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gaeronf

Whip Finish...

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My whip finishes have been undoing lately. I use a materelli and normally do two or three separate finishes. What do you think is the problem with them pulling out?

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1 whip is sufficient. Always do at least 3 turns. Be sure each wrap is in front of the preceding one. Be sure you tighten the knot completely when you finish. Really give it some torque. ^_^

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You CANNOT put the wraps right on top of one another. you have to wrap them back over the thread, you should make 5 turns they say...although I only do 4. good luck!

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I normally do 5 turns, BACK TO FRONT so there is no thread coming over the whips, if that makes sense. If you have a steep tapered head perhaps on a bucktail or something, head cement will hold everything in place. On smaller flies and dry flies, I often don't use head cement at all, and I can't remember a whip finish coming apart on me. Ideally, you want your whip finish to look just like the ones on rod guides--- invisible.

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yes like previously said you have to go from the back to the front for it to tie properly. I also put a dab of superglue on all of my finished knots too. Its a little over kill but nothing is worse than putting a fresh fly on and have it start to fall apart after the first fish or snag.

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When building bead heads, I put some head cement on the thread before doing the whip finish. Meaning the thread that's hanging down from the fly. Since it's seating in there behind the bead, I dont want cement getting down there and mucking up the dubbing or what not... Reading the OP's question, makes me wonder... anyone ever do that on a regular head fly?

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I dislike tools!

 

I use a hand whipfinish, use at least 5 turns and really snug it up afterwards!!!

 

Blessings,

Jeremy

 

Show Off :P I can never seem to be able to do that.

 

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I dislike tools!

 

I use a hand whipfinish, use at least 5 turns and really snug it up afterwards!!!

 

Blessings,

Jeremy

I'm just curious of why you don't like the tool? I understand there is personal preference. Just a little curious.

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I tied for over 25 years without a whip finish tool, I learned to do it by hand as a kid. Over the last 5 years or so I find I am using the tool almost all the time now.....??? sometimes on smaller flies I get better control with the tool versus by hand. :dunno:

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I dislike tools!

 

I use a hand whipfinish, use at least 5 turns and really snug it up afterwards!!!

 

Blessings,

Jeremy

I'm just curious of why you don't like the tool? I understand there is personal preference. Just a little curious.

 

I first started fly tying at 8yrs old, I learned without even a vise, you did everything with your hands! At 15yrs old I was producing 3 dozen wooly Buggars/hr by hand for my best friend for commercial sale at the end of that first yr I had tied 15,000 flies and bought my first vise!! When I commercial tyed I still did it by hand the vise slowed me down!!

 

I know off the question you asked just wanted to share some background.

 

I like to use my hands as much as possible saves time when you commercial tie!

 

I've long since given up commercial tying but old habits die hard!!!

 

I have fun and thats all that matters ! tools ??? no tools?????

 

Blessings,

Jeremy

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I have fun and thats all that matters !

That's one thing people always forget when doing anything... You gotta do it for fun! Because if your not then why do it?

 

 

But your story was great I love learning how people use to tie before all this new technology came into play here. I also find myself whipping with my hand a lot, I find it easier also because I don't feel like picking up the tool then messing around making the triangle and all that when I just whip and done real quick. I do find myself whipping with a tool if I want more of a precise whip... But do the fish care? nope!

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I figured out why my whip was coming out a lot, i wasn't tightening it enough and I was velcro-ing the fly too ergo the undoing...

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