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Purchase a Helios and receive a Battenkill Large Arbor reel or purchase a Hydros and receive a Battenkill Mid Arbor reel, FREE. Plus, there are NO STANDARD SHIPPING CHARGES for orders shipped within the lower 48 states.
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Link to Casters Online Fly Shop
Casters Fly Shop was established in Hickory, North Carolina in 1999. We are located at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in western North Carolina- the gateway to some of the finest trout waters east and west of the Mississippi. It is our mission, as a Platinum Orvis Dealer, to furnish the fly angler with all the tools necessary to be successful on the water or in front of the fly tying bench.
Showing posts with label Casters Online Fly Shop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Casters Online Fly Shop. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Bobbin Holders
Fly tying has come a long way since its crude beginnings in the middle of the 19th century. Tiers had very few tools and materials to utilize whereas today we have more choices than we know what to do with. As a general rule, quality tools and materials usually allow fly tiers to learn faster and tie better flies. Therefore, you should always strive to obtain the best tools and materials that your budget will allow. The best place to obtain these is your local fly shop. Local fly shops are "going by the wayside" and they need all the help and support each of you can provide.
The primary tools needed to tie flies are a vise, scissors, bobbin, bobbin threader and whip finisher (or half hitch tool). Additional tools like a bodkin, hair stacker, hackle pliers, hackle gauge, cautery, dubbing loop tool, etc. all have specific uses, and will become important to as each tier refines their skills, and they make the decision to attempt different methods and techniques.
The primary tools needed to tie flies are a vise, scissors, bobbin, bobbin threader and whip finisher (or half hitch tool). Additional tools like a bodkin, hair stacker, hackle pliers, hackle gauge, cautery, dubbing loop tool, etc. all have specific uses, and will become important to as each tier refines their skills, and they make the decision to attempt different methods and techniques.
The concept of bobbins has been the same for the last 140 years- an important tool meant to hold a fly tiers thread, floss, and/or wire spools, and one to assist with wrapping thread around the hook. When choosing a bobbin one must consider the length of the tube, it's diameter, the tension it provides, and whether it has a stainless tube or not. In time, thread friction will wear grooves in the ends of stainless tubes, which will ultimately create thread fraying and cutting burrs; a ceramic, titanium, or ruby tip will help prevent this. Tube length and diameter also has importance in certain applications. For instance, a longer tube is advantageous because it allows more leverage when wrapping the thread and provides more control in the placement of the thread. At the same time, bobbins with a larger diameter tube are used for floss and other heavy or thick materials. Again, these are some of the considerations that must be made when choosing a bobbin(s).
Even though the intentions are the same, bobbins and their design have changed dramatically throughout history. They began as a crude, cumbersome instrument and today they are more refined and some can perform multiple functions, like the Petitjean Thread Through Bobbin.
I can find out anything I need about bomb making and basket weaving on the internet but I have had a difficult time finding out much about the time-line and history of fly tying and the tools used. The Perry Bobbin from the 1940's and DH Thompson Bobbin Needle from the 1960's are 2 that you can find a little information about.
Morris Perry was a well known Classic Salmon Fly Tying and Fishing expert from England. He moved to West Haven, Connecticut and opened a fishing shop. During World War II he invented the Perry Bobbin. It was designed of mostly wood because steel was scarce as a result of the war. In the early 1960's, he moved back to England where he fished and tied his Featherwing Salmon Flies. His partner in Long Island Sound continued to market the Perry Bobbin but the market shrunk with the lifting of steel rationing and the flood of Asian imports. The DH Thompson Bobbin Needle is an almost identical version but is made almost entirely of steel. Boy is it heavy. I have one in the shop and it doubles as a barbell.
I can find out anything I need about bomb making and basket weaving on the internet but I have had a difficult time finding out much about the time-line and history of fly tying and the tools used. The Perry Bobbin from the 1940's and DH Thompson Bobbin Needle from the 1960's are 2 that you can find a little information about.
Morris Perry was a well known Classic Salmon Fly Tying and Fishing expert from England. He moved to West Haven, Connecticut and opened a fishing shop. During World War II he invented the Perry Bobbin. It was designed of mostly wood because steel was scarce as a result of the war. In the early 1960's, he moved back to England where he fished and tied his Featherwing Salmon Flies. His partner in Long Island Sound continued to market the Perry Bobbin but the market shrunk with the lifting of steel rationing and the flood of Asian imports. The DH Thompson Bobbin Needle is an almost identical version but is made almost entirely of steel. Boy is it heavy. I have one in the shop and it doubles as a barbell.
