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Kirk V

Whip finishing tool, or not (Knot)?

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I can whip finish a parachute better by hand than with a tool. This is a testiment of my nerdiness and inability to work the Matarelli in the horizontal mode. I probably could learn if I wanted to.

 

 

You can if you whip finish behind the eye of the hook. BUt I wrote that I whip finishing the hackle ON THE POST and not at the eye of the hook. This prevents the trapped hackle when you whip finish around the hook shank.

 

It is very difficult to whip fishing around the post by hand without removing the fly and remounting it so that the tail is up and the post faces forward like the hook eye normally would. It is easy of you use a whip fishing tool.

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I can whip finish a parachute better by hand than with a tool. This is a testiment of my nerdiness and inability to work the Matarelli in the horizontal mode. I probably could learn if I wanted to.

 

 

You can if you whip finish behind the eye of the hook. BUt I wrote that I whip finishing the hackle ON THE POST and not at the eye of the hook. This prevents the trapped hackle when you whip finish around the hook shank.

 

It is very difficult to whip fishing around the post by hand without removing the fly and remounting it so that the tail is up and the post faces forward like the hook eye normally would. It is easy of you use a whip fishing tool.

 

I don't find it so. I just horizontally whip finish the fly in the vise, around the post, by hand. I can't get the tool to work for me, but have seen others that do. I don't whip finish around the eye, as it traps hackle.

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Grerat topic and I am glad it was brought up. I have been using half hitches because I had a hard time figuring out the WF tool. but in my class I decided that was a skill I wanted to learn and it is getting easier. now I have both options available.

 

Brian

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And here I was thinking I'm the only experienced tyer who doesn't use a whip finish. Guess it's safe to come out of the closet. (LOL) By the time I'm finished with giving the head a nice thick coating of cement or epoxy, nobody's gonna notice I used half-hitches. Still, maybe it's time to get with the program and do it right.

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In my many years of tying and fishing I have had maybe 2 flys come apart because of using half hitches. I have a whiping tool and can do it by hand but I usually just put 2 to 4 half hitches and a drop of head cement. Same with my salt flies.

 

 

I am a believer in not making life complicated. We have ten fingers and only two will make a whip finish, furthermore, a whip finish is neater and can be "steered" to smooth out the head profile. Surely, we like to think of ourselves as craftsmen?

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I'm a newbie tyer, too.

 

I personally whip finish, I have both a Thompson and a "Matarelli" I think it's called. Really all you need is a knot to hold it all together, but I think the best part of whip finishers is that you can use them to make a super-smooth head. I still sometimes make not-so-neat heads, and whip finishing can be used to counteract a sloppy head as well as provide superior strength. (I don't cement my heads, just haven't gotten around to getting any yet:P)

 

This head on my JailBird Streamer below started really crappy but after two whip-finishes it's as smooth as a baby's bottom with no head cement. I've gotten compliments from respected tyers just on the great head!

post-42849-0-65111100-1332776495_thumb.jpg

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