03-29-2008, 09:06 PM
Many people use FG's method of pulling the parachute hackle down to the eye and tying it off. With or without the zapagap. But it sounds like you are having the problem with both parachutes and standard hackle wrapping.
One of the problems probably is that you are not leaving enough room behind the eye. Crowding the eye promotes this problem. I know because I have experienced this plenty. So that is one thing to do.
I think that you will find that if you pull the hackle past vertical so that the first wrap of thread over the hackle captures the hackle fibers on the far side of the fly will tend to keep any trapped fibers that are facing forward but out of the way of the eye. Then it is just a cosmetic problem. Not a cosmetic problem and a problem feeding light tippet through the eye.
Another thing that helps when you start having the problem is to use a a half hitch tool and slant the downward from the eye so that the thread wraps tend to come upward from below the hackle. You can simulate this some with a whip finisher by tilling your hand and whip finish tool downward but you have to be carefull because it is easy to pull the thread wraps off the fly and letting the hackle unwind.
For parachutes I find that Hans Van Klinkens method of tying off the hackle works exceptionally well for avoiding trapping the hackle fibers under the thread. I tie all my parachutes with this method.
Look at his instructions of tying his Klinkhamer Special and reviewing them at the point he starts to wrap and tie off the parachute. By rotating your whip finisher a little bit from side to side over the top of the fly while wrapping thread you can get the wraps to stay under the hackles (this point is not discussed in his explaination). Note also that I typically use Griffiths 14/0 instead of The spider thread that he talks about. The technique can be used with any thread size. Take a look here at Hans Weillenmann's website:
[url "http://www.danica.com/flytier/hklinken/klinkhamer_special.htm"]http://www.danica.com/flytier/hklinken/klinkhamer_special.htm[/url]
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One of the problems probably is that you are not leaving enough room behind the eye. Crowding the eye promotes this problem. I know because I have experienced this plenty. So that is one thing to do.
I think that you will find that if you pull the hackle past vertical so that the first wrap of thread over the hackle captures the hackle fibers on the far side of the fly will tend to keep any trapped fibers that are facing forward but out of the way of the eye. Then it is just a cosmetic problem. Not a cosmetic problem and a problem feeding light tippet through the eye.
Another thing that helps when you start having the problem is to use a a half hitch tool and slant the downward from the eye so that the thread wraps tend to come upward from below the hackle. You can simulate this some with a whip finisher by tilling your hand and whip finish tool downward but you have to be carefull because it is easy to pull the thread wraps off the fly and letting the hackle unwind.
For parachutes I find that Hans Van Klinkens method of tying off the hackle works exceptionally well for avoiding trapping the hackle fibers under the thread. I tie all my parachutes with this method.
Look at his instructions of tying his Klinkhamer Special and reviewing them at the point he starts to wrap and tie off the parachute. By rotating your whip finisher a little bit from side to side over the top of the fly while wrapping thread you can get the wraps to stay under the hackles (this point is not discussed in his explaination). Note also that I typically use Griffiths 14/0 instead of The spider thread that he talks about. The technique can be used with any thread size. Take a look here at Hans Weillenmann's website:
[url "http://www.danica.com/flytier/hklinken/klinkhamer_special.htm"]http://www.danica.com/flytier/hklinken/klinkhamer_special.htm[/url]
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