FLYMPH FORUM

On by the way Glassjet, if you want to straighten out the hackles a bit try putting the fly in a pair of hackle pliers then carefully and quickly dip into the steam of a boiling kettle. Its a good way to resurrect older or battered flies. If you are careful enough it ought not affect the gut.

And upon rereading Roy's comments I checked the last fly - the gut is on the underside of the hook.

cheers.

Johnno wrote:I would assume all of those earlier flies were likely hand tied (?) and as those guys probably didn't have hackle pliers (?) so fingers would have been order of the day?

Wow! Thanks for posting those pics, very cool indeed.

Wasn't a clothes peg the order of the day, when hand tying? I've been having a play at that, just for fun, and you need something to weight the thread, to hold it in place while you position materials to tie in. I found either a bull dog clip, or sprung hackle pliers easier, as the grip was surer. Good fun though!

Andrew

Thanks for the pics, Johnno,
those are some big hackles, phew.

Clothes pegs were certainly used, Andrew
Not like the clothes pegs we have today,
those were traditional pegs.

Roy wrote: Not like the clothes pegs we have today,
those were traditional pegs.

Roy wrote: Clothes pegs were certainly used, Andrew
Not like the clothes pegs we have today,
those were traditional pegs.

I certainly hope so.