need help making a smaller whip

[Tree_Snagger 0]

how many wraps on a whip are necessary, and how do i make them smaller so that my dubbing goes all the way up to the bead?

[Redwings1 0]

5 wraps will absolutely lock the knot in place, three wraps is enough to lock the knot until you can hit it with a dot of zap a gap. Try placing your whips wraps on top of each other instead of side by side...that should allow you to get your dubbing much closer to the eye.

[fly time 0]

When I do bead heads, I wrap infront of the bead, and not behind it, but Redwings is correct as well.

 

 

Dustin

[deeky 0]

A whip is really the exact same procedure as a half hitch, just with more wraps. So, technically, only one wrap is necessary, but you would need to do more than one half hitch. I usually try to get at least 4 wraps in my whips. What size thread are you using? A smaller thread means less bulk per same number of wraps.

[atroutbum2 0]

The beads i use are counterboared, what i try ro do is to not fill up the hole in the bead with stuff, and when i whip finnish, i use thread tension to pull the knot inside the bead, hideing it. Basicly im whipfinnishing inside the bead. When i do this i coat the thread with head cement before i do the whip. But i whip finnish by hand so this is easy for me, it might be difficult to do using a whipfinnish tool.

 

I usually do two seperate three wrap whips, one on top of the other.

 

You could also try to lightly dub a bit of the thread ,after you tied the whip and glued it, and make a wrap over the whip and tie it off wit a half hitch, to hide the whip .

[Alex C. 0]

I read once somewhere that it isn't good for the knot to stack the wraps on top of each other, since then I've always made sure to make neat wraps that progress toward the eye. :dunno:

 

For most trout flies I whip finish once with 5 wraps. For big flies I tie 2 whip finish knots with 5 wraps each. For a beadhead like you're talking about I whip finish behind the bead, if theres a noticable gap I take the tooth brush to it and frazzle up the dubbing to hide it. I'm also curious what size thread you're using

[fly time 0]

What did ya use for the wings on the one on the far right? I like the looks of em!

 

 

Dustin

[flyfishingtaz 0]

I personally whip finish with 3 wraps, pull it tight, then do it again. They always hold fine. A dab of cement to seal it in, and you should be fine.

[dsaavedra 0]

i do six wraps of 6/0 thread on top of each other. i dont bother with cement. just do it slowly so that you can see where the wraps are laying. do them ontop of each other.

[Nick N 0]

if you dub your thread, then wrap the last 3 wraps around a bobbin threader(and hook!) then cut the thread, keep tension, pull through threader, then pull threader out of loops, it will lock up great, and you wont see a thing.

[day5 0]

IM not great at small flies and I dont really know much about them but are thoes size 20 ish flies?? Id guess you should be tying with 8/0 to 10/0 thread. If you have the touch to tie with smaller go for it. but redwings hit the nail on the head!!

[Tree_Snagger 0]

I'm tying with crappy thread that, if I had to guess, is smaller than the 6/0 black I bought. Everything I'm doing right now is on size 16 hooks. I am using cement. After reading replies, I've cut down on wraps from 6 to 3 or 4, and have taken greater care in placing the whip, and I've had better results. I appreciate all of your replies, but have now become consumed with my vise jaws showing wear. I'm tying on a new Danvise w/extension, and have loved it except for being under 20 flies on the vise and having it showing wear. And i did watch the video on how to properly adjust tension, and have been following it sternly. Is it normal for any decent jaws to show wear this soon?

 

----fly time, the wings were made of fine-tipped sharpie-enhanced plastic bags that my Christmas napkins from Target came from. We try our best to adapt and overcome around here...