Hi,
If anyone here still uses the S & M bobbin holder, please let me know. I got nostalgic and bought a few. I have used most all bobbin holders but this one. How do you maintain thread tension when not holding it while tying?
Thanks
Byron,
I have one but I don’t have an answer to your question except to say that I believe you maintain the thread tension by using the weight of the bobbin. I have only used this bobbin a few times because I don’t care for the size but I know many older tiers used them.
Byron,
I bought a few many years ago and think they are about as comfortable a bobbin holder as there is in your hand. They are the same as any other maintaining thread tension. I like them very much.
Joe
Thanks, but I mean when you just hang the bobbin holder “hands free”. There is no tension on mine. When I hold it in hand, I can apply tension. It is when it hangs down while not holding it in hand.
Do you mean the spool unwinds? If so, just pinch the metal “arms” together a little to tighten the hold on the spool. I haven’t had to do that on any of mine but it would be simple enough to do. None of mine are the newer Wasatch version.
Joe
Joe,
Mine are the original plain ones.
When not in my hand, the spool turns under the weight of the bobbin holder. I will try “bending” the arms a bit to try to get more tension
I’m not being argumentative, but I call the thing that holds the thread a “bobbin” and always have wondered how it came to be called a bobbin holder - wouldn’t that be something that holds a bobbin? I have always called the thing in a sewing machine that holds the thread a bobbin, also.
The spool that holds thread is a thread bobbin. The tool holding the spool of thread is actually a bobbin holder…it is holding the bobbin. However, most people call the bobbin holder simply the bobbin
The S & M is a pretty basic bobbin. I agree with Joe that in order to increase the tension on the spool simply squeeze the metal sides tighter.
Happy New Year Byron. Hope you make it back to Montana and Idaho this summer.
Thanks. My son and I will be there. When will you be there next summer?
We usually don’t get up near Livingston. Concentrate on Henrys Fork and Madison below Quake.
Except for 4 years when I lived in Utah, I return each summer for 2-3 weeks of pure fishing. When I lived in Utah, we used to go up for weekends.
Ah, that’s the step I left out, the spool - thanks.
Byron, I have a few. The best you can do is squeeze the sides together to prevent it from rotating when it’s hanging by itself. I create the actual tension on the wraps by squeezing it with my hand while I’m tying a fly.
Last,
Yes, I can apply tension while tying, as I said. I did remove the thread bobbin and squeezed the sides and then put the bobbin back in. That did seem to “fix” it.
Thanks
Byron,
We are home in Montana by late April and stay until the last week of October so we will be home when you are in Idaho. Glad you have the ability to spend some quality time fishing in our area. I understand why you don’t travel too far when you are here since you have plenty of quality water in the Henry’s Fork - West Yellowstone area.
I want to thank those who suggested bending the bobbin holder arms a little to get adequate tension. I thought of that, but thought getting the bobbin back in would defeat the purpose…a number of flies later, it works quite well.
I’m sort of a tying gadget guy. Enjoy tying tools. Have had all manner of bobbin holders over the years…expensive ones and cheaper ones.
I am also nostalgic about old tools used by tiers of many years ago. I wasn’t sure this S&M bobbin holder was still available. Found it online and got 4 of them. Am enjoying tying with them. As I tie, I picture the previous generation tying with the same tool. The only ones available were the long tube ones, but I find that length perfect for directing thread to the hook.
If anyone is interested and can’t find the guy selling them, I may still have his pkg with contact info.
Tight thread!
You’ve got it backward. In real, non-flytying, English, the word “bobbin” means the same as “spool”. I’m not exactly sure how it came to be used to mean the bobbin holder.