As mentioned beforehand, we have more options than we can shake a stick at. Listed below are some of my favorites. They are listed in accordance to their price and not necessarily in the order in which I prefer them.
Ekich Ultimate Bobbin. The $100 Bobbin. No cost was spared in sourcing the best materials possible (stainless steel, brass & anodized aircraft aluminum), nor was effort spared in achieving the highest tolerances and finishes on CNC machine centers. The result is a highly functional, durable and reliable product that will give you years of pure tying joy. This bobbin is not for everyone, although, it might just be for you.
C&F Bobbin. Optimum bobbin weight (17g) helps provide tension. Teflon coated bobbin arms and clever Micro Slit Foam design in bobbin nose retains constant thread tension.
Wasatch Mitch's Bobbin Whirler. A standard-sized ceramic tip bobbin with dubbing hook allows tier construct loop-dubbed bodies without employing separate tools or cutting the thread. Beautiful wood workmanship. Comes with an instructional DVD included.
Stonfo Elite Disc Drag Bobbin. This machined bobbin has a hardened steel tip insert and countersunk feed that will allow thread to glide through the tube for threading and tying. The drag control has a large adjustment zone for fine tuning thread tension to your personal liking.
Renzetti Ruby Tipped Midge Bobbin. Renzetti bobbins are in a class by themselves. The ruby tip provides for ultra smooth thread delivery and excellent wear resistance. Plus, the smooth spool knobs are perfect for fine detail and lighter denier threads. The standard length tube is 2-inches long and is 3/32-inch in diameter. Also available in an extended length version (saltwater) upon request; the tube is 2 3/4-inches long and 1/8-inch in diameter.
Rite Bobbins. AMAZING VERSATILITY FOUND IN NO OTHER BOBBIN! Any standard thread spool works with all "RITE"TM Bobbins.
RITE™ SHORTY BOBBIN
• 1" shorter than the "Rite" Standard Bobbin.
• Designed for tiny flies or smaller hands, but many tiers with large hands swear by this bobbin.
• Ceramic Thread Tube.
• Small Diameter Barrel.
• Removable Vinyl Grip.
• Solid Brass Arm.
• "Click" Drag Adjustment.
• 1-9 ounces of thread tension.
• The most versatile of all fly tying bobbins.
RITE™ STANDARD BOBBIN
• Ceramic Thread Tube.
• Small Diameter Barrel.
• Removable Vinyl Grip.
• Solid Brass Arm.
• "Click" Drag Adjustment.
• 1-9 ounces of thread tension.
• The most versatile of all fly tying bobbins.
RITE™ MAG BOBBIN
• Originally designed for salt water fly tying applications.
• Extra long, 3" surgical stainless steel tube.
• Large diameter thread tube, accommodates threads as large as yarn.
• Becoming popular as a rod-winding tool. Accommodates Gudebrod and Dynacord rod wrapping thread.
• Heavy duty click drag system, 2-16 ounces of thread tension.
RITE™ CERMAG BOBBIN
• Longer reach with 2 ½" Ceramic insert.
• All surgical quality stainless steel components.
• Very high pressure click drag system.
• Heavy duty thread tension, 2-16 ounces thread tension.
• Perfect for longer hooks such as streamers.
• Excellent for spinning deer hair.
Tiemco Ceramic Bobbins. The Tiemco bobbins have ceramic tubes to ensure smooth winding of fly tying thread for years to come. They last many times more than conventional steel bobbins. I have personally tied with one for more than 15 years. Available in straight or curved.
Griffin Ceramic PeeWee Bobbin. This small bobbin is only 3" long. It will hold a standard spool of thread while it fits perfectly in your palm. Flared on the in-feed end it also carries the ceramic insert. Griffin is one of the leaders in the creation of fine fly tying tools.
Montana Fly River Camo Ceramic Bobbin. This bobbin is the coolest tool since the introduction of hand axes. Ceramic lined stainless tube is made to last. These bobbins come in a brown or rainbow trout pattern. Great gift for the "hard to shop for" fly tyer.
These aren't the only bobbins on the market that tiers prefer; it all comes down to personal preference. Share your favorite bobbin with us.
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