What the heck are these?

[Patriot 0]

Today I found these in my fly tieing stuff.

 

 

Anybody know what they might be?

[rstaight 0]

Hackle guards. I have a set just like those. Don't like em, my thumb and finger works just fine.

[utyer 0]

I had a set when I first started tying, they came from Herter's. Your fingers can do the same job. They might still be useful for pushing back spun or stacked deer hair when you tie off the head.

[Patriot 0]

I had a set when I first started tying, they came from Herter's. Your fingers can do the same job. They might still be useful for pushing back spun or stacked deer hair when you tie off the head.

 

Ah, Herter's! Those were the days. I miss that big thick ol' catalog. I'm not sure where I purchased mine, but today I tried using them and they were useful. Without the mono and weight to keep them in place, the tie-off was a bit tricky. Brought back a lot of good memories.

 

I love some of this old stuff, but I wouldn't trade my Renzetti for my old Thompson Model B(?) or my old Thompson cast iron vise. The latter looked like a fishhead and had jaws larger then vise-grips. LOL! Together they are probably more expensive than the Renzetti.

[Patriot 0]

Hackle guards. I have a set just like those. Don't like em, my thumb and finger works just fine.

 

Amen! You just won the prize. Lol!

 

I kinda like these, but tomorrow they'll probably go back into the dusty box they came out of.

[vicrider 0]

Okay, let me tell you why they are so valuable at my tying table. I use them on many many flies of all types. Since I've never been as good at trimming feathers/fur/herl, etc. at the front of the fly as you tie it off what I do, and I mean a lot, is use the size that just slips over the thread head and move it back of thread. Then I take a butane lighter and wave a couple of passes in front of the fly and the hackle guard. This gets rid of those last little fuzzies sticking out it's impossible to cut close enough with scissors. You can do this before you coat head, after you coat head with CA, but never when you put fly head cement on it unless it's really dry.

 

If someone scorches a fly trying this trick I use a lot don't blame me. Also, it's for small flies where no feathers are sticking above the hackle guard. I know the pros never have need to clean up a head but I do often and until I get a cauterizer to try this works for me.

[Patriot 0]

Okay, let me tell you why they are so valuable at my tying table. I use them on many many flies of all types. Since I've never been as good at trimming feathers/fur/herl, etc. at the front of the fly as you tie it off what I do, and I mean a lot, is use the size that just slips over the thread head and move it back of thread. Then I take a butane lighter and wave a couple of passes in front of the fly and the hackle guard. This gets rid of those last little fuzzies sticking out it's impossible to cut close enough with scissors. You can do this before you coat head, after you coat head with CA, but never when you put fly head cement on it unless it's really dry.

 

If someone scorches a fly trying this trick I use a lot don't blame me. Also, it's for small flies where no feathers are sticking above the hackle guard. I know the pros never have need to clean up a head but I do often and until I get a cauterizer to try this works for me.

 

Great idea, vicrider!

 

I HATE trying clip all of that hackle (or whatever) protruding from the newly tied-off head. Today I will try to figure out how to get some mono to hold the hackle guard in place while I try your suggestion.

 

Thanks for sharing this great tip. Live and learn.

[Bimini15 0]

Okay, let me tell you why they are so valuable at my tying table. I use them on many many flies of all types. Since I've never been as good at trimming feathers/fur/herl, etc. at the front of the fly as you tie it off what I do, and I mean a lot, is use the size that just slips over the thread head and move it back of thread. Then I take a butane lighter and wave a couple of passes in front of the fly and the hackle guard. This gets rid of those last little fuzzies sticking out it's impossible to cut close enough with scissors. You can do this before you coat head, after you coat head with CA, but never when you put fly head cement on it unless it's really dry.

 

If someone scorches a fly trying this trick I use a lot don't blame me. Also, it's for small flies where no feathers are sticking above the hackle guard. I know the pros never have need to clean up a head but I do often and until I get a cauterizer to try this works for me.

 

I like this firewall use of them. Might have to take mine out and try...

[Striperknight 0]

I still have 2 Herter's catalogs. Found them in the Fly stuff I inherited.

[Patriot 0]

@Bimini15

 

Wanna buy some cheap fire insurance? We have a special going on right now for fly tyer's such as yourself (and others?).

[Patriot 0]

I still have 2 Herter's catalogs. Found them in the Fly stuff I inherited.

 

A picture would be awesome.

[vicrider 0]

Patriot, no need to mess with line or weights. Just hold in place with left hand and flash light underneath with right. I have done hundreds of flies like this and only once burnt the top of some hackle wings through carelessness. I do know one guy posted talking about this topic how he had a nice, finished deer hair bug and tried to burn some only to see his work go up in smoke.

[Patriot 0]

Patriot, no need to mess with line or weights. Just hold in place with left hand and flash light underneath with right. I have done hundreds of flies like this and only once burnt the top of some hackle wings through carelessness. I do know one guy posted talking about this topic how he had a nice, finished deer hair bug and tried to burn some only to see his work go up in smoke.

 

LOL, I can just see that nice deer hair bug going up in smoke. I can smell it, too.

 

I got'cha on just holding the hackle guard. My wife uses small butane stand up torches for her jewelry work. I'm going to try and talk her out of her smaller torch, but I may need medical care if I'm not careful. A wooden match would probably work just as well. Forget the torch.

[Tom Cummings 0]

I've used the firewall a few times. Use an adjustable butane lighter no torch. A torch will fry the thread as well as what you wanted singed off. If your handy the guards are easily made or you can get super small plumbing washers. The later will pull the hackle to the body so you won't singe it. Also great for keeping bobbins threaded as when done you can lock the thread to the bobbin barrel. I keep 2 on my bobbins

[vicrider 0]

Sitting here trying to visualize what you mean Tom. Then I thought, you must mean slide the bobbin up through the hole in the hackle guard and leaving it on the bobbin. I always just leave quite a bit of thread hanging out, but still have hooked thread with something on bench and pulled it through. I admit I keep a really messy bench when I'm tying and constantly knocking things over or onto the floor. I've ruined a couple of t-shirts with CA already. What I do when I finish with a thread color (understand I have about 10 bobbins filled at any given time) is to pull the thread down to the spool, lift the insert that pops into side of spool and center thread and snap the arm of bobbin back. Holds thread when you shug it up and keeps all bobbins ready to go at any time.