Head Clinic

[GlassJet]

Hi there,
Some of you may have seen this thread
where I wondered if a nasal hair remover made from an old guitar string and plugged into the mains might be helpful for fly tying purposes too, specifically in tidying up completely fuc - I mean - messed up heads.

Many were rather scathing of my latest gadget, and suggested instead that I might address my fly tying technique rather than buy my way out of the problem by way of some small compensation for an over-commercialised festive season. All I need do, apparently, was to tie my hackle on first, following in the hallowed footsteps of Big Jim himself, Mr Leisenring.

As promised, here is an attempt, a third attempt, 3 of 3.


Hackle first by GlassJet, on Flickr

First attempt was actually better - but done on a whim with a hackle which wqs lying around and was far too long, offended my eye and would have causes far more embarrassment than merely a scruffy head
Second attempt was straggly too, because of hairs carried over in the split thread dubbing.

My thoughts:
Not bothered about hackle set too far back here, that's just a bit of practice. It definitely makes it easier to make a tidy head, or I can see how it would with practice. So spot on there Carl, though I am sure you don't need me to tell you that. Not fully convinced though, because it seems to lose me some control over the thorax region for me, and getting that right I like to think contributes to catching fish. Whereas the straggly head question is aesthetic.

Definitely going to persevere with it though - heck, i've only done three - and if I can get that thorax region - the bit just behind the hackle - fully under control, I'd switch, definitely. But I'd have to feel I'd really got that. Ongoing this, more practice. Tying in the rib is different too... I usually try and get that in early, ends up a bit later by tying in hackle first, or did for me, so any potential bulges in the wrong places... heck, it must be Christmas...

Thanks for the call to action though

Andrew.

[Stendalen]

Well..I'm just glad you are still alive...the guitar string method...well...it came with some warnings

Nice work.

Martin

[Soft-hackle]

Martin,
A good sharp pair of scissors helps trim those stray hairs BEFORE you fashion the head. For stray hackle fibers-I use to slip a small piece of swizzle straw /plastic straw coffee stirrer, over the thread and tying tube of my bobbin. Just before finishing the head, I'd slide the straw up the tube and string and over the fly and hackles to hold them back, out of the way. Then I'd whip finish, slide the straw back onto the bobbin tube and cut off the thread. If you do not know what I'm talking about, I'll see if I can post a photo.

Keep practicing, once you get it down, it'll be a snap.

Mark

[willowhead]

Definately much better Jet.....three things. First: i'm no expert on the Leisenring method by any stretch.....but i can't see any advantage to tying a hackle in first. If there is one.....(you, Mark or anyone), please enlighten me. i seem to remember something about being able to wrap backwards thru the thorax and then forward again because you've tyed the hackle in first, which back in the days, with the hackle they had being what it was.....may make some sense.....but our genetic hackle nowdays would eliminate any need for doing that, because the guess work has all been romoved as to how many tunrs you'll be able to get.....ENOUGH (even touching), turns is how many.
Second: i agree with Mark bout seriously sharp and fine scissors. My favorites are the Dr. Slick Neddle Point WAY Fine model.....(prolly not the real name of them but it surfices)....."most" fly shop employees will know which ones you mean when you ask for them. However "most" fly shops, even those which DO handle Dr. Slick products, do not keep them in stock. But they can get 'em. They are the VERY finest pair they make.....and ask them to show you a catalog.....they may think they know and be completely wrong.....often times, "they" (fly shop employee or even the manager or owner), don't know from Shinola. The model i'm referring to is unbelieveably finely pointed. And they have saved my butt (heads) countless times. Can't help it.....my buttheads .....but i digress...........check those sicssors out. They are GREAT, and i can't imagine working without them. Three: i also use the straw method when i'm doin' my heads and i have used Marabou or other unrulie material for the collar. Holds everything outta the way when using cements/polishes/etc. You can also just spit on, or (water) dampen the materials to get them outta the way temporarily.
Personally i have a REAL THING about heads.....they are EVERYTHING. The head of your fly tells another tyer instantly where your at as a tyer. They are a dead giveaway as to the level your at, and a way serious insight as to how long you've benn at it and where your takin' it. They tell everything. i spend a great deal of time on them and put demands on myself when it comes to them, as much or more than any aspect of fly tying. Like i said, they're everything! Lousey heads simply SUCK.....a good head, "makes my day."
One more thing, just in case you ever do get into tying on blind eye hooks. If and when you do.....throw everything you've ever been taught about not crowding the eye, out the window. When tying on blind eye hooks you DO want to crowd the eye, and there are reasons for that. If and when you find yourself there, and you need help with those reasons.....just get ahold of me. As this is not a site that predominately deals with blind eye hooks fly tyin'.....there's really no reason to go into all that here and now. But you may wanna learn about all that one day.

