Arricks Fly Shop in West Yellowstone tying flies. Let me say that Arrick is a fine tyer and there he was twisting his dubbing in both directions just as pretty as you please. I menitoned it to him and he didn’t feel it was a big deal, but I would like to add that he did it extremely well and quickly running his hand up the thread in one smooth continuous movement twisting one direction and then the other as he went. I guess it really don’t matter too much as long as you do it well. But now I am going to try to learn to do it like Arrick too. He obviously thinks its the best way.
lee,
but I would like to add that he did it extremely well and quickly running his hand up the thread in one smooth continuous movement twisting one direction and then the other as he went.
Twist on, twist off, twist on, twist off… it may have looked like the tier was doing this, but I doubt this was what took place 
Cheers,
Hans W
=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier
Looking down the thread from the hook to the bobbin if the dubbing is wraped counterclock-wise the dubbing will have the tendency to un wrap from the hook as the body is wrapped.
If the the dubbing is applied clockwise the dubbing will tighten on the thread as the body is wrapped.
You can easily prove this to yourself by using a piece of yarn or floss in place of the dubbing. As you wrap thread or material on a hook it will naturally develop a clockwise twist (assuming you are right handed). grin)
[This message has been edited by Jim Cramer (edited 04 February 2006).]
Hmmm. I’ve never given it any thought before. I’ve always twisted it counter-clockwise because that’s what feels most natural to me. I’ll have to try it the other way and see what happens.
Are you guys all right handed or left handed??
Jim Johnson
Hans,
It was quite unusual, but that is what he was doing. Although it was not actually “twist on, twist off” because it he did not use the clockwise/counterclockwise technique in the same place but continued in one smooth continuous movement up the thread. As I recall he would begin with the thumb and third finger between the thread, the thumb would slide to the middle finger, then to the index finger. When the limit of the thumb was reached, this movement was reversed moving back from the index to the middle to the third finger. The second movement took place on a different portion of the thread so he was not twisting off, what he had twisted on.
I don’t think it was an illusion. Like I said he was very good at it and it was interesting to watch as it was so unusual.
Lee
Just to add another “twist” to the discussion, do you start at the top and work your way down or at the bottom and work your way up.
Jay
Not sure I get that,…As In My own experience…once you twist in one direction…any twisting in the other loosens what you’ve perviously twisted…EVERY time…I’ve seen this alot during haphazard hurried tying on my part…which is why if I can not devote myself to the task…I don’t sit down at the vise…
Jay, I’m a top downer! 
[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 05 February 2006).]
Jay,
I normallly pullout about an inch and a half of thread from the bobbin, pinch a wisp of dubbing and the thread together just above the bobbin and then pull the dubbing uptowards the hook as I twist BOTH the thread and the dubbing clockwise. If I have dubbing left over when I reach the hook, I make one wrap with the thread to lock it in place and then cut off the excess. Very fast and easy.