Remnzetti Traveler - Small & Curved Hook Advice

[flytire 0]

from your photos, i dont see a problem and see no reason to rotate the vise to any angle or upside down to tie a fly

 

tie at whatever angle and height that is comfortable and best for you. that one magic tying position is yours and yours alone

 

i dont know if you are really that close to your vise as you show in your third set but i would back away a bit

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

...

[chugbug27 0]

This is good feedback, thanks all. I'm pretty sure I arrived at this tying position naturally as a result of various physical peculiarities (nearsighted, astygmatisms, mild cataracts, old lower back injury, heavy shoulders & upper arms... oy), but I'm going to experiment anyway along the lines suggested. Meanwhile, any other insights are welcome as well.

 

Thanks again for the help, and for your patience. Please keep posting flies and responding to inquiries. I'm sure you know this already, but it's participants like you that make this forum both inspirational and a great resource.

[phg 0]

The second set of pictures is about where I have my vise setup, so I'd have to agree with tjm. You need to rethink your tying area. From that angle, things look just about right. If you need still more clearance at the back of the hook, you might try the midge jaws. They have a bit of relief cut into the rear portion of the jaws to allow greater access, but I've never seen the need for that. Of course, I never tie smaller than a 22....

[chugbug27 0]

Thanks phg for getting back,... do you have the vise rotated a little towards you off center to get that view, or do you tie straight on with your hands and the hook at eye level?

[vicrider 0]

First, I'd have a neck locked up on me for days if I did a tying session looking down like that. Many years as a crane operator left me bone spurs and neck that is fine unless I look down like or sleep on it wrong. Then it causes me massive headaches. HOWEVER, if the angle you are looking down at the vise is comfortable for you then there is nothing wrong with rotating the vise so you are looking at the flat side of the fly instead of straight down the top. I have my vise lifted to almost fly level by placing a book under pedestal to raise. You can do same by rotating. Second, you have hook buried far deeper into jaws than necessary for a good lockdown. Lift that hook up and just make sure you have the complete rounded part of hook in vise with bulk of hook and bend sticking out of vise. If you get to carried away with that you can have a hook take off at rocket speed never to be seen again but as long as you just catch hook and test it for grip you can have a lot more to work with.

 

I don't get the upside down tying. ??? I definitely can see that you can profit from rotating hook to look at side but that's it. I often rotate ties to check side to side tying and do actually turn upside down at times when tying hackle throat on some flies, or tying bend back hooks. Biggest problem I have when doing this is sticking the damn hook into my finger ever time I forget and try to sweep material back.

[chugbug27 0]

Thanks vicrider. On the posture I think it's a combination of my bad lower back (good neck) and weak eyes; on the upside down maybe it's my eyes but I feel compelled to get those dark jaws as far away from my field of vision as possible, and for some reason that seems to solve it best.

 

On the hook placement in vise, I was always told to bring the hook through different parts of the jaw and not come across only at the outer tip, or the jaw tip breaks off ... maybe that's hogwash? Or only for larger hooks? Or I have misunderstood? Or maybe I'm just going too far?

[tjm 0]

Eyes, have you considered trying a magnifier? I'm at that age where the eyes make everything tiny and when I find myself getting to close to the vise, I find a pair of drug store readers one size stronger than my bifocals gets my perspective back.

[Gene L 0]

I use drugstore readers in about 2.0 to be able to see the vise at tying range. You can go on up from there if you need it. I don't wear glasses ordinarily except when reading.

[chugbug27 0]

I already use readers... Couldn't hurt to up the magnification I suppose...

[phg 0]

Thanks phg for getting back,... do you have the vise rotated a little towards you off center to get that view, or do you tie straight on with your hands and the hook at eye level?

My avitar is me tying on a Traveler, and using a standard folding table as the work bench. Not ideal, but I've never had a problem doing that. At home, I use a higher bench and the vise is just below eye level, about chin level. No, I tie straight on, I don't rotate the vise unless I just need to.

 

The hook should be set as high in the jaws of your vise as you can, and still hold it securely. Adjust the width of the jaws to the thickness of the hook, so the vise jaws, when tight, are parallel to each other. This gives you the best hold on the hook with the least strain on the vise jaws.

 

I'm near sighted, so I don't need magnifiers when I tie, but most people over 40 need some help. Reading glasses are a good choice, but you might also consider a 4x craft magnifier. Lots of women use them for needlework.

 

Without seeing you tie, I don't know what else to suggest.

[chugbug27 0]

Thanks phg