Accident at the Tying Bench

[just_jon]

I’ll start by saying that I am probably the most accident prone person I know, but I reached a new low today. I wet the tip of my index finger with my tongue in order to pick up a #22 hook from the bench. Upon looking at my fingers, I realized I missed the hook. Rewetting my index finger quickly told me I had not missed the hook and that it was now stuck to my tongue. Thankfully, the hook was barbless and was easily removed. I’m sure I’m not alone in this method of picking up hooks and just wanted to pass along a warning.

 

[wildtrout2]

What can happen, will happen. Glad it was barbless.

 

[Bamboozle]

Even I, never pulled that one...

Congratulations, you win!!

 

[skiltonian]

I was loading flies into a box and somehow dropped the fly, still can’t find it a week later. It’s driving me nuts. My wife looked too and couldn’t find it. Waiting for the dog to wind up with a fly it it’s foot. At least it’s barbless. My worst accident was spilling the bourbon, nothing worse than alcohol abuse.

 

[Bamboozle]

I have a very strong neodymium magnet on a cord that sits near my bench to search for dropped hooks.

There is also one of these on my bench so I don't get fur balls in my gut or hooks in my tongue:

 

[kbobb]

Well. now you know how the fish feel!

 

[TheDuke44]

This alone is reason enough to go to barbless full time 🤣

 

[Kms]

I’ll start by saying that I am probably the most accident prone person I know, but I reached a new low today. I wet the tip of my index finger with my tongue in order to pick up a #22 hook from the bench.

You may want to consider getting some locking dental/endo ”pliers” (tweezers), preferably grooved /serrated. They’re fine enough to pickup and securely hold size 24s, maybe smaller, and make handling even tiny beads easy.

 

[salmo]

Not quite as bad, but two days ago was in my fly tying disaster in stocking feet. I felt something in my left foot. Sure enough there was a barbless size 16 hook firmly implanted into the side of my left foot. Now here comes the part that I can't quite figure out. Somehow my right sock got entangled in the mess. As I tried to get out of the mess, the more I tried the deeper the hook got into the side of my left foot. Well I take an aspirin so my blood is a bit on the thin side. After wrecking my socks I finally got the hook out. It started bleeding and my fly tying area is carpeted and I didn't want to bleed on the rug. Looking around I spotted some Super Glue. I now have a glue patch on my foot. BTW after bathing for 3 days I am convinced that my fly tying Super Glue is waterproof!

 

[salmo]

You may want to consider getting some locking dental/endo ”pliers” (tweezers), preferably grooved /serrated. They’re fine enough to pickup and securely hold size 24s, maybe smaller, and make handling even tiny beads easy.

Or cheaper yet, a piece of magnetic tape glued to a popsicle stick.

 

[Kms]

Or cheaper yet, a piece of magnetic tape glued to a popsicle stick.

My hands are too shaky for mag tape, but I keep a couple magnet pawns handy on my vise base.

 

[Richbo69]

Not quite as bad, but two days ago was in my fly tying disaster in stocking feet. I felt something in my left foot. Sure enough there was a barbless size 16 hook firmly implanted into the side of my left foot. Now here comes the part that I can't quite figure out. Somehow my right sock got entangled in the mess. As I tried to get out of the mess, the more I tried the deeper the hook got into the side of my left foot. Well I take an aspirin so my blood is a bit on the thin side. After wrecking my socks I finally got the hook out. It started bleeding and my fly tying area is carpeted and I didn't want to bleed on the rug. Looking around I spotted some Super Glue. I now have a glue patch on my foot. BTW after bathing for 3 days I am convinced that my fly tying Super Glue is waterproof!

I do taxidermy and use super glue a lot on cuts. Sometimes those scalpel cuts can bleed a lot. Super glue the best thing ever to stop the bleeding. Not sure if all the chemicals in it are good for me, but 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Bamboozle]

A blob of mounting/poster putty or even some Mortile Caulking Cord has a place on my tying bench for picking up stuff like hooks & beads.

It is tacky and never dries out and you can shape it any way you want, like into a dull point to pick up beads. I've been using it for years and like it better than any tweezers or anything else I've tried.

I also use it to hold bottles of head cement in the bottom of a jar lid or the lid of a small plastic box so they don't get knocked over or even on the desktop.

 

[Solitariolupo]

Save the hooking for the fish. 😉 😛
First time I heard of it. Glad I don’t do it.

 

[salmo]

I do taxidermy and use super glue a lot on cuts. Sometimes those scalpel cuts can bleed a lot. Super glue the best thing ever to stop the bleeding. Not sure if all the chemicals in it are good for me, but 🤷🏻‍♂️

Something gonna kill ya.

 

[Bamboozle]

Something gonna kill ya.

There are medical grade CA's which are tested more stringently. If I was inclined to use CA frequently for the wound closure, I'd have a bottle of it close by however...

CA is only recommended when a would is small, not very deep or wide; not "dirty" or prone to infection; and not on highly mobile parts, such as joints.

FWIW - After busting a glass coffee press carafe and cutting the living $#!+ out of my thumb, causing an decent sized avulsion, I was introduced to Steri-Strips. I now have some in all of my first aid kits.

 

[salmo]

There are medical grade CA's which are tested more stringently. If I was inclined to use CA frequently for the wound closure, I'd have a bottle of it close by however...

CA is only recommended when a would is small, not very deep or wide; not "dirty" or prone to infection; and not on highly mobile parts, such as joints.

FWIW - After busting a glass coffee press carafe and cutting the living $#!+ out of my thumb, causing an decent sized avulsion, I was introduced to Steri-Strips. I now have some in all of my first aid kits.

My dad was a pharmacist mate at the landing at Okinawa. He was an expert at applying the butterfly bandage.

 

[EchoRidgeElder]

New Skin....great stuff. Prevents infections, promotes healing.

 

[Bamboozle]

To bring this full circle back to fly tying...

In the past I used New Skin on quill slip wing cases to keep them from splitting.

 

[JG63]

New Skin....great stuff. Prevents infections, promotes healing.

And feels great when applied!