[Soft-hackle]

Mark,
Do you know which model or name those scissors go by. Dr. Slick make a number of fly tying scissors. I'm curious because I may be in the market for a new pair. Thanks

Mark

Is it these?

DrSlick.jpg

[willowhead]

sorry it took me so long to reply.....hadda make bout 10 edits/additions to that last reply.....
That pair you have there in the pic is a pretty good pair, but it is not the finest pair they make.....they make a pair much finer than that, and those are the ones i'm refering to. i must have close to 10 pair of Dr. Slick altogether, half of which are the real finest ones. When they are closed.....the tips actually look as if it's simply a needle....."almost." But that fine. Like i said, most fly shop won't have them even if they sell Dr. Slick because they don't sell a lot of them compared to other models like the one in your pic there. But if they sell Dr. Slick, they can get them. They cost bout (or darn close to) $30 a pair. And they will allow you to cut in the tightest of places.....single hackle barbs.....inside the eye, etc., etc. i love no other tool as much.....wish we had a heart throbing icon here.

[narcodog]

I like to us an exacto knife.

[letumgo]

Mark (willowhead) - Are these the scissors you mention (Dr. Slicks Micro Tip Scissors)?

DrSlickMicroTipScissors.jpg (6.85 KiB) Viewed 5710 times

If so, Cabelas carries them for $18.

My wife bought me a pair of Gingher scissors last Christmas. They are super sharp and very comfortable. Unfortunately the tips are kind of thick for really small flies. Maybe the Dr. Slicks are better for the small stuff.

[willowhead]

Dog, your never gonna make it doin' stand-up. ................j/k

No Ray, those are not the pair i mean.....i've just been at Dr. Slick by way of google.....and they don't even show the pair i mean at the website.....which is why i was tellin' you they are not easy to find.......but you can. You just have to make the effort. Once you DO.....you'll think you dyed and went to heaven..............REMEMBER.....once you do find the ones i'm refering to. BE SURE to keep the protector on then ALWAYS when not in use if you possibly can.....reason i had to replace the first 2/3 pair is because i didn't.....you drop 'em even once.....and they are probably shot. But no matter how many times i will drop them in the future.....i will ALWAYS get me a new pair (unless somebody comes out with somethin' better), i love them that much..........they're life savers when it comes to heads. We must have 25 pair of scissors altogether.....Misa gets all my ruined super fine Doc Slicks.....cause she doesn't need those way fine tips. i've got just bout every kinna Doc Slick made.....but these needle puppies are the ****! Those Micros are a joke by comparison.....
Dig.....i'm gonna go get a pair and Misa is gonna take a pic.....hang out for an hour (or less), and you'll see 'em.
Also i may have been significantly wrong bout that price.....may be closer to $20. is all.

[willowhead]

OK, here's a pic of the blade tips.....and because this is a close up.....you don't get the full affectof what they look like in terms of the entire tool.....if you had the tool in hand.....the blade tips would appear even finner than this close up portrays. Trust me, these puppies are FINE tipped. There are NO other fly tyin' scissors that have blades this fine PERIOD! Not that i've ever seen. Btw, this is a brand new pair that has never been used.....i just have them for later when i will need them. Might as well cop before the price goes up.
KEEP THE PLASTIC PROTECTOR ON THEM WHEN NOT IN USE!