finish whip

[tailgrabber]

Is it nessecery to use a finish whip? Does anyone know of a video for tying a finish knot with your fingers? I have been just twisting the thread a few times then bringing over the eyelet pull and glue. I not crazy for the finish though.
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[Dryrod]

[cool][font "Pristina"][green][size 4]Hi there tailgrabber and thanks for stopping by. I generally use the whip finish but have yet to master the finger method of applying a half hitch or two. My fingers are not that nimble, plus the thread gets caught on my rough skin. At times I will apply several half hitches using the hole at the end of my bodkin. BTW here is a link to a video on whip finishing that I posted last year.[/size][/green][/font]
[font "Pristina"][green][size 4]To answer your question I don't know of a video available that illustrates whipping with one's fingers. Those that can do it makes it look quite easy. Perhaps some of our other tiers might have a link to such a video.[/size][/green][/font]

[url "http://copperfly.net/video/whip_finish_copperfly.wmv"]http://copperfly.net/video/whip_finish_copperfly.wmv[/url]
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[macfly55]

DR,

In those fly tying videos that you posted before there was an older English gentleman in some of them.. if memory serves me correctly he tied off flies without using a whip finishing or half hitch tool.. do you remember the link to those videos??

MacFly [cool]
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[Dryrod]

[cool][font "Pristina"][green][size 4]Hey tailgrabber - ask and yea shall receive. Here is a video on how to whip finish using just your fingers.[/size][/green][/font]

[url "http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/6392/anim_whip.html"]http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/6392/anim_whip.html[/url]
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[macfly55]

....I just double checked a few things.. the gentleman I am referring to is David Cammis.. he has a series of fly tying videos on line.. it you go to his website and look at the first beginners video he shows how to tie off a fly by hand..

[url "http://learnflytying.co.uk/"][font "Viner Hand ITC"][red][size 3]David Cammis Site[/size][/red][/font][/url] ....

enjoy....

MacFly [cool]
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[Dryrod]

[cool][font "Pristina"][green][size 4]You beat me to the punch. It certainly is David Cammiss. He talks so slow I have to slap myself silly to stay awake. Hey MacFly are you tying off by hand? I'm not as mentioned above.[/size][/green][/font]
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[tailgrabber]

I hear ya on the rough skin, it hangs the thread up alot. The video was very helpful. That knot worked much better than what I've been doing, and for me much easier than than using a whip.
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[Scruffy_Fly]

You should look at getting a half hitch tool. I like the smaller ones for doing flies 14 and smaller. You can use the end of a ball point pen for a half hitch tool but I think that for small flies the hole is too big.


I presume that you have a whip finish tool since you know that you don't like it. Have you watched a couple of whip finish videos? I suspect you are making some simple mistake in using it. My first whip finish tool did not rotate freely. I got a materelli whip finish tool that rotates freely inside a copper sleeve. That made the finish tool a lot easier to use. I have better control of laying the finish down with a materelli whip finisher than I do doing it by hand or using a half hitch tool. Many whip finishers have a solid shaft. It makes doing the whip finish harder.
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[tailgrabber]

The one I have is a thompson style whip it spins freely I just cant seem to keep the line in it. When I start to spin it I always manage to knock the line off it, then I get the pleasure of watching my creation decompose. It may also be from trying to use it on a crowded head. I should practice more on a bare hook.
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[Dryrod]

[cool][font "Pristina"][green][size 4]Hey there Scruffy_Fly I use the reverse end of my bodkin or bobbin threader to tie half hitches. The latter has a smaller hole. Keeping the whipping tool parallel to the shank should help to keep the thread on the tool until finish whipping. [/size][/green][/font]
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[macfly55]

no ...IM just tying one on..

MacFly [cool]
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[macfly55]

scruffy...

on past posts on this topic didnt you also say that to use the whip finisher effectively (correctly)... that you have to make sure the bobbin and thread have to be parallel to the hook?? or something like that.. I remember when you were teaching me I kept making the same mistake of not keeping the thread parallel to the fly.. when I tied up those flies for the swap I kept that in the back of my mind and started getting the hang of it by the time I had finished all the flies..

