Old tool

[JohnPowers]

No, not me.....anyone recall a tyng took about the size of a quarter, hole in the middle, conical with a slit. Used to push material back from the eye to get wraps for a nice neat head. Three sizes. Do they still make them? I know you can push the material back by hand but these little things worked good. Am I showing my age?

 

[lv2nymph]

I remember them, I would think they could be made fairly easily with some compressed cardboard of some sort. Maybe cut it out of gallon jug of milk? Or the half gallon containers.I'm sure Sandfly would be of service on this one.( Not that I'm calling you old or anything Sandy :roll: )

 

[blueheron]

Yeah they still make that old tool, it's a hackle guard. There's plenty of old dudes here, don't be fooled by the whippersnappers.

 

[JohnPowers]

Just needed a name to google them up at mud hole and buy them. Thanks

 

[FrequentTyer]

I got a set of these in a box of tying stuff someone gave me a while back. I tried to use them once and found that they were much more effective at cutting the tying thread at the worst possible moment than guarding the hackle. I'm not sure what happend to them, but if you want them John, and if I can find them, they are yours.
Mike.

 

[JohnPowers]

The ones I had worked good but I lost them. Just sent for three new ones at $2.95. Needed some microfibbits and wax so it worked out. Thanks anyway. Don't use them much but sometimes with the traditional Catskills patterns i like to push the hackle and wing back firmly, build up the head to hold them in place so they're handy for that. Not a tool I use all the time.

 

[gentleshepherd]

Last year at the Lancaster show I saw a tier use a swizzle straw to do the same thing. He cut a piece about 3/4 inch in length and cut a slit in it all the way. It was the slickest way that I ever saw to keep hackle back.

 

[geebee]

i use a straw with a slit too - from McD's.

i got the idea from using a bic biro for hi-ties for saltwater flyes.

 

[osprey]

"Hackle Guard" is what they called 'em and some even mounted somehow to the vise. The short section of straw with a slit cut in it is really interesting and worth a try. The ability of fly tiers and fishers to innovate is one of the coolest things in the world. I LOVE it when someone comes up with something that works.

 

[dubthethorax]

I use a chopped bic pen for when I'm tying giant streamers and want to push back bucktail, schlappen, etc.

 

[Chaz]

I got a set and never figured out how to use them. It's still new.

 

[outsider]

Chaz wrote:
I got a set and never figured out how to use them. It's still new.

I had a set given to me by my father, and I use the one I have left from time to time. You were supposed to tie a weight on a string and hang it from the bottom of the guard. This never worked for me. I use mine without a weight, and it can be tedious because the guard tends to fall off if you are not careful.

 

[wsender]

JohnPowers wrote:
No, not me.....anyone recall a tyng took about the size of a quarter, hole in the middle, conical with a slit. Used to push material back from the eye to get wraps for a nice neat head. Three sizes. Do they still make them? I know you can push the material back by hand but these little things worked good. Am I showing my age?

If you're still looking for these, I have them and don't care for them very much. Send me a PM with your address and I'll drop them in the mail to you.

 

[sandfly]

I had a set given to me by my father, and I use the one I have left from time to time. You were supposed to tie a weight on a string and hang it from the bottom of the guard. This never worked for me. I use mine without a weight, and it can be tedious because the guard tends to fall off if you are not careful.

the weight is supposed to go over the back of fly and hang over a thumb screw or what ever is handy behind the fly this keeps tension on the hackle thus keeping it out of the way, do it right and it works fine..I'll do a dry fly and take pics to post.

 

[sandfly]

thompson and material tools

 

[outsider]

Interesting Bob, never tried it that way, but I will. Does make more sense than the weight hanging in the way.

 

[outsider]

Interesting Bob, never tried it that way, but I will. Does make more sense than the weight hanging in the way.

 

[slackwater]

Saw this post. Google'd Hackle guards. Made some out of thin cardboard laying around the office. Simple tool that cost me nothing. Last night I tied some of the best looking parachutes I've ever tied.

Thanks for the idea.

 

[FrequentTyer]

Davie shows a really neat alternative to the hackle guard in this video starting right around 9:50. It's aslo a fantastic looking emerging caddis pattern.
Mike.