Can anyone identify this tool?

[bigslackwater]

A friend of mine gave me his late father’s fly tying collection. It’s an amazing batch of stuff. I will have more thread, hackles, deer hair etc.. for my lifetime. There is one tool I can’t quite figure out. They were in with the thread spools so I think it’s something to do with that. Thanks in advance.

 

[mayfly418]

I believe this tool was used to push back deer hair after spinning. The center hole goes over the eye of the hook while it is in the vise.

 

[falcon]

It is used to hold / push back material making a whip finish easier at the hook eye without catching material. A different tool is typically used to push back and compact spun deer hair where a empty pen body sometimes can be used.

You can make a substitute with one of those plastic bread bag clasps.

 

[Mashbill]

Hackle guard --- you slip your thread through the slot, carefully push back the hackle with the cone of the guard, then whip finish off the fly head. they came in different sizes --- for different size flies. my 1st Herter's fly tying kit came with 3 of these. back when flies were 'traditional' --- ie Catskill style --- these little guards worked fine. but with the advent of comparaduns, parachutes, ---- etc, they just kind of became obsolete

 

[Mashbill]

also --- they were tricky to use --- especially with the older - more easier to fray threads back then ... you'd be ready to whip finish off the head ---- and that little 'soup ladle' would slice the thread like butter, leaving you with a hackle that unwinds right before your eyes!!

 

[bigslackwater]

Thanks! This all makes sense.

 

[Mashbill]

my pleasure! give them a try --- especially with todays modern threads --- you might be able to tie some really neat & tight traditional heads with these.

 

[Swattie87]

Just glad to not see my mug in the first half dozen posts. Carry on.

 

[bigslackwater]

I gave them a try. How I didn’t know about these before is a mystery. I love it. Here’s my version of a green drake wetfly, compliments to the hackle gaurd!

 

[Mashbill]

Beautiful tie! If you have the patience to work with those guards … they do make really nice heads

 

[Bamboozle]

@bigslackwater:

The hackle guards came with a small (1/8 oz) dipsey swivel weight on a small loop of string.

The idea was to slip the hackle guard behind the eye in front of your hackle and hook the string & weight on the little hook that is on the end of the "handle" of the hackle guard.

With the weight on the string hooked on the hackle guard, it stays in place on the fly so you can use two hands to wrap and tie off the head of the fly.

 

[salmo]

Yep an whenever I tried to finish the fly my thread would break on the slit on the face of the tool. I still have both but never use them.

 

[bigslackwater]

I was extra careful running my thread through the slit. I could see how the weight would be helpful. With the right sized hackle gaurd I was able to push it back far enough that it stayed put. I probably have the weight in my drawer of tools, or it will be easy enough to rig something up.

 

[Bamboozle]

Yep an whenever I tried to finish the fly my thread would break on the slit on the face of the tool. I still have both but never use them.

Widening the slit and polishing it with a Dremel poling point and some compound solves that problem.

 

[dc410]

If it doesn’t work for you, just throw it out!!

 

[afishinado]

I have a great way to push back the hackle or materials to finish a fly without buying an extra tool.

Slide a small diameter dental rubber band used for braces, or small rubber "O" ring onto the tube of your Bobbin holder, and push it back out of your way to the rear.

When needed to whip finish or hold back materials, slide the O ring or rubber band rearward to hold back the material or hackle.

Whip finish your fly and slide the band or O ring back on to the bobbin holder tube before cutting the thread so it will be there for your tying next fly.

Works great for me.

 

[nfrechet]

hackle guard set with weight

 

[nymphingmaniac]

years ago when they were popular (and I had little money) I made a substitute by cutting a circle out of heavy sheet plastic, placed a hