Watching videos, I see some tyers start their flies by snapping the tag end of the thread instead of trimming with scissors. Tried it a couple times just to see, met with mixed results (mostly unsuccessful) and realized, most importantly to a cheapskate like me, that I had to leave the tag longer in order to get a decent grip, so I shelved that idea. Anyone use this method?
Also from the videos - what’s the deal with a double whip finish? I rarely use anything but a double half-hitch, but if I go to the whip, it’s 4 turns and done. If I had to double it up on a whip finish, I’d seriously have to re-think my tying ability.
My personal opinion in regard to the ‘thread snap’ method for removing the tag end is more for show and a waste of thread. In my 55 years of flytying and flyfishing a 3 turn whip finish has been more than sufficient.
I’ve done that ever since my fly tying teacher showed it to us in 1979. It takes some practice on small hooks or you can end up with some interesting bends. And don’t try it with GSP. As far as the wasted thread goes, thread is cheap and to me three extra inches is insignificant. YMMV.
I have tried it…I think alt has to do with thread selection.
Only time I use more than 3-4 wraps is if I feel a few more wraps will finish a head, lime with a streamer. Then again, I really don’t count either way. I will at times use a 1-2 wrap in between stages.
Sounds to me like you folks are not tying flies that will hold up to a few redears or bluegills. Both of these fish will grind up a fly. I double whip finish flies for these fish. I don’t think my tying lacks anything either. I might have learned a trick or two about keeping flies together over the course of the last 50 - 60 thousand flies tied over the past 50 years or so.
I never use the snap. I don’t have any thread to snap. Take two or three turns to start the thread and thenn pull the thread until the tag is short enough to cover with the thread base. Zero waste.
I hate to pick up tools, not one of those who holds my scissors, for fear of poking my eye out. That’s why I do the snap, and hand whip finish. But some of my whips came loose, so do double.
Plenty of grunts, snappers and various reef fish caught on flies tied with either a double half-hitch or, at most a 4-turn whip (to make them look “pretty”) and the only failure I had came when getting my fingers too close to the fish and finding out why they’re called snappers.
I often do a double whip finish when I don’t use head cement. It is quicker for me to do a whip finish than put on head cement. I have had single whip finishes come loose after fishing a fly for a few hours.
I snip my thread. Too many potential bad side effects with snapping the thread – eg, bent hook, hook pulls out of vise.
I do whip finish and sometimes do double whip finish knots. Unlike most tiers, I whip finish by hand (no tool). Took me a long time to learn it, but now its really quick and easy.
I cut the tag end off of the thread, as I have done for going on 40 years. And I tend to do about a 4 wrap whip on most flies, except my woolly buggers, which get a couple of whip layers behind the bead for durability. Have had the outer whip come apart after a while, but with a double layer I can sometimes get dozens of fish before the fly finally dies.
I snap the thread or cut it. For me it’s a question of whether or not I’ve waxed my thread, if I have it’s easy to snap. Whip finishing is generally a 3 whip finish on Trout flies, more whips on larger stuff. I use no head cement on drys and emergers, just wax and a 3 whip finish. The flies have held up very well over the years. I do head cement on all my wet flies, Salmon, Steelhead and saltwater stuff.
wcglass
I don’t yank the thread either at the beginning or the end of a fly for fear of bad things happening, like a bent hook, causing a break under the whip-finish wraps so the whip-finish is no good, etc.
I also tie my whip finish by hand, but I learned quickly from the Bass Pro Shop video on fly-tying with Lefty Kreh. It took me about 10 minutes to figure it out, and it’s super easy. I usually do a double whip-finish in case 1) one of the two is no good or 2) one of the two gets torn apart by many hungry fish. This makes me feel much better about omitting head cement, which can turn fish off due to the smell. Really small flies may only get a single whip-finish to prevent too much thread build-up. In that case, I take my chances.
Guess I’m one of those outliers you mentioned. I snap the thread when possible (would not recommend trying it when using Kevlar or GSP threads) because it is fast and efficient. And unless you are a commercial tier, the idea of “wasting” thread is quite absurd. Hook fatigue is not really an issue because you use lighter thread on lighter hooks anyway (although those 2XF dry hooks can be touchy), and if you are worried about the hook popping out of the vise, might be time to buy a real vise.
Most ties are finished with 2 3-turn whip finishes without cement, but it really depends on the pattern, where the fly is finished (i.e. where the knot is going to be), and my mood at the time. Had problems with a single 5 turn whip finish, hence the change. Less of an issue with double whips.
I don’t like head cement so have double whipped for over fifty years, as it’s much faster than whip and cement. If you are going to use the flies you are tying within the next day or so you definitely do not want head cement on that fly. It stinks!
I’ve heard this, and I’ll often rub subsurface flies in the mud, although that’s more to wet them so they can get down where I want to fish. But, I’ve caught plenty of fish on dries I’ve tied (using cement) an hour before I got on the water and haven’t noticed them being any less effective than ones that have been sitting in the box for a while. jmo.
I may be wrong, but I think some people got the wrong idea about this question. I think ScottP was referring to when you first wrap the thread on the hook shank, if you leave about 3 inches of tag, you can grab it a snap it back towards the eye of the hook to break the tag off. That said, like many others, I have used this method with mixed success. I tie with different threads in including GSP and very thin mono which clearly do not lends themselves to this method. I actually picked up a couple of those pinky rings with the hooked razor that are used by seamstresses. After a couple of minutes, I don’t even feel it on my little finger and it’s always there to cut most of the materials I use for tying. Of course I don’t try to cut wire, but for most other materials it work fine. I can post a photo of one if anyone does not know what I am referring to.
This is for Jim Smith, Please post that picture and tell me where to get one of those rings. I’ev thought about something like that and would like to try it! Thanks, Oldster
I’ve added a photo of the thread cutter ring I mentioned in my post. If you PM me your shipping address, I’ll drop one in the mail to you. I bought a couple of extras when I found them on sale at Michael’s.
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