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Fly Tying
Tom Cummings

Finished tying tool collection

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I will have to agree with Mike. The more you spend on expensive tools the less you can spend on materials to make flies. The biggest expense I see folks spending a ton of money on is vices. I have a good $20 Cabell's brand vice. Works very well for me and don't know if a couple hundred dollars would ever be worth upgrading it. I do want a second bobbin holder someday though for when I used two different threads often and a second pair of scissors, one for wire and tinsel and another for feathers and the like.

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Tom, the thinning scissors are for thinning down bait fish patterns. Very little other uses for them. I got mine half price at Sally's Beauty supply. My Thompson ICE scissors, have lasted me well over 30 years, and are still plenty sharp.

 

I now have about 1/3 the tool inventory as I did 20 years ago. After outfitting my niece and nephew, two boy scout troops, and a couple of beginning tiers, I am down to 4 vises, two of these are travel vises, and one is on loan. Of course, I don't tie near as much these days, only about 1200 last year.

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For me, the vise and scissors are the important tools, and they should be built to outlast me. My "new" vise is a Dyna-King Sidewinder. I picked that up used and in a trade; and its 25 years old. Through the years, I have purchased and sold, traded, or given away, about a dozen vises. All the vises I purchased where paid for with the proceeds from selling flies, and since it was part of my business, they were a tax deductible expense. I started with a Thompson A, upgraded to a Thompson Pro, both these are still in the family. Many others I have had are still in use. Since 1990 or so, I have used a Nor-vise, it will be the last one for me.

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I am satisfied with my renzeti full rotating vise. After going to a full rotating I did improve my tying and did get flies done faster. Orvise utility scissors has a notch near the pivot point for wire and fine point for precise trims. The general purpose is great and the razor is for hair trimming. Worked outstanding on deer tail today. No chasing uneven cuts. 2 bobbins became a very nice thing for multi thread ties. Fortunate for me I can afford high quality tools and spare change to buy high quality materials. Every week or so I buy more materials so I have what's needed for a pattern and not do a substitute. This has become an addiction and nearly equally addicted to fishing my flies.

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I keep in my tying box a fingernail brush for roughing up dubbing, I stole it from the bathroom since my wife didn't like the color of it anyway. I unbent a colored paper clip, then formed a hook in one end and that is what I use to twirl up a dubbing loop. My vise I think I overpaid for it $35, made in India, that I bought a bunch or years ago and now has too many memories to part with it. I have two pairs of scissors, one Fiskars straight and a $7 finger care curved blade scissor, plus I just use a single edged razor blade half the time anyway. I have 4 bobbins/holders or whatever you want to call them. Matarelli whip finisher, Terra thread starter and some off brand but well made shiny brass hair stacker. I keep a sleeve of sewing needles in my case that comes in handy. I have a zip strip attached to my magnifier light that is a holder for the bobbin when I want to spin my vise around and not tangle things up. I have that forming a loop and have it zipped to the mast with another twist tie. My setup is all about "classy" LOL ( not, but it is very portable and very functional). I also have a tube fly kit from HMH that works with my vise fine,

.

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The only thing I want is a bobbin for every roll of thread I have. Terra ceramic bobbins 5 to 6 bucks each and they work great. Fly tying "tools" are under absolutely no stress so I don't feel a need to buy "quality" aka name brand. Life is so simple for a cheap bastard.

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Name brand usually equates to cost more. The Orvis brand tools are actually relatively on par for cost yet are of high quality. As for branded clothing I won't pay 65.00 for a polo shirt or 90.00 for a 30.00 hat. Hooks and materials are on par for cost poles and reels over priced lol. I do pay attention to cost but in the end if I want something I buy it no matter what it will cost.

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You got me on the hat. I paid 85 bucks for a Tilly while on a 9 day jaunt around Arizona. Because my head is so fat I couldn't buy a 10 dollar one size fit all hat so I was forced to pony up to keep the skin from peeling off my face. I'm not a hat person but this is the only hat I've ever owned that's actually comfortable to wear.

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I'm just opposite. Small hat size for me. Med large and xtra large is easiest to find around me. Ended up at Dicks sporting goods for a Dorfman Pacific Company hat and with balding and shaved head protection was needed. It just so happens it is also water repellant and took a full downpour for an hour and was able to smoke a cigarette while hiking out from the lake I was at.

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I understand wanting tools that match and are of good quality. But then again I'm not above something inexpensive if it fits the bill. I was at a flyfishing show years ago. Came across a booth that was selling some very cheap tying tools. Spent $12 for 12 ceramic bobbins. Even though they are cheap I like them better than my Tiemco bobbins.

 

Out in the garage my hand tools are mostly S-K Wayne, can't stand Craftsman. I have several S-K socket sets and 3 wrench sets that are S-K. But I am not above going to Harbor Freight to get something I will only use once or twice. Like I am not above going to Hobby Lobby to by scissors to cut deer hair.

 

But I must admit, your Orvis tool set does look good.

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Yes.. this is an obsession, addiction lol. Hello my name is David , I'm addicted to buying fly tying materials and tools lol

Love my regal vice, my Rite bobbins 7-8 ? I tend to use Dr Slick tools , although I did order a Larger whipfinisher this week from orvis

I needed it to finish tying off Klinkhammers , I use a whipfinisher ,I don't finish off by hand ..lol shame on me Other then that my materials are always growing as well as my hooks , ugh , lol I'm not in this on a budget or to save money , it's what I'm into , it's great therapy for me , I just wish I could have more time to do it lol , I do have time honestly I'm retired , but I do things around house lol

I guess to each his own , tools last a long time ,if the proper tool helps you enjoy you're passion I say go for it ! I think back to the earlier days when some of the legendary Tiers are featured in articles or books , showing them tying without a vice , either holding in one hand or using a clothespin , I've seen photos where some held the thread in hand and created some of the most beautiful historical flys we admire to this day .. but Hey it's 2017 , I like Air conditioning , heat and hot water ... I enjoy an ice cold craft beer , or a large glass of port while I'm at the bench. , I'm grateful I'm able to have these great items .... " keep on tying

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As of late work has become all consuming. I did find some time to pick up more materials and tie at least 1 fly when I wake up. Also purchased a new fishing hat as somebody liked my Dicks sporting goods hat. Now I have a Stetson in the same style and it holds its shape better. Now just have to get a day off to fish lol.

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I have more tools than carter has pills, including a Renzetti traveler 8 pairs of scissors 3 tye rite bobbins, several ceramic bobbins of different price ranges, two bodkins a Materalli style Whip finisher I made myself. ( It is a down sized version for small flies) Locking tweezers 3 hair stackers, hair packer, dubbing twister, dubbing teaser assorted paint brushes for painting poppers and jigs,clouser arm for the vise, A HMH swing arm to get the vise away from the desk edge and a trash catcher fastened to the bottom of the vise etc. You can spend a lot of money on tools some of them worth the bucks others not so much BTW my hat is a nice wide brim Statesman I bought in Australia 12 years ago. I also want to know more about the Grab bag deal too.

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