Gene L 0 Report post Posted March 26, 2023 Yeah, I have one. I'm "queer for gear". I only recently got it for cleaning up messy heads. When I tired to use it, it would catch the hackle on fire, ruining the fly. So I got to thinking; and to block the hackle with a head shield, I cut a section of an aluminum can, about an inch or two, pierced it with a bodkin and enlarged it with an old scissors so it just fit over the head. Voila'. This is a fine shield for the heat of the cautery tool and sure made for a neater head. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SalarMan 0 Report post Posted March 26, 2023 Another trick...use batteries that are damn near dead. The tip doesn't get quite so hot. I learned the hard way as well😎 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2023 heat up the tip of your bodkin with a lighter and singe away the fuzzies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niveker 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2023 2 hours ago, flytire said: heat up the tip of your bodkin Good tip, I recently started doing this, but use a large needle in a piece of cork. Previously I used a lighter and makeshift shield. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2023 hackle guards would work too Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vicrider 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2023 This...Use the guards and either a lighter or the cauterizing tool. Cauterizing tool makes me nervous when I think back to when wife decided our family was big enough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2023 Yep, I use both methods, the needle/bodkin and the or the cauterizer, witch-ever I think suitable for the task at the time. Almost always with a guard, sometimes a guard is not needed when using the bodkin, but a steady hand is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jcozzz 0 Report post Posted March 28, 2023 7 hours ago, vicrider said: This...Use the guards and either a lighter or the cauterizing tool. Cauterizing tool makes me nervous when I think back to when wife decided our family was big enough. HaHa hear ya brother.My first wife seemed to really enjoy that procedure a lot more than i did.I had 4 kids with her.Second wife brought 3 with her.I guess tying has kept me sane. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted March 28, 2023 22 hours ago, flytire said: heat up the tip of your bodkin with a lighter and singe away the fuzzies I use this old bobbin threader that came with the inexpensive tool kit I bought back when I fist began tying. Over the years the wire loop had gotten deformed and it no longer worked well for threading. I cut it down short which made it more precise in the hand. The low grade wire it is made out of glows red almost instantly when hit with a lighter. It also only holds the heat for a short time which can be both a blessing and a curse. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gene L 0 Report post Posted March 29, 2023 I've got hackle guards somewhere in the hurricane scene of my tying room. I thought about using them but I'm too lazy to look for them. The tin thing I use works OK so far. It's comforting to know I'm not the only one who cauterizes messy heads. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cebe 0 Report post Posted March 29, 2023 I use the small halfhitch tool to push the hackle back with a half hitch. It keeps the eye clear for a finishing wrap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites