F Matarelli Whip Finish Tool

S

steve98

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Joined
Sep 9, 2006
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258
Just bought a FM vintage whip finish tool on EBAY,although I didn't need it.
God knows I have enough tools and material to last me two lifetimes.
Question is: Did Matarelli invent this tool? Surley I could have looked it up.
But more fun to post here. If he did not invent, then why so collectible?

TY Steve 98
 
Frank Materelli "invented" the version that he sold and a zillion others copied.

His may not have been the first but it's the best, which is why they are so collectable.

I'm happy to say my first whip finisher was a Materelli as was my fist bobbin. I still have both as well as three or four Materelli whip finishers including a "long reach" and at least 30 of his bobbins that are also collectable.

Frank died in 2018 at the ripe old age of 102!
 
My first whip finisher and bobbin are Materelli - which I still use.
Bought almost 40 years ago, I'd say I got my moneys worth from them.
 
dryflyguy said:
My first whip finisher and bobbin are Materelli - which I still use.
Bought almost 40 years ago, I'd say I got my moneys worth from them.
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My 1st Matarelli bobbins & whip finisher are of the same vintage and still going strong. I'm so glad I bought more when they were still available about 10 years ago.

The late author, Dick Talleur said about whip finish tools : "They fall into two categories: the Matarelli, and the others that aren't a Matarelli."
 
Bamboozle said:
My 1st Matarelli bobbins & whip finisher are of the same vintage and still going strong. I'm so glad I bought more when they were still available about 10 years ago.

The late author, Dick Talleur said about whip finish tools : "They fall into two categories: the Matarelli, and the others that aren't a Matarelli."
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The best, and all the rest.
 
Is there some way to tell by looking at it that it's a Matarelli?
 
Skook said:
Is there some way to tell by looking at it that it's a Matarelli?
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On the very bottom of a Matarelli whip finisher there is a flat spot to keep the steel bead in place. Embossed on that flat spot is an "F" on one side and an "M" on the other.

On Matarelli bobbins, the initials "FM" are stamped into the brass thread spool "buttons."

The whip finisher knock-offs lack this embossing and have other subtle differences.

Nobody really made a knock-off of the Matarelli bobbin that I am aware of and today there seems to be an aversion to plain steel bobbins in favor of ceramic.

However with the exception of GSP thread where I use ceramic bobbins, I use nothing but Matarelli bobbins and have for decades and I never cut one of his polished steel tubes with any fly tying thread.
 
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I have a Matarelli whip finisher but never use it. It's been so long since I used it I don't recall what I didn't like. I prefer an inexpensive sunrise version of the Thompson whip finisher but that incorporates rotation. Any number of copy cat tools are just as good for such a patently simple function. It's just that the collector crowd now rules price for Matarelli, apparently.
 
I’m one of the zillions who copied it. I made one from the handle of a Chinese food container and a coffee stirrer. Works great and it will out live me. I use just because I made it and they really don’t do much other then aiding in the tying of a super simple knot that doesn’t require a tool at all. I guess it’s similar to getting extra satisfaction from catching a fish on a fly they tied. Maybe I can claim extra extra satisfaction from catching a fish on a fly I tied using tools I made. It is a great design and easy to copy.
 
I was never a fan of the Matarelli Whip, I always found it clunky and would squeak awfully! The MP (Marc Petitjean) Whip is by far and away a more functional and versatile tool.
 
Facemelted said:
I was never a fan of the Matarelli Whip, I always found it clunky and would squeak awfully! The MP (Marc Petitjean) Whip is by far and away a more functional and versatile tool.
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I've been using one for decades and it never squeaked. Was/is yours a Matarelli or a copy of a Matarelli?
 
Bamboozle said:
I've been using one for decades and it never squeaked. Was/is yours a Matarelli or a copy of a Matarelli?
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Real deal, was given to me from an estate sale years back. Was still in the packaging even.
 
I really like my FM whip finishers and bobbin holders.
A great thing about FM bobbin holders is, the midge size is perfect for bobbins of vintage silk , sewing machine bobbins and bobbins of pearsall’s
 
Anybody want to sell me one?
 
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