CasualAngler

I'd choose the Killer Bug. Been fishing twice this Year already, and the fish gobbled it fight up!

I'd use the $$ to survive. My "new" Model A works just fine.

That vise and bobbin are sweet! Do you intend to tie with them or are they for display? Oh yeah! The Model A will be my primary vise. It came with a set of Midge jaws & the original box. I bought the Pedestal for it, and also have the C clamp. The bobbin holder is in awesome shape, and I'm definitely using it, too! It also came with the original box. Alan

Christmas goodies that just arrived... Thompson Model A w/ Pedestal & vintage Thompson bobbin holder Hareline Dubbin pheasant skin Alan

You could go the budget route; find a vintage Thompson Model A, pick up a Bobbin holder or 2, a Whip finish tool and some hackle pliers & Bob's your Uncle. Or, buy a pre-made tool kit & buy an expensive vise that'll do everything except catch the fish for you. Whichever way you go, definitely go the route of deciding what flies you want to tie, then only buying the Materials you need to tie the flies you're interested in. All in one kits may include Materials you'll never need, or other superfluous knick knacks. Whatever you decide, it's a great way to pass the time. Alan

that was my question I have several Pantone markers that have colored various materials but I have not done egg stuff. It's all a matter of how much color bleed one would get from both the marker & the egg material. Sharpies do bleed somewhat on porous material... Alan

Sharpie markers come in an ever enlarging selection of Colors... would those work?

Very nice! Happy New Year! Alan

You could also try McMaster Carr... https://www.mcmaster.com/press-to-close-bags Alan

It's been much better the past few days. No more "Resource" messages. Alan

David (OP), What about taking some samples of your work to your local Fly Shop, and see if they would be willing to sell them? You'll be giving them to the shop; they're samples, after all. Have them set the Price, put them on display & see what happens. If they sell, you'll have a good indicator of both your quality level & popularity (pattern). If not, you get valuable feedback & critique, with not so much $$ out of your pocket for the Research. Gotta see if there's a market for your work. You also mentioned cheap materials like wire, feathers, etc. There are great vids on YT about where to find that stuff, like from old radios or other appliances (wire), or your hunter friends for feathers. Keep tying, work on your consistency & methodology. The more efficient you are, the faster things go. Good Luck! Alan

I use what's recommended in the Fly recipe. So far, that's been mostly UNI 6/0. The 3 spools of UTC I bought (1-70d, 2-140d) were mainly for Color. UNI works with my hamfisted tying style better than the UTC does. Alan

Have a mellow, peaceful Holiday season everyone! Very nice Christmas photo, Normand! Alan

Happy Holidays to everyone! Thank you for all of the Assistance you all have given me! Alan

Very nice!

In 17 posts a fundamental question that gnawed at me for 2 months was fully answered. Thanks to all! Welcome, Timmy! Alan

I'm not familiar with that vise, is there something that attracted you to it? Nothing, other than it's built like a B-17, it came with the extra Midge jaws, & it's better than the one I have. It's also legendary! Alan

Your next best option is to try some Medical Supply stores. If they're used in the OR, they should stock them, unless the rubber pads don't survive an autoclave... Alan

I just purchased a Pedestal base so I could start using an old Thompson Model A vise that I recently picked up on Craigslist. However, it sits a bit higher than the vise I started out with. I'm considering trimming the Shaft down a little to match the height of the other vise, but that might be a big mistake. We'll see... By the by... anyone in Denver going to the Fly Fishing Expo in January? 1/4-6/19 @ the Denver Merchandise Mart? They've got some interesting Tying seminars going on... https://flyfishingshow.com/denver-co/ Alan

That's a very pretty rod! May the angler using this catch much lunkers! Alan

I just bought a Model A recently, & cannot use the C-clamp because it puts the vise way too close to me. After wracking my brain to come up with an alternative clamping method, looks like I'll have to settle with a Table stand instead. Alan

That is one slick rig! Hope he catches lots of fish! Alan

508 Resource Limits reached Message since Friday 12/7/18. How about Updating the Site Software, or checking to see if you're the Recipient of a DDoS attack?

The flies that I tie & fish with (reverse hackle tenkara flies, Killer Bugs) aren't readily available in shops here. They take minimal Materials and are easy to tie, so it's both economical and a fun activity. Add the excitement of catching a fish with a self made fly instead of a store bought one, & it's a win all around. Alan

A beautiful piece of work. Good Luck to whoever ends up with it. There's nothing like having a good blade at your side.