tommycod Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 Here"™s a tip about modifying a recalcitrant whip finisher. Got this puppy when I saw a video and said "I"™ve got to get me one of these!". He wrapped that head like a spider doing an ant. Mine was the T type and not the Z type(Cabelas 314155 or Dr.Slick). No instructions came with it so I took it to my local fly club tying clinic, asked how to use it. The old timers there looked at it and said 'Yeah, I've seen one before; don"™t know, don"™t use one; I use my fingers"™. However they couldn"™t show/figure out how to use it. I found a book with clear instructions, but they used the Z type which is supposed to be better. That still couldn"™t help me to use my T type with its strange bent-over crook at the tip top; just could not get it done! I borrowed a Z type and had no problem! So I figured it was in the geometry of the tip- not me. Can"™t use mine; nothing to loose if I broke it, so I bent the bent-over crook to be more like the Z type tip in configuration. Used gentle heat and needle pliers and it now my T finisher works great! Maybe even better than the Z type. I"™m sure the original bent crook works or why would they sell it--don"™t answer that. ps. Much thanx to TimS for help with image posting; he does a great job.The Z is on the left and my modified T on the right; note reconfigured T's tip is similar in orientation to the Z with respect to lower arm. Still chasin' tail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLDig Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 IMHO... the best tip for whip finishers is to throw 'em out the window and learn to whip finish with yer fingers. I hate those things. They were made by the devil, designed by his brother and never do anything for me but drive me to drinking. That said... Good tips! Ack. Foo. I want to die from a good old fashioned case of living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishdoor Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 Do you even need to worry about a nice clean whip finish when the next step for the flys I tie is a nice coat of epoxy? Relax, catch fish.><====(*> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommycod Posted April 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 need to WF? it makes a great, secure head which i nail polish anyway; all that epoxy mixing is a PITA & i save that for really impt stuff. epoxy would do it if that's part of that fly. true that whipping w your fingers is convenient, but w smaller threads like 6/0 , i find that my fat fingers and rough fingertips make that a very dicey deal. IMHO the right equipment often makes a job easier and better; besides - it's another toy to play with. Still chasin' tail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstg Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 Of course you could just google "whip finisher instructions" and watch the video on *********. It's an elegant little tool just the way it is. Best regards,Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saxatilus Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 Fingers are all you need for salt water flies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommycod Posted April 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 Of course you could just google "whip finisher instructions" and watch the video on *********. It's an elegant little tool just the way it is. went to the site and sawpictorial from a search of WHIP; the secret that i missed was "With the open end of the s-shaped bend on the end of the whip finisher, hook the thread as it comes off the fly. Then lay the thread from the bobbin in the dip of the s-shaped bend nearest the arm of the whip finisher." I still like the matarelli Z style better, but my bending made my thompson T type more of a Z. Al Campbell of FAOL says(You might see a simple whip finisher; it functions the same as the Matarelli.). I guess i turned my thompson into a simple style. Would be interesting to try the T the way they recommend however. I had been to the site several times, but not realized that great resouce. thanx For those all naturals out there, chew on this; according to Al Campbell "Whip finishers are probably the least used and least understood, basic tool in the average fly tyer"™s arsenal. This is the tool that creates the nice knot at the head of the fly that keeps the fly together. If your flies fall apart, it"™s most likely due to the whip knot you didn"™t do or didn"™t do right when you finished the fly. Some fly tyers use their fingers to do a whip finish knot. Although this often provides an acceptable knot, it sometimes provides an un-acceptable knot. Since learning to use a whip finisher is one of the basic skills of fly tying, I"™ll show you how to use the tools right. I won"™t show you how to do a whip knot by hand, at least not until the series is over, and maybe not then. I"™m convinced that this is one skill you must learn to do right to be as good a tyer as possible." . I don't know Al personally, but he seems to really know his tying tools. Still chasin' tail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canyondiver Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 I like my Matarelli. It's fast and I never break thread with it. I got the big one so I can do pretty large salt water flies, but I can also tie off a 26 midge. Proud to be a NERB and I have the shirts to prove it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommycod Posted April 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 check out the action video on that site; they have a good one for the thompson, but didnt see a matarelli video ; see basic fly tying then thompson; pretty neat. Still chasin' tail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstg Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 I wouldn't take that quote literally. I assume it's hyperbole to rationalize his point. Whip finishing, whether by tool or hand is not rocket science. It's an easily mastered skill for most tyers. BTW, I use my fingers because it is much faster than a tool. Yet, I'm sure that one day I'll be back to using a tool when I become burdened by the afflictions of age. Best regards,Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linesidesonthefly Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 Those directions work great if you are a righty. This Southpaw ia AFU. With that said I am with Tams on this. Use your fingers! International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAQ Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 Funny, I can't use the Z type but never had a problem with the T type. Using the finger method usually ends with frayed or snapped thread, specially with fresh water flies. D Embrace American Privilege Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seidner Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 I use fingers and I tie down to a size 20, got one of those griffin whip finishers and all it ever did was break the thread after I had the fly finished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLDig Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 I actually knew Al quite well... he's gone now. I don't know why, but I hate those whip finishers... and I've never had a knot fail me from whip finishing by hand. It's another of those beautiful things about flyfishing and fly tying... there's no one right way to do things. Accourse I have tied ONE fly since my shoulder surgeries a few years ago... so there ya go. From thousands of flies a year to one fly in three years.... woohooo. Ack. Foo. I want to die from a good old fashioned case of living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishchile Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 I like my Matarelli. It's fast and I never break thread with it. I got the big one so I can do pretty large salt water flies, but I can also tie off a 26 midge. I use one to...can't beat it, faster than fingers,very accurate, through all the others away! "Nick did not like to fish with other men on the river. Unless they were of your party, they spoiled it." Ernest Hemmingway, "Big Two Hearted River (1925) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to register here in order to participate.
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now