hackle pliers

who all out thete use hackle pliers. how are they used. i got some fly tying tool set from my father in-law and it came with hackle pliers. they look interesting

They are for holding the end of a hackle feather after it's tied in and then use it to wrap the hackle to Palmer it. Some don't hold very well, most don't and kind of hard to fond a good pair to use. I do use them at times.

I haven't used them but I don't like them but they are handy at times for small flies.

Like Skip said it is hard to find a good pair, I have 7 pairs and have yet to get a pair I like. I use my hackle pliers for a lot of different thing from holding hackle to holding dubbing loops to wrap. They are handy for holding flash and other synthetics if tying more than one jig/fly if you need to lay the material down.
The problem with most hackle pliers is they will break the hackle while trying to wrap it. I have bought about every kind and from different makers, still looking for the perfect pair :)

ONe other little thing I use them for is when I come to the end of a piece of chenille I am using and if it's going to be close it helps to hold the chenille with the hackle pliers. I have a pair I like pretty well, but also ask a guy I know that works for a supplier of materials and tools, lots of tools and he said he uses only one kind and they cost so much more than most that I still have not tried them. They are something like $40 for one of the ones he was talking about. Mine are Dr. Slicks rotary type and they are decent. Like Stump Hunter I have not had any that I love yet and I have some that cost a good bit since they are Mark Petitjean pliers. I find them hard to use right. Also the really cheap kind some use to hold a fly by the hook to take a picture of. That kind is really sorry for the intended use.

Only thing I use em for with jigs is to palmer or collar one. Mine are cheap ans frustrating so I use my hands most of the time.

I've got a pair, and the only thing I"ve found em good for is to dip my jigheads, and keep the paint out of the eye. I don't use alot of hackle anyhow.

I got a pair I'm happy with in my starter kit. They hold really well as long as I make sure to clip them on the stem of the feather. Also good for working with very short pieces of chenille or rabbit strips.

I use a pair for tying dry flies and put a little piece of heat shrink on one of the jaws. It provides a small amount of cushion for the hackle stem and doesn't seem to break as often.