I never liked the whip finishing tool. Always did it by hand,from Salmon irons to size 28’s . Yeah, you do loose time that way but I like it.
Congrats!! I have trouble doing it by hand when tying parachutes, etc. where you have to lift up the hackle while whip finishing. That’s when the tool comes in handy for me.
When I first started tying I learned to hand whip.
Then I ‘acquired’ a whipping tool, and I was determined to learn how to use it.
When I had, after considerable fumbling and snapped thread, I thought I would
continue and now it is the only way I whip finish.
since nobody mentioned the zap a gap whip finish - my fav except on deer hair, quick and holds like iron
Why is there such a discussuin about scissors ? When I use 6/0 thread or finer, just break the thread.
Is this socially unacceptable?
I’m with you!!
I’ve tried that but it hasn’t worked very well for me.
I’m with Buddy on the question of scissors. I can tie with them in my hand but I much prefer them on my fly tying desk, just to the left and slightly forward of my molded foam tool caddy. I can pick the scissors up without looking in their direction and replace them in the sacred scissor spot almost unconsciously. BTW, since I tie flies only for myself and a few friends I’m seldom in a big rush. For me, fly tying is a relaxing pastime and placing a deadline on myself would be like stuffing down a seven-course, gourmet dinner as fast as you could swallow it.
On the question of whip finishing tools vs hand finishing, I can do both fairly proficiently, but I prefer the tool because the hand method tends to blnd more frequently with certain types of tread. For years after I started tying, I used 3-4 half hitches and a drop of head cement. I never even heard of a whip finish.
I believe that all of these questions come down to doing what feels best to the individual fly tyer. 8T
It’s going to be a long winter, if this topic is already coming back up.
For those thinking that by hand is less efficient, you’re probably doing it “wrong.” You’re getting it done, but not in the most efficient manner.
Go to Eric Austin’s traditionalflies.com website. Click on techniques and watch the hand whip finish videos.
I’ve mentioned this before. Following a video I saw featuring Jack Dennis, I don’t tie with scissors in my hand. Rather I tie with them on the back of my hand. All fingers are free and the point is away from my palm and eyes.
Only complaint I’ve ever heard is somebody say that the technique caused the point of the scissors to bang into a tying lamp set up.
I can hand whip finish but prefer to use a tool for finishing heads. The hand whip does come in handy at times, such as applying a whip finish at the rear of a fly.
I tie with my scissors in hand and have no problem with any tying operation including a hand whip finish. Scissors are used often and I don’t have to look for them if they are in my hand. Some of you have the discipline to put your scissors down in the same place every time. I don’t. They are likely to end up anywhere within a 10 ft radius.
For the life of me I can’t figure out how to use the Thompson whipper. I have watched people do it and it looks so simple and controlled but it still eludes me.
I started tying when I was 10 years of age. My mentor whip finished by hand. So this how I did mine for over50 years. ( am now 76).
At different times I tried to learn to use one of the tools. I even had many different top name tiers show and help me.
I still could not make it work. I tied commercially for many years but always whipped by hand. I can hold onto the scissors or lay them down. I find no difference in speed, either way I whip .Several years ago, shortly after a teaching class I was conducting, had a student ask me how to use one of the tool. I felt stupid when I had to admit I did not know how to use the tools. I also was doing a fly for the FOTW and after blowing the photo up for a desk top picture I saw how badly my hand whipped head looked. I looked in the beginners fly tying section, done by my friend Al. This was all I needed to master the tools. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/beginners/part5.php
There are many locations and videos where one might learn this easily used tool. I can now place the thread wraps onto my flies with perfection. My speed is where I think it should be. I do not think anyone can (with speed) hand whip as perfectly as one can do it with the tools.
Sometimes when I am tying for my own fishing I still hand whip. For flies that I want to be perfect, I grab up one of the tools and seldom hold onto the scissors.
If you think your hand whipped heads are good, I suggest you take a photo of one and blow it up to fill your monitor. You might want to learn to use one of these lil tools.
I feel no mater how you tie you should enjoy tying. Do not make it difficult.
Go fishin
I think a lot depends on the style of fly one tye’s.
I am glad I learned how to whip finish buy hand . I use a Thompson whip finisher also .
Here is an online example of both whip finishing with hand and whip tool with scissors held in hand…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8NBayu7_Gk
Hope you enjoy!
Looking forward to some of your “original”, “fresh” posts.
I actually learned to whip finish using a handmade tool - a toothpick, some 2 lb., some thread and some Sally Hanson’s. Yes it involved some steps but it was easily done and I was not trying to produce a few dozen flies at one sitting. I work alot with scouts and teach them how to make some of their own tying tools. It’s fun watching them when they start tying on a vice they made themselves to start all the way to whip finishing the fly with their own homemade tool. By the time they are finished they have about 6-7 different hand made tools to start tying with. It’s a great way to “hook” a kid onto fly tying.
I’ve picked up the how-to for many of these tools through books as well as the internet (Thanks Ed - AKA Extreely Low Budget FF). Be aware I’ve been tying for about 35 years now and now use a store bought vice and other tools and the cost - spread over all those years is a drop in the bucket - but just starting out. well lets just say the scouts (as well as their parents) are more at ease spending abou $10 on tools to start thier tying life with than the hundreds one can spend to BEGIN their fly tying life.
I’ve got an old book called FLIES by a guy named J. Edson Leonard.
It was written a long time ago, published originally in 1950.
He advocates using a ‘whip finisher’ that was a simple piece of old rod tip or other thin section of stock with a loop of strong thread (he used silk) hanging off the end. It was used like the pull through loops used in wrapping rod guides. (I’d guess this is the type of tool that WWKimba has his Scouts making).
In his book, Leonard acknowledged the recent invention of the ‘metal tools’ but called them difficult to use and if not used ‘properly’ could leave an exposed portion of thread that if cut destroyed the knot.
He called ‘hand whipping’ a ‘parlor trick that was innacurate at best and sloppy at it’s worst’.
He also stated that bucktail was a poor material for flies and it would quickly fade from widespread use.
Fun to read this old stuff. The differences in mindset alone are enlightening.
Buddy
I’ve never learned to do it by hand and probably never will, but I admire the heck out of those who can. Never felt like less of a tier for it.
There are a lot of Old Timers (I guess I am considered a youngster at 53 even though I get AARP spam) who will argue in favor of a Hand Whip Finish.
I can do it, but find I put a much neater head on the Fly when I use my Whip Finish Tool. I reckon it just comes down to personal preference and what tying techniques you are comfortable with !!!
Lots of laughs DUB. Come back after we discuss the best 5 weight.