Just a quick survey here on half hitches or turns on a whip finish to finish your fly, but how many do you use and how many is enough? I have read anything from 2 to 6 to finish the fly.
Thanks.
Dr Bob
Dr Bob,
I generally do not use head cement, instead opting to relay on a couple 2 or 3 half hitches or a single whip finish to tie off. On larger flies (12 and larger) I strictly whip finish and I do it twice as I have found that a single whip finish after a few catches have loosen and the fly begins to unravel.
Bob,
It probably isn’t necessary, but I do two six turn whip finishes on most of my flies. My philosophy is better safe than sorry.
Steve
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went”-Will Rogers
I strictly whip finish and I do it twice as I have found that a single whip finish after a few catches have loosen and the fly begins to unravel.
No offense, but if sounds like you need to work on your whip finishes. You should be wrapping from the back of the head forward to the eye, that may be part of your problem.
Jeremy
Two or three with a bit of cement will finish your flies. I also cement the hook shank before starting my thread on it. It keeps the materials from turning around the shank, which can cause the thread to loosen and allow your fly to fall apart.
There’s almost nothin’ wrong with the first lie, it’s the weight of all the others holdin’ it up that gets ya’! - Tim
I use a whip finish.
3 turns and finish, then
3 turns to whip finish the
first whip finish.
Never had one come apart yet.
MW
Four is my usual standard, but sometimes five or at most six depends on the fly. I usually apply head cement, except to BH’s. So I guess the bottom line is I have a system and technic but it probably only makes sents to me!
I’m not sure this has a single right answer?
Joe B
SW Ohio
“I grew up in PA, I work in Ohio. My heart still belongs to PA.”
I have always used a Whip-Finish and I use some were between 5 and 7 turns. I then use a drop of head cement and have nver had one come lose in over 40 years of tying for a living. I use my hands to do the Whip-Finish. I find I can do it faster. But a tool will work fine for you if that is the way you do it. In my opinion Half Hitchs Half finish the fly. Ron
I use 2 or 3 three turn whip finishes. I normally do not use head cemet. I use Sally Hanson if I want a shine on the head.
I’ll use 3 to 6 turns on the whip finish depending on how big the head of the fly is before I do the whip finish. On small flies I will do 3 turns. On something like a streamer, I will do about 6.
4 turn whip and a drop of head cement.
Jay
Uh Oh. Jeremy mentioned that whip finishing is supposed to be done with the turns getting closer to the hook eye as you finish. I’ve always done it in the opposite… I whip finish with about 4 or 5 turns building back toward the hook bend. No?
Four turns,no head cement. never had one come loose.
Bill
Diane, take a piece of backing (so you can see what’s happening) and start it on a pencil like it’s tying thread. Now do a whip finish on the pencil with the wraps progressing backwards and tighten. Now do the same thing with the wraps progressing from back to front. You should see why starting at the back and moving forward is better. If you start at the eye and wrap backwards your whip finish has a glaring weekness.
I know that’s about as clear as mud, but it’s a hard thing to describe. I tried to take photos of it once for someone else, but I couldn’t get it to come out right.
Jeremy
Sometimes no turns at all. Just a tiny spot of Zap-A-Gap on the head, hold the thread across it-let it kick, trim the thread from the bobbin close to where it is cemented, and finally pat down the tag end of the thread. Add another drop of Zap to soak into the head and when dry a coating of SHHAN…
Also-the drops of Zap from the bottle, or even through the teflon micro tubing are too large in most cases. So I use a bodkin or the like to dispense tiny Zap-a-droplettes…
Rich
Hi, Tyronefly, Just to add a little humor, but isn’t a single wrap whip finish the same as a half hitch ?
[This message has been edited by Ray Kunz (edited 06 April 2006).]
Ray:
I thought one whip turn = 1 half hitch.
See, from the responses, it varies quite a bit! interesting!
Thanks for the responses.
Dr Bob
I whip about 6 turns, no cement
I use two 3-turn whip wraps. I most often use a touch of nail polish after the wraps. Sometimes I use nail polish after the first set of wraps and then do the final set of wraps over the nail polish … to squish it into the thread wraps.
Another good tactic is to wax the last 1-2" of thread and THEN do the whip finish. No need to cover with head cement.