Thinking about taking up tying - kit (and other) advice needed

[.D.]

Thanks - plenty to be getting on with there. One thing, the whip-finisher in the e-bay tools kit doesn't look to me as if it's the Matarelli type. Or am I wrong? I'd probably go for it otherwise...

You are right, it isn't. I do recommend a tool and that style is the best I've used. Some of the modern threads are barely twisted, and sit more like floss on the spool (UTC especially so). If you get hacks in your fingers you will find finger-whipping such threads a complete pain in the arse ( fibres get caught in the hacks, and hinder pulling the thread through the whipped turns while finishing). It is also quicker and neater than doing it by hand, especially when you get down to small flies.

As stated in the original post you will find tools you have no need for - I see there's a bobbin threader for example (you can suck the thread through, or use a doubled strand of thin copper wire to do the same job). There also appears to be a bobbin only suitable, at a guess, for small spools.

Still, it is pretty cheap. I don't think it would be a high risk investment


.D.