What do you do when it breaks???

[itchybeard]

I was just wandering if you were near the completion of tying your fly and the thread breaks what do you do, Is there a way you carry on or is that fly doomed. Be interested to hear your comments.
Cheers.

[ickypimp]

I try to put a dab of varnish on then catch on over the top of the thread

[Silver Stoat]

If it is at a point where you can tension and overwrap the broken end - i.e. 'start again' from that point, then that is what I do. It has always seemed to work OK. It can sometimes mean a little extra bulk but I'm not worried about that as I'm not tying for 'pretty', just practical.



Dave.

[urbanflyman]

i just tie over the break as if i was starting my fly off again then whip finish if its after the tying is done and im ready to whip finish

[cowie]

exactly same as urbanflyman above,no problems encountered yet.

[Hans Weilenmann]

Itchy,

Considering I generally have my thread break once or twice during show demonstration tying, I would suggest that one yardstick of being a decent demo tier is how graceful he or she recovers from the breakage

Cheers,
Hans W

[Scratch]

Assuming you have a few mm of the thread hanging free... trim off the frayed business at the end,then simply carry on as mentioned above. I clip my hackle pliers onto the end of the offending thread and let the pliers dangle vertically whilst casting off again,just to provide that little bit of tension... this guarantees a good hold and stops any slack working backwards into the dressing. If you like it as tight as a mouses ear ... then add extra weight to the hackle pliers if you wish,by hooking on yer dubbing twister or key ring or summat.

[itchybeard]

Thanks guys for all of your replies I now know its not the end of the world when the thread breaks.

After a few chosen words it can be continued.

Cheers

[guest3]

Hi, Itch,
If you are demonstrating, and I've had it happen, you scan the audience and say with utter conviction, that the deliberate break at the crucial point was for the benefit of those who have asked your sort of question!. It happens to us all, and with practice, you can become almost believable.
Cheers, and happy fly tying,
T
PS All good, sound advice preceded mine!