Hooks

[Easternfly 0]

I'm having a hard time finding blind eye hooks. Does anyone know of a US source for them, If not where else? What I have now are 3/0 CS6 I think. 

[bruce deringon 0]

Send me your address 

[SalarMan 0]

Very generous of you Bruce. I also have a few to spare. We've got to get you off the CS6's.  Just too bland a shape. PM me your address and I'll pass some along. I just may wait until after the Christmas package season to do so...therefore please be patient.

The only sources I'm aware of are feathersmc.com, aofeathers.com, detteflies.com, stoneriveroutfitters.com (biggest selection) and ebay of course. All of these have limited supplies and shapes simply because the big manufacturers are no longer making the hooks we all prefer.

Good luck!!

[Easternfly 0]

1 hour ago, SalarMan said:

Very generous of you Bruce. I also have a few to spare. We've got to get you off the CS6's.  Just too bland a shape. PM me your address and I'll pass some along. I just may wait until after the Christmas package season to do so...therefore please be patient.

The only sources I'm aware of are feathersmc.com, aofeathers.com, detteflies.com, stoneriveroutfitters.com (biggest selection) and ebay of course. All of these have limited supplies and shapes simply because the big manufacturers are no longer making the hooks we all prefer.

Good luck!!

Message for all of your help. I will look into them. I really don't know that other hook to buy. I was told many times that a 3/0 is a good start because of materials.

2 hours ago, bruce deringon said:

Send me your address 

Message sent

[SalarMan 0]

Kevin -

I like what you say about starting with 3/0 hooks. I tie almost exclusive on 3/0 or 4/0 hooks. Early on I made the mistake of thinking these flies had to be BIG...as in 6/0 or 7/0 hooks. Man oh man was I wrong. There is a place for those, but not in my repertoire.

Stone River has a good selection of Gaelic Supremes...almost impossible to find nowadays. Go with the Pryce-Tannatt in 3/0 and the Francis-Francis as a second choice.

John McLain at feathersmc has a good selection of Gordeaux's hooks. He reworks modern hooks into nice blind eyed versions. It also just so happens he lives relatively close to you in Moon Township  just on the other side (west)  of Pittsburgh. He is an excellent tyer of classics and when he visited me here just outside Valley Forge he was a great help with my growth as a tyer of classics.

Finally...let your budget determine what you do. It is VERY EASY to get carried away with this stuff.

[Easternfly 0]

6 minutes ago, SalarMan said:

Kevin -

I like what you say about starting with 3/0 hooks. I tie almost exclusive on 3/0 or 4/0 hooks. Early on I made the mistake of thinking these flies had to be BIG...as in 6/0 or 7/0 hooks. Man oh man was I wrong. There is a place for those, but not in my repertoire.

Stone River has a good selection of Gaelic Supremes...almost impossible to find nowadays. Go with the Pryce-Tannatt in 3/0 and the Francis-Francis as a second choice.

John McLain at feathersmc has a good selection of Gordeaux's hooks. He reworks modern hooks into nice blind eyed versions. It also just so happens he lives relatively close to you in Moon Township  just on the other side (west)  of Pittsburgh. He is an excellent tyer of classics and when he visited me here just outside Valley Forge he was a great help with my growth as a tyer of classics.

Finally...let your budget determine what you do. It is VERY EASY to get carried away with this stuff.

I know about Gordeaux's hooks from shopping at International Angler. They told me about him and I tried to set up a class session with him but it never came about. I'm trying to go a little slower at getting materials. I know all to well how it can drain you. I have a small collection now. 

 Here's a material question you two my help me with. Floss.... what colors would cover me for a few years that could cross over to other patterns? I was look into Japanese floss

[SalarMan 0]

First - The Japanese floss is the only way to go. Nothing else even comes close. If your hands tend to be rough, get yourself a pair of silk glove liners to keep from fraying the floss...look on Etsy. Also go to ebay and search for an "agate burnishing knife". Absolutely the best thing available to smooth an underbody and the finished floss body.

Colors - Black & yellow (a couple of shades) are musts. After that a lot of what you need is individual pattern based so it is hard to be very specific. In my floss drawer there are probably 9 or more different colors, and they are all in various shades as in light to dark blue, couple of greens, red, purple, orange among others.

One final thought. All I use is Veevus 10/0 thread for my classics. Black and white and maybe one spool of red are all you need.

[Easternfly 0]

I did get a agate burnishing knife. I ordered gloves and at the moment I'm trying 70D thread because I have a lot of different colors. I do know that the all I really need is black and white. I've seen a lot of different weights of thread used to this point.

I will PM you a link let me know if this is junk please. 

[madfly04 0]

I was just reading through this thread, good to see the reference to International Anger...Not sure if this is the right place for this, but just came across some hooks I have had stored away.  A variety of styles and quality. All R. Reinhold including a handful of Gold Label, victorian finish...There was a time I was quite active tying and collecting...

[SalarMan 0]

The last thing I need is more hooks. I tie 99% of my classics on hooks from the late Ronn Lucas, Sr.
But my curiosity got the best of me. What are the sizes and models of the Reinhold hooks you have?

Thanks,
George

[Bruce Derington 0]

I’m looking for smaller than 4/0, 

[SalarMan 0]

5 hours ago, Bruce Derington said:

I’m looking for smaller than 4/0, 

You and me both Bruce.....