position of hook in vice

[gadusmorhua]

I have always masked the point of the hook in the vice, mainly to avoid snagging the thread, but watching accomplished tyers such as Davie McPhail's YouTube videos made me realise the correct way is to fix the hook by the bend. I have since tried this, and granted it gives a little more access to the hook but lapses in concentration result in broken thread. Are my old ways so wrong?

[richardw]

Originally Posted by gadusmorhua

I have always masked the point of the hook in the vice, mainly to avoid snagging the thread, but watching accomplished tyers such as Davie McPhail's YouTube videos made me realise the correct way is to fix the hook by the bend. I have since tried this, and granted it gives a little more access to the hook but lapses in concentration result in broken thread. Are my old ways so wrong?

No they are not wrong. You are not alone either...

richard

[noeyedeer]

I've always tied with the point well out of the vice, the potential for annoyance of the thread catching helps keep me focussed on where my wraps are going!

However I noted at a recent tying evening that Stuart Crofts puts the point inside the jaws, but has rounded his vice jaws to a nice torpedo shape so that anything passing over slides nicely in to place.

[maharg]

No wrong way, it is what ever floats your boat.
If you keep cutting the thread on the hook point, and cant get around it, cover it up.
I like the point out as I use the barb and hook point as an indicator of lenght of the body etc.
If you realy need the point out and keep cutting the thread a wee bit of valve rubber on the point might help.
ATB
Graham

[TAFFTASTIC]

personal prefrence myself hide the point

TT

[scotfly]

There are good reasons for gripping the hook by the bend.
Scroll down a bit to see why........

UKFlyDressing - Absolute beginner to first complete fly

[gadusmorhua]

I don't think you can argue with those reasons Scotfly.There are many more advantages of fixing at the bend compared to the single advantage of not snagging the thread. I've been tying flies, in my own fashion , for thirty years, but until the forum came into my life I've not really read much on the subject, or thought things out for myself.I shall read the rest of that absolute beginners guide- I learnt two things before I got to the 'how to attach the hook' section.
Thanks all.

[A. Fluker]

Mostly the hook for me is held at the bend except when I am finishing off a fly and wish to sweep the hackle backwards in which case the nearly finished fly is repositioned with the hook point masked.
That way a lot of foul language, pain and blood loss is overcome.

[richardw]

Originally Posted by scotfly

There are good reasons for gripping the hook by the bend.
Scroll down a bit to see why........

UKFlyDressing - Absolute beginner to first complete fly

The vice jaws on the tapered point argument is invalid. Masking the hook point doesn't imply you are holding the point in the jaws. You hold the bend deeper into the jaws, the point is not gripped, it is shielded that's all.



You can see that in this SBS.

richard

[dabhoy]

Richard while I know what you are meaning the holding of the hook in that fashion will be dependant on the type of jaws for instance try that in a Law vice and it will be a problem to even wrap thread. The placing of the hook with the point and bard out as has been said is a good measuring point and also certain flies really cant be tied very easily with the hook buried in the jaws.Its not a race to tie flies so just get the point out and you will soon learn to avoid the point it can be annoying at first but it will become better with time.