Tying Tips

[Buckeye Mike]

Thought i would start this thread to help some of the guys new to tying.
Here is 3 that help me.
1. Use a good light source, like a clamp on desk light over the vise.

2. Use a backboard, read about this a few years back. All mine is a 18 by 18'' piece of brown cardboard. Cardboard brown on 1 side, white on the other. What this does is give you a good contrast in color when tying.
Use the dark side for light colored jigs, and the light colored side for dark jigs. Just prop it up behind the tying desk. Makes tying a lot easier.

3. Keep a sharp knife or razor blade on the desk, for when you tie something and dont like it. Saves a lot of hooks and jigs.

Well thats 3, but know that some of the older tyers will have some more good ones.

Hope it helps.

[Illinoisgiller]

Those little cheap brass hackle pliers can be made very useable by putting a little piece of electrical shrink tube over one side. Much improves the grip.

[shipahoy41]

There are quite a few tying tips on this forum as well as in the archives. I also have a ton of tying tips on my CD. Details are on my website.

[Decoy Carver]

I am always looking for new, and different materials to tie jigs and flies, so the other day I was at the store and came across something that looked like it may work, and this material was pipe cleaners, So I got a few packs and tryed some on a few jigs, Well they work well and are very durable easy to use as body materal etc, they come in many different colors and work well.

[shipahoy41]

I am always looking for new, and different materials to tie jigs and flies, so the other day I was at the store and came across something that looked like it may work, and this material was pipe cleaners,.

IMHO stay away from pipe cleaners and get a good quality tying chenille from Barlows or Jann's Netcraft. I think you'll be happier in the long run.

[Fatman]

Like ship said, pipe cleaners start out great but the wire in them will eventually rust and you'll get to start again.

Fatman