stuff

I got my stuff today.couple of ?
If ya mess up a jig can ya take everything off and start over?
I only have tube jigs,if I cut the spike off I think they will still work?
I can't figure out the whip finisher knot???done looked at you tube till Iam
blue in the face..any tips.
Read all the tips in the searches.
thanks mikeb

Mike, If you have not tied any knots, you can unravel everything I guess. Not sure about your tube jig question. When I tie knots I do not use a tool. The easiest way I have found to do this is to pull a length of thread about 4" down from the jig. Wrap around your index finger of left hand once and over the head twice. There will be a loop around finger. Move finger to pull loop over the head of jig and pull out finger. Pull thread tightly. Do this 3 times and it will not come apart under normal cicumstances.

Yes, you can tear down jigs, do it quite often with ones I don't like or ones that don't catch. Scissors work, I use sewing ones that fold down into a rectangle, have a good point to get under thread. Some use razor blades.

Jigs with a collar and barb to hold a plastic on, I use side cutters to cut off the whole collar. Just pinch the lead near the head and couple of places and pull of pieces with pliers. Sometimes I have to file down, just be careful where the junk goes, lead dust is not good, especialy for kids!!!

Whip finisher... practice! Took me a week of trying till I got it. Once you get the wraps, you have to figure how to turn the tool to release your first string and still keep some tension on your main line. I kind of rotate it to release the string and move the front hook part down to slip through the 2 strings then pull the bobbin to move the back hook on the finisher to the jig. Once it is there, pull it up to release. I just learned a month ago, so I'm no expert!! Also learn hitch knots, I use them to help lock things down.

Hope this helps - AtticaFish

mikeb -
As a noob to tying, I also have attempted to "unravel" a failed jig and save some of the materials. Although, by advice from this board, I saved my first "fugly" kind of like the
"first Dollar" - -
I think you could probably save bucktail and flashabou, etc. -
but not likely to save chenile, dubbing, etc.
As for the whip finisher tool...
every person who video's this process needs to slow it down to about half-speed.
All of them do it way too fast for us noobs.
I have also seen tntjigman's finger-version on video, and basically does the same thing.

We will all sink or swim together -

Thanks everybody.
Just keepa practicing,then practice some more.
I got one done tonite,I will try to git a pic tomorrow after work to post.
Let the board give it a once over.
mikeb

Work with half hitches and do several on a jig.When you get more comfortable then try the whipfinish.That's what I did. Use super glue on the thread when you finish and you don't even need knots. That stuff wants to grab you so I don't use it much.

Have you watched the videos I posted on the sticky at the top "3 ways to finish"?

Shows every way people use.

Skip

Skip, I looked at them.
And they helped.I just a hands on to learn things.
thanks,mikeb