Best way to untie flies?

[flyinghigh]

Now that my fly boxes are finally filled to the brim with my shittie flies I am starting to retie some of the flies with better ones but it seems a waste to throw away all those hooks so is there any good way to clear a hook and materials without damageing it?

[danielp]

Now this I am practiced at lol.

I use a scalpel and just run it from the back to the eye a few times. Seems to work okay although the blades get blunt pretty quick

[BRUCE1]

razor blade/sharp knife across the back of the shank ............

[mot]

Originally Posted by danielp

Now this I am practiced at lol.

I use a scalpel and just run it from the back to the eye a few times. Seems to work okay although the blades get blunt pretty quick

Yep this is what I do, works a treat

[flyinghigh]

Right sounds good your suggestions so am away to find either an old scalpal or razor blade and then free a bit of space in my boxes as well as probably taking chunks out of my hand LOL.

[riverguru]

Long break away stanley blades. There cheap as chips. Run the blade from back to front. Should all just fall off then when rubbed between your fingers. Blades get blunt quick so pull off any wire ribbing with a dubbin needle first. It helps prolong the shapness of the blade.

[squeeks]

if there is a strong wire rib or lead underbody, use a good strong pair of scissors - obviously not your bestest sharpest finest tying scissors

Just cut along the shank

[shuck raider]

......and don't forget to run a drop of varnish along the shank in case you've scraped off the bronzing Nothing worse than rust specks coming through a light-coloured body

[corky]

Originally Posted by shuck raider

......and don't forget to run a drop of varnish along the shank in case you've scraped off the bronzing Nothing worse than rust specks coming through a light-coloured body

Good tip that ,I stripped a pile of salty/pike hooks the other day all ready to go again.
Corky

[icejohn]

a hot lighter on the head of the hook or candle

a few seconds and the thread falls away. I use a candle do all my rubbish flys like 20 in a minute.

hold the hooks with some long nose pliers. also helps pull off the rubbish still on the fly.

Dont heat them for more than 3 seconds else the strenght in the metal might be lost. never happed to me yet but in theory the crystaline stucture of the hook might alter..... normally has to be a red hot for that to happen.

Also if u heat it too long you get a horrible burning smell and the missus might not appreicate that! inside lol.

A few seconds is all it takes per old fly when you heat them. the old scaple works takes a bit longer and yeah i have splilt the red stuff doing it, found the candle easier.