greatest gadget I own. a popsicle stick with a magnetic strip on one side..velcro on the other. Great for getting hooks/ beads out of containers and a dubbing brush..cost...zippo
That's a very popular homemade gadget that many of my friends use, too! Thanks for mentioning it to others, and I appreciate you taking a moment to comment on one of my videos. I hope to hear more from you on some of my others. Tim
definitely going to have to get one of these, nothing like cleaning up your scraps and getting a barb stuck in the bottom of your foot while it's stuck in the carpet....
Glad to have helped, James, and if you have yet to purchase, here's an Amazon link: amzn.to/2TGEPWr Thanks, and hope all is well. Tim www.troutandfeather.com
Always love watching your videos Tim. One gadget I have is a single hook test probe used in electrical work to grab a single wire. It is an excellent material grabber. I use it some with various body wrapping materials but mainly as very good and inexpensive hackle pliers. Keep up the good work!!
Thanks for the comments, Dean, and I just did a search for the probe. That's a slick idea for sure! Do you feel they hold onto materials adequately? That's always my greatest concern with hackle pliers, hence why I only use one pair at this time. I appreciate the kind words and hope to hear more from you on some of my other videos.
They hold any materials I have used so far very well. I sometimes wrap bodies in floss, peacock herl, krystal flash, and use them to hold those materials as well. I call mine a material grabber more than hackle pliers. These are designed to grab a single small copper wire, so they grab pretty solid. I could send you a couple if you'd like.
One tool that I see a lot is billed as basically a bionic dubbing teaser. They usually list for several dollars each. They are also indistinguishable from a simple bronze rifle-bore brush. Find these in the bargain bin at the local shooting supply store and they usually cost about a buck. .17 and .22 caliber will likely be the most usable sizes.
Thanks for the comment and sharing of the tool. I know exactly what you mean and will pick one up next time I see it. Is Bionic the name brand of the one you use? Thanks again for taking a moment to share. Tim
"Bionic" was simply a descriptive word that I used - which evidently worked, since it made you picture the tool in your mind. I actually don't have one (though I have a box full of bore brushes, if I wish to try one), but I have seen these tools offered in places like J. Stockard and Feather-Craft. I do have one from Feather-Craft that is actually a root-canal tool that dentists use (ouch). You want to go easy with it or you will cut your underlying thread wraps. In practice, I usually tease out dubbing with the velcro-on-a-small-craft-stick; just as a lot of other "frugal" tiers do. I also use the split-thread dubbing technique often; usually avoiding the need to tease-out the dubbing entirely.
They will definitely work for legs; especially on larger flies. Usually, the string silencers are black. An old man once showed me an alternative source for white rubber legs ... a round tie-down or "shot" cord. Just cut a section a few inches long and split the outer covering with a sharp knife or razor blade to access the individual rubber strands.
Thanks for the suggestions, Mark, and I understand the 2-jaw grabber. What is the shop mag? I'm unsure if I know that one. Thanks again and I hope all is well. Tim
Tim, perhaps you have done one already, but if not, could you possibly do a video on knots? My fishing background is BIG cats, and the only knot I have really ever used is the Uni or Double Uni Knot. I mentioned this to a buddy I met recently who has fly fished for years and said he never heard of such a knot. Then he proceeded to tell me about things like blood knots and nail knots and improved clinch knots. I have a basic understanding of those knots, but can't think of a single time when they would replace a uni knot. It is extremely strong and not complicated at all.
Thanks for the comments, Tim, and I am planning on a video for the basic nail knot (with a tool) when connecting leaders and/or backing to fly line. The Uni knot is considered a fishing knot, and if it works for you, keep using it. Do you also use it to connect line-to-line? Thanks again! Tim
I use a double uni knot to connect line to line. VERY strong!! I always used it to connect leader to line when catfishing, it works very well connecting leader and backing to fly line. I have used the nail knot, with a tool and while it is faster to tie than the double uni, I just don't think it is as strong. The blood knot is a bit complicated and I don't think the double surgeon's knot some use is as strong as either the nail knot nor the double uni.
As far as attaching fly line to leader, a loop-to-loop connection is hard to beat. I absolutely love using a high-quality furled leader attached via that method. Then use a uni knot to attach your tippet material to the tiny steel ring. I have been using furled leaders from Feather-Craft (and the SAME ones) for several years now. I have found that these leaders are more castable, have less memory (like 80% less) than standard tapered leaders, and their longevity is at least 10x improved.
Hi Tim, I'm with you! I have been using the Uni-knot for years (decades actually) and found that it is consistently as strong or stronger than all the other popular knots that I have tested against. Use it for everything. The double -Uni can't be beat for joining two lines. Fast, simple (can tie it with my eyes closed :-) ) strong, versatile... what else would you want fro a knot? Good season and tight lines!
I prefer to use an LED Pro Lite, which is extremely bright. The one I use has two lights, though they also make a model with one light and a magnifier, which is what my father-in-law prefers. If you need more detailed information, shoot me an email: tcammisa@gmail.com Thanks, Tim
