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Lost Matarelli Whip Finisher

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Sadly I lost my beloved standard Matarelli whip finisher when moving recently. I know I cannot buy one from commercial outlets, flyshops since Matarelli retired. I am looking to buy a standard Matarelli whip finisher from anyone on this forum who might have more than one. I will pay your price and ofcourse shipping. Thanks for looking, Russ K.

 

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I was not smart enough to buy spares either. You would think someone else would step into the breech but I guess the skills are just no there -- even in China.

 

Mine goes into the vault now.

 

Rocco

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OK, I have to ask, what is the difference between the "Mararelli whip finisher" and the Matarelli style whip finisher that everbody sells and most tiers use?

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OK, I have to ask, what is the difference between the "Mararelli whip finisher" and the Matarelli style whip finisher that everbody sells and most tiers use?

about 20 - 25 dollars I think.

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There are some companies making whip finishers that they call "Matarelli" style wf's. Some put exotic wood handles on them. So, no there isn't a difference of twenty or so dollars. Mr. Matarelli sold his finishers thru fly shops for about $18. Is that cheap, no but his design made them easy to use and they gave me great thread control. That's why so many tiers use them and unless they have 3 or 4 sitting on their tying bench, they aren't going to part with them.

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20 -25 dollars is the difference you will pay for a dr. Slick knock-off and an original Matarilli if you can source one on the big auction site or if you can get someone to part with one. I have the standard and the long but it would take the jaws of life to get me to part with either.

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mikechell,

 

The Matarelli just flat works more smoothly for me -- especially with smaller flies..

 

Why?

 

I'm not really sure but looking at mine alongside two imitations -- not much used -- there are clear design differences. The hook on the Matarelli aligns lower below the handle than do the hooks on the imitations. The gap between the end of the handle and the hook of the Matarelli also is much shorter than the other two. And the angle of the upward bent portion on the Matarellli is not as steeply bent as the imitations are. Whatever the actual reasons, the Matarelli works like an extension of my hand while the two others are ungainly to use -- especially in the final stages of a whip finish when I am releasing the thread from the finisher.

 

One of the imitations does have a useful cone at one end with the tip removed that does make nice half hitches. But then so does a ballpoint pen tube.

 

Rocco

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Matarelli retired.

I can't find anything online about Matarelli. (unless Maria Matarelli is the tool inventor) Who is he/she and how do you know he/she retired? Where can I find information on this person?

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FM or Frank Matarelli worked out of his garage till 90 something and passed the business to his 70 something year old son. I don't think any new ones are being produced. They may have been out of the San Fran area but that is a swag.

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So are you saying my FM bobbin with original packaging needs to come off my bench and be put away for future fortune??

Maybe I should start hording more fly tools, wonder if the wife will fall for its an investment?

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Matarelli retired.

I can't find anything online about Matarelli. (unless Maria Matarelli is the tool inventor) Who is he/she and how do you know he/she retired? Where can I find information on this person?

 

Here's part of a comment on a bobbin article that's over at the Global Flyfisher site. It was posted by Mike Hogue on 9/20/2014. He runs a tying and flyfishing supply place in central New York.

 

"Look at what the tool does and what your expectation is. If you are tying bass or saltwater, or you pull hard, some of the fancy ones aren't the best. Some of the more solid models are the ones with the less expensive price. Feet are my biggest issue. Ball feet makes the bobbin twist and those tend to roll in your hand. I like recessed feet. By far the best model I have ever used is Matarelli. For many years the son ran the company. He stopped making bobbins earlier this spring due to some health issues with his Father. His feet never slipped and the tubes never cut thread because they were polished. A true Matarelli is stamped with his Dad's initials on each side. "FM". Those are gold."

 

I've had a FM whip finisher since I started tying since it came with a bass bug tying kit that I got from BPS back in 1997. It works fine, but it's never been in an oooh and aaah spot as far as using it goes. It's the only one I own, so I've never really compared it to any other make either.

 

Regards,

Mark

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It's not like they're rare or exclusive. Buy one from anywhere.

Sorry Mike but they are not the same whip finishers. That is why they call them Matarelli-style whip finishers.

 

So, what does the "real" Matarelli look like.

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