Whip-finishing

[Mike Barrio]

Interesting article on mastering the whip finish by Magnus in this issue of FF&FT.

Must confess that fly tying is not my forte and I usually fish with flies kindly made by friends. I do dabble, and used to tie flies back in the Haddo days, these fished very well and caught their fair share of fish. But - I've always been a tad lazy and finished with a few half hitches.

Perhaps the time has come to get myself a whip-finishing tool and put in a bit of practice!

[Hamish Young]

I whip finish, but without the aid of a tool.
It's something I have been meaning to try (whip finish tool) but just never quite got round to it and - after some 36 seasons of fly tying - I don't suppose I ever will 

[Eddie Sinclair]

I can whip finish by hand but I use the tool, however it is at least thirty years old and I am so used to it that I can't get on with some of the newer designs. My old fashioned one gets the job done quicker and neater for me.

Eddie

[Mike Barrio]

Magnus rates the Matarelli tool.

[James Laraway]

I use a whil finish tool, but not properly. I just use it to create half hitches !

[Steven Kidd]

Yep,

I use a tool, I learned how to use it when I used to go to fly tying in Mastrick, forget where it was now, but a nice chap gave me a wee brass handle tool and I still use it.

Now i really must get around to tying  batch of Partridge and Gold Spiders.......I really must find some time.

Steven

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

I use a whip finish tool. I can just about whip finish by hand but find it is not as neat or precise.