MacFly [cool]
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[macfly55]

I bought this set of [url "http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchResults?searchOption=products&hvarSearchString=half+hitch+tool&storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&CMID=TOP_SEARCH_GO"][size 3]half hitch tools[/size][/url] at bass pro .. I figured for the low cost it would be worth it .. plus I had already purchased a different bodkin with the half hitch tool on the end.. figured with that many options I cant go wrong.. now.. just to make the time to sit down and tie some flies.. [crazy]

MacFly [cool]
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[Saberfish]

[black][size 3]I can't believe that anyone would choose whip finishing by hand over a Matarelli tool.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]The Matarelli whip finishing tool will allow you to make perfect finishing heads on almost every fly that you tie. You can guide the thread for proper proportions and appearance.[/size]
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[size 3]I have included a web site with correct instructions for use of this tool. If you follow them, as presented, you will never even think of using anything else.[/size]
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[size 3]No, I'm not a Materelli rep. but I have been at the vise for over 30 years, and tried all other methods of finishing flies.[/size]

Link removed by Saberfish, associated with another forum.

[size 3]Also, I have found a video with instructions that show the proper way to use the tool. This and other videos at the site may be helpful.[/size]
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[size 3][url "http://www.truveo.com/matarelli-whip-finish-101/id/3441446463"]http://www.truveo.com/...sh-101/id/3441446463[/url][/size]
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[macfly55]

...figures you'd reference an faol link.. and that is after attempting to make someone who is asking a simple question of alternatives feel stupid by your first comment..

MacFly [cool]
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[Saberfish]

[black][size 3]I didn't mean to make anyone feel or appear stupid. Just trying to guide someone in the right direction.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]What is a "faol"?[/size]
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[size 3]By the way, after additional investigation into the net, There are several very good sites with whip finishing information by going into Google, and typing in "Matarelli whip finishing tool"[/size]
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[macfly55]

...could just be my mood..

faol is a competative site to this. the link you posted is to that site....

..as you say there are numerous excellent videos available on the net that can be found by doing a google search..

.. have to say here that my first finishing tool was as scruffy mentioned.. it did not rotate and therefore it made finishing off the fly darn near impossible.. that is when I started looking at alternatives.. I eventually got a decent finishing tool that rotated but it is not a martarelli... I also bought the half hitch tools to give me an option.. or different way to do the same thing.. I figure I will tie flies best when I am comfortable with what I am doing.. if that means using a whip finishing tool.. or a half hitch tool.. or doing it by hand as Mr Cammis does.. then that is the way I will do it.. all of this is me keeping in mind that no two things are alike.. whether it be people.. or skill levels.. or as in nature.. flies.. or bugs or birds or fish.. or whatever.. each is unique in its own way.. and in the long run I dont think the fishies look to see how well a fly is tied.. but they do look to see that that fly looks like something they are used to eating.. just my .02


MacFly [cool]
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[Saberfish]

[black][size 3]I'm not going to comment on you mood, but menopause is a problem for all of us.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]My comments were made in a effort to save someone starting in fly tying, from the hell that I went through when I started. I lived in a large city, but there was no Internet, or sources of material or instruction. It was not easy being self taught.[/size]
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[size 3]I had not noticed that the original link was to another forum, I'll remove it. Thanks for pointing it out.[/size]
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[size 3]Just a note: Almost all of the experienced fly tiers that I know or have seen (including commercial tiers), use the Matarelli tool, because it's the fastest, easiest to use, and produces a fly that looks good, and is not going to fall apart.[/size]
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[macfly55]

...again.. and I repeat.. a matter of opinion and a matter of comfort level..

as for the memopause comment.. Ill chalk that one up to you being your normal self .. and if you want it clearer than that.. just ask me..

MacFly [cool]
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[flygoddess]

I am with Saberfish On this one but basically cause I took to the whip tool like a duck to water and for the same reason DR mentioned...ruff hands (I play bass)
It took me about 5 minutes to teach MoJo how to use the tool but once he got it down I went to show him the straw/bodkin tool style. Needless to say, he was now spoiled and said*&%$% this and went back to the whip tool.
There is the one with a spring that is a pain to me.
I prefer:
[inline "whip tool.jpg"]


Here are the two different styles. note the one with spring (Thompson).


[inline whips.jpg]

I do feel that whatever you learn first in fly tying is the one you feel more comfortable and it is like learning all over to learn a different way.
I tie a lot off the cuff (meaning even by the river or lake if I need a particular pattern I don't have) I have even used a Leathermen as a vise with blade stuck in a tree for stability. I can use the fingers, but I am much faster with the Matarelli.


If whatever you choose works, don't fix it.

I think Kelly Galloup, and Davy Watton both use there fingers (at least some times)

FG
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