Gene L

Yeah, I have one. I'm "queer for gear". I only recently got it for cleaning up messy heads. When I tired to use it, it would catch the hackle on fire, ruining the fly. So I got to thinking; and to block the hackle with a head shield, I cut a section of an aluminum can, about an inch or two, pierced it with a bodkin and enlarged it with an old scissors so it just fit over the head. Voila'. This is a fine shield for the heat of the cautery tool and sure made for a neater head.

I tied on a Ren Master vise before I went to the TRV. If I had it to do all over again, I probably would have kept the Master, but then, maybe not. Both are great vises and the TRV hits the right notes for me. My vise choices in no way reflect my tying skill. There is something I've discovered in myself: I tend to like cheap but dependable things. I've got two less-expensive vises that I like to use occasionally, and I could get by, actually, on a Wolff Apex vise (mine was $84 when I bought it, now they're closer to $200!)_ But just getting by doesn't suit something in my makeup that needs fine things. I had a Traveler, sold it, got a Master vise, sold it, looking something better and got the TRV. Which is no better than the Master vise. I've spent a lot of money chasing the rainbow of competence, haven't excelled at it yet. I'd rather have a muscle car than a Jeep. But no, the wheel doesn't get in the way at all. After I lock it down, it disappears for me.

It's a great vise. I've had mine for about 5 years and have no complaints. It's pricey but gotta spend money on something. I wouldn't recommend it as a beginner vise. You have to put some torque on that wheel and unless you do, the hook will slip but once you get used to it, a hook will never slip. I don't know the upper end of hook holding power, so the biggest I've done is a 2 0. Were I starting off all over again, I'd get a Renzetti Traveler. I have one of those, too. A TRV won't do anything that a Renzetti Traveler won't do. A very good vise and IMO much easier to use than a TRV. t And very affordable. I've got 8 vises but most of my tying hours are on the TRV. It's a marvel. It's way above my competence level.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll submit the choices to the guy in charge. Some good ideas here.

On the first Monday of the month, we have a Sip and Tie at a local craft beer brewery. Anyone is invited and all materials and tools are furnished. The level of experience varies, and as such, very simple flies are tied. (I'm talking about mop flies. Monday it was Walt's Worm). Maybe 8 tyers on an average. Given the fact that all are not experienced, I would like to suggest a relatively simple dry fly that would be doable to most tyers. Help for new tyers is available from more experienced tyers. Some new faces at each meeting, and I would like to see a dry being tied. I donated a good deal of hackle, so I know the feathers are out there. I just don't know of a simple fly that would be applicable to less experienced tyers. Any ideas?

Glad to know I'm not the only one with this sickness. My table is a mess, even compared to the ones here.

I lied. My No 1 isn't marked, the No 2 is marked on the cast iron. Not enough cast iron on the 1 to letter it.

Yes. It's not designated as the No 1, since that didn't happen until the No 2, which is also marked the same way.

It's molded in the cast iron, vertically.

My Universal #1 vise has "Universal" on the stem of the vise.

That's a good idea, mikechell. Next time I run into the problem again, I'll remember that.

I tried tweezers but there wasn't enough to hold on to.

Last evening, my black bobbin ran out of thread so I put a new spool on, and threaded it through the bobbin. NO, that's not exactly what happened. Try as I might, I couldn't find the beginning of the thread on the spool. I could see where it was supposed to be, I just couldn't get it unwound at all. Couldn't find the beginning. Oh, I saw the slit in the spool with a tuft of thread sticking out, but I could find no purchase. I've loaded spools before and didn't have this amount of a problem, or it could be I did have a problem and just don't remember it. After a long and frustrating time trying to find the beginning, I finally gave up and took a new razor blade and lightly ran it down the spool, wasting a lot of thread iin the process. The thread was Uni in 8-0. Does anyone have a solution to buried starting the thread that doesn't want to start?

Hmmmm....Looks like Midas was a catch and release fisherman.

Went to the doctor for an annual check. He said, "Don't eat anything fatty." I said, "Like hamburgers and fries?" He said, "No, needs a comma. Don't eat anything, Fatty."

Q: how much does a pirate pay to get his ears pierced? A: A buccaneer.

Which auction site, niveker? And how is the bobbin cradle attached?

A woman sitting at home and watching TV hears a knock on her door. When she opens the door there's a state trooper with a serious look on her face. Trooper asks her name and then asks if she has a picture of her husband. She goes and gets the photograph and shows it to the trooper. Trooper says, "Ma'm, I hate to tell you this but looks like your husband got hit by a truck." Woman says, "Yeah, I know, but he's a good provider."

Today was the first day, I think. It was well-attended today about noon. I didn't see any bargains, but I wasn't looking for a bargain as I have more materials I'll ever use. I bought 3 Indian necks for wings on dry flies. Lots of exhibits and fly tyers giving advice and demonstrations. The casting pools were used a good bit with casters making 60 ft. casts into hoops. I think it was 60 ft. Not sorry I went and if I needed anything it would have been time to spend some cash. Altogether, a better show this year than last year I think

Kelly Gallop believes that thread control is the most important factor in fly tying.

I've got wax for tying, just put it away a few years ago. It's Vinyeard, or whatever that wax in the video is. I'll just add it to my pathetic routine. Thanks for the idea.

An old cowboy goes into a barbershop to get a shave. He tells the barber that his face is so wrinkled he can't get a smooth shave. The barber says, "I get this all the time. Try this." He gives the cowboy a rubber ball about the size of golfball. "Put this in your mouth and it will make it easier to get a good shave because it will stretch out the wrinkles." The cowboy does and it's the cleanest shave he's had in years. He is well pleased and asks the barber. "That's great. What if someone swallows the ball." The barber says, "they bring it back in a couple of days."

Yes, that helped a lot. Thanks.

I can't seem to tie a fly with hackle tip wings without them getting off center and rolling over the hook. In other words, the wings wind up tilted clockwise, not centered. Its hard to get them to stand up straight. I've tried for a long time to set the wings up properly but they mostly tend t slide clockwise. I'm right handed and looking for a solution. I can generally get them but my wings tend to go off centered. Getting hackle wings standing up right doesn't come easy. Any suggestions for a solution of an old (not old in experience, just old age) elderly tier would be appreciated. This fault is something that occurred fairly recently and it's driving me crazy. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I did one last night, leaving off the fail. I wet the raffia before tying it on and it wasn't very difficult.