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BASIC FLY TYING TOOLS
Adapted from the FFF booklet
Introduction to fly
tying (by Al Beatty
& Bob Lay)
As a general rule, quality tools will allow you to learn
faster and tie better flies. As such, you should strive
to obtain the best tools your budget will allow. This
does not mean that tools must be a costly investment.
Your local fly shop owner can be a source of quality
tools and materials. As you gain experience, retail
catalogs also can be an excellent source.
The tools needed to begin fly tying are a vise,
scissors, bobbin, bobbin threader, bodkin, hackle
pliers, hair stacker, whip finisher, and hackle gauge.
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THE VISE: This is your single
most important purchase. This tool holds the
hook secure while the fly is being constructed.
There are many vises with prices ranging from
$35 to several hundred dollars. Some vises are
more versatile than others and you need to
consider the type of mount (base). A C-clamp
mount is usually less expensive and often gives
you more control in height while a pedestal
mount may cost more but is more flexible for
different types of tables or counters where you
may want to tie. |
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The way the hook is secured in the vise also is a
consideration. There are rotationary and rotary vises. A
rotary vise is one that allows the jaws (and fly) to be
turned 360 degrees while you are constructing the fly.
This feature can be used to your advantage, but is not
an absolute necessity. The Thompson "A" vice is an
excellent choice for a beginner and is available with
either a base or clamp mount for a reasonable price,
however it is not a rotary vise. It's cousin, the
Thompson 360, is a full rotary vise.
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SCISSORS: After a vise,
scissors are probably the next most important
fly tying tool. Considerations when making your
purchase include the quality of the blade, the
size of the finger holes and the fineness of the
point. Finger holes need to be large enough to
facilitate easy manipulation of the scissors and
the blade MUST be of high enough quality to
maintain a good edge. Without a fine point, you
cannot get close enough to the body of the fly
to cut material. Besides the standard scissor,
the spring-loaded clip style of scissor is
available in fabric stores and fly shops. It can
be an excellent choice for the fly tier with the
advantage that replacement blades are available
when the blades become dull. No matter which
scissors you select, just be sure they are sharp
and have fine points. |
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BOBBIN: Thread is used in the
construction of the fly and a bobbin holds a
spool of thread as it is applied to the fly.
This rather inexpensive item consists of a
stainless steel tube that is flared at the end,
and heavy spring steel material with beads on
the end to hold the spool of thread.
Considerations include the length of the tube,
it's diameter, and whether it includes a ceramic
tip. Some feel that a longer tube is an
advantage because it allows more leverage when
wrapping the thread and more control in
placement of the thread. Either a standard or
long length bobbin will function perfectly well
for the beginner. Bobbins with a larger diameter
are used for floss, not thread. In time thread
friction may wear groves in the flared end of
the tube; a ceramic tip will prevent this
tendency. A ceramic tip, however is not an
absolute necessity for the beginning fly tyer.
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BOBBIN THREADER: This is a tool used to
pull the tying thread through the bobbin tube. It
consists of a fine wire loop secured together at one end
to a handle or knob. This tool can be purchased, or one
can be made with fine guitar string or wire. A dental
floss threader, available at any drug store can be used
as a substitute.
BODKIN: A bodkin has several uses. It
is used to apply head cement to the finished fly and
also to "pick" out dubbing on some patterns. It
basically consists of a large needle and a handle about
the size of a pencil. This is a relatively inexpensive
tool that an also be made by inserting the head of a
2-inch pin into the end of a 3-inch piece of quarter
inch dowel.
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HACKLE PLIERS: The hackle pliers are an absolute necessity when wrapping hackle around the shank of the hook. Many different styles are on the market today; however, pliers with one rubber grip and one serrated brass grip are relativity inexpensive and recommended for the beginner. |
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HAIR STACKER: Getting the hair tips even is a basic necessity if the fly is to be properly proportioned and balanced. The hair stacker performs this function. Generally available for under$10.00, this tool consists of two tubes, one that fits inside the other. The larger of the two tubes has a bottom attached to it; the smaller is open on both ends. The hair is inserted into the top end of the smaller tube with the tips pointing downward. The tool is then turned to the vertical position, inserted into the larger tube and tapped on a solid surface. This action "shakes" the hair fibers to the bottom of the stacker, thus evening the natural ends. The tubes are then moved to a horizontal position and separated. The evened hair fibers are then removed to construct a portion of a fly. |
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WHIP FINISHER: The whip finisher is the tool used to
knot the thread at the completion of a fly so the thread
can be cut without the fly coming untied. There are two
primary types of whip finishers available on the market
today, the Thompson or the Matarelli. Each accomplishes
the same task in a different manner. Both are good
products with the choice of selection up to the tier. It
is strongly recommended that the beginner learn to use
one of the above tools; however, a good substitute for
the whip finisher is the hollow tube of a ball point
pen. It will not only provide a whip finish, but can be
used to tie a half hitch knot.
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HACKLE GAUGE: This inexpensive tool is a must for the
beginning fly tier. In the construction of a fly there
is a direct correlation between the size of the hook and
the size of hackle used. Generally speaking the hackle
should be one and one half times the distance of the gap
of the hook. Accuracy and ease in obtaining this
important measurement is gained by use of a hackle
gauge. Several styles of hackle gauges are available and
beginning fly tiers should use one to ensure their fly
proportions remain consistent from one fly to the next.
As you progress into fly tying and become proficient in
the required skills, you may develop a need for more
tools. The same theories of purchase should apply. Tools
are a life long investment .
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