For newbies who want to start but don't have tools

If you're just getting started and don't have any tools, I'd recommend the Cabela's Deluxe Tool Kit. This is the kit I bought, and I've been pretty happy with it. It has everything a jig tier needs and comes in a nice case for storage. Since I don't have a tying station, I just sit the case in my lap and use the vise in the pedestal. The tools are decent quality for the price, plus it's on sale for $30 so if you decide you'd rather buy your jigs, you're not out a bunch of money.

The only thing I would recommend upgrading right away is the bobbin. Get a ceramic tip bobbin when you order your supplies. Crazy Angler and Grandpa Bob's both sell them cheap. If you decide to stick with tying, you can always upgrade the other tools as needed.

Cabela's: Cabela's Deluxe Tool Kit with Case

Note that the whip finisher in the photo is a Thompson's style, but the one in the kit I received is a rotary finisher.

I am sure you helped someone with this post. Thank you. There is also an excellent "Stickie" at the top of this forum " For someone new to tying" that has a wealth of information in it. We recommend people read it.

This should be a post on the thread Ship spoke of and not another thread on the board. If you want to tell everyone where you get tools or materials it should be there. For that reason I should close this thread, but will see if it just moves along. Please use the threads that are sticky's that we put there to use to keep this kind of thread and the same questions that come over and over again.

I would also say I don't like kits, but that is a personal thing for me and not any thing else, but when ask I never recommend a kit and I mean any of them. I understand you like this kit and that is fine, but if you want to recommend any type of materials or tools please use the sticky.

I also have to mention there is a sub board to this one that is for tools, so it should be there and I will more it now.

Thank you,

Skip

$30. That's not a bad deal at all.

I meant to put this thread in the tools section, so thanks for moving it.

As for the stickied thread, I forgot it existed. It kind of gets lost in the huge group of stickies at the top of the page.

Skip, we'll just have to agree to disagree on the subject of kits. I agree that most kits aren't worth what you pay for them, but I think this one is an exception.

I know what you mean about all the sticky's and is also why last time we put one up there I took one off and let it go. I hate that there is so many, but if they are not there we end up with the same questions over and over on some things. It just should be a good place for new guys to get kind of into it all.

No problem with disagreeing, I am use to that, LOL! I just like a different group of tools usually than what most kits have and if they changed the type of finish tool then that is a good step in the right direction. That use to be one of my prime problems with these kits as they would put in a Thompson Finish tool which is find for fly tyer and not so hot for a jig guy. I know the optimal set of tools would cost to much for a beginner in most cases, but really no need for the tools to not be of at least mid range quality. SO much is made in India or China now it's pretty bad and of course these tools are very low priced so that is why some kits just have the cheapest things they can find to put in them. This one may be different, but I don't live close enough to see any of these things so can't say too much except, I don't care for most kits or even beginner material kits. It's just to easy to put thing together that the new guy will uses every bit of what it there so some of these they put all kinds of things and some he may never use. So That is my basic objection to kits.

Thanks,

Skip

Since I'm new to tying (in the past few days), and having just bought the same kit Shoemoo mentioned, I'll toss-in my opinion. As a beginner I also wanted an inexpensive kit, and this one is just that, and enough to get a newbie started. I also see where Skip is coming from, but since I'm just tying for myself, I'm pleased with my purchase. True, much of what comes in the Cabelas kit I won't use, unless I decide to tie flies (not sure if that would ever happen since I don't fly-fish, though I do own a fly rod). I did (as mentioned) buy a few additional ceramic-tipped bobbins from CrazyAngler which saves the time of changing thread color for a small investment. The main tool in the kit, the vise, no doubt isn't the best out there, but it seems to work fine for me, for now. Would a rotating vise be nice? Sure, and odds are I'll eventually invest in one from Skip in the future. If there's a time I've replaced all the tools which came in the Cabelas kit, I'll pack it all back into it's case, an either sell it for 1/2 what I paid for it, or donate it to someone interested in tying their own jigs. As everyone mentioned, it is a bit addicting, lol.

I started tying flies several years ago. I bought a Peak Rotary vice. It's a well built vice, but I would have rather bought a kit like this one for the very reasons you mention, Neon. If I bought a better quality vice it would have been the Peak non-rotary vice.

As far as thread, just go to an sewing shop and buy some polyester thread. It's basically super thin fishing line. The transparent nature of it adapts to any color. It's all I use now.

I'm from the school of thought that good tools aren't a bad investment cuz you can always get most of you money back. Cheap tools usually fail or disappoint me, but some function well enough to get through the discovery stage, and so worth the shot. My big spend was on a good vise and I don't regret it for a minute. The versatility of a good rotary vise makes tying a pleasure and keeps the frustration to a minimum. But to each his own. Someone posted a while back that he tied in a set of vise grips held in a bench vise. Revtoby has a program going that teaches kids to tie and I'm sure he has a use for any unwanted tools y'all have laying around.