Whip Finish tool Tutorial

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steely34
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2009/09/15 17:36:06 (permalink)

Whip Finish tool Tutorial

It's probably just me but when I started out in tying flies, one of the tools I had a hard time understanding how to use was the whip finish. Even though some tiers showed me how to do it, I still had a hard time understanding how to use it. Then for some reason it just came to me. It's probably one of the hardest things for me to explain to someone unfamiliar with it.  So I thought I'd give it a try here. I don't know about others but I rarely use head cement after I whip finish and I've never had a fly come undone. I really hope this helps out.
 
1. The Whip Finish Tools: The larger one is for finishing off at the rear of the fly if your tying a pattern that calls for a tie in at the rear of the fly and then to re-tie in at the eye of the hook. You can use this though for all finishing except perhaps for smaller flies where the smaller tool is easier to manage. Personal preference.
 

 
2. Start by hooking the thread at the "hook" end of the tool and pull it over the notch in the tool as such:
 

 
3. With the bobbin pull the thread at a sharp angle against the notch:

 
4. Then rotate the tool to the right:
 

 
5. Continue rotating the tool till the thread intersects the thread tied in at the hook:
 

 
6. Again, continue rotating the tool back to the starting position and slide the tool and thread up to the hook eye or where you want to whip finish:
 

 
7. With the "loop" that is created with the tool and with tension on the thread held by the bobbin, rotate the tool and loop around the tie in point. I've found it is best to first work back a few wraps, then front a few wraps.
 

 
8. When you have enough of "turns" or wraps at the tie in point of the hook, slide the thread off the notch of the tool, pull on the bobbin while at the same time moving the "hook" of the tool close to the tie in point:
 

 

 
9. Slide the thread off the "hook" of the tool and pull on the bobbin to tighten the whip finish knot.
 

 
 
 
 

"They say you forget your troubles on a trout stream, but that's not quite it..... you begin to see where your troubles fit into the grand scheme of things, and suddenly they're just not such a big deal anymore."

John Gierach

#1

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    pxatim
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 17:44:20 (permalink)
    Very helpful!
    #2
    deetz4352
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 17:47:15 (permalink)
    Although I know how to do most things ,basics and all, that was a great tutorial on that tool. This new tutorial thread will be awesome. I cant wait to see the flies that are going to be on here.

    steely34 you got this stuff down.

    It took me a few tries with that tool to start , but in time its really an easy tool to use.

    The Deetz
    Fishermen are born honest,but they get over it
    #3
    Cold
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 20:43:57 (permalink)
    It took me a few tries with that tool to start , but in time its really an easy tool to use.


    Yeah, the first 50 or so of mine looked pretty ratty...and when I crowd the head they still do. But once you develop some muscle memory for the task, a good whip finish should take no more than 5 seconds, and frequently less than that.
    #4
    pxatim
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 22:19:07 (permalink)
    I get so ****ed when I watch youtube videos and they throw a slick whip finish on it and I'm like... wait.. no.. go back, do that again lol
    #5
    flyfishermanPA
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 22:22:25 (permalink)
    Doing the whip finish by hand makes you look cooler.
    #6
    Cold
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 22:27:56 (permalink)
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    pxatim
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 22:29:19 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: flyfishermanPA

    Doing the whip finish by hand makes you look cooler.

     
    show off
    #8
    flyfishermanPA
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 22:42:09 (permalink)
    Not really.. Being a lefty I couldn't get any of the vids on YouTube
    (Are all fly tiers right handed?)

    So I just do by hand.
    #9
    dru2112
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 22:45:16 (permalink)
    i used to whip finish, then i misplaced my whip finisher on a trip.  since then i've done it by hand, but i really do think i need to purchase another whip finisher
    #10
    Cold
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 22:46:32 (permalink)
    I'm a lefty, but from the beginning, I saw the way flies are tied and learned in that manner. Made life tons easier.

    I write, cast, throw, etc. all left-handed, but things that use both hands, I normally learn in the prevailing manner (fly tying, playing the guitar, etc.) for ease of learning down the road.
    #11
    Cold
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    RE: Whip Finish tool Tutorial 2009/09/15 22:52:17 (permalink)
    FFPA:

    Check out this link:

    http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/index.cfm

    The tutorials at this site are peculiar in that they're all tied "left-handed".

    Might help you out on more complicated patterns. :)
    #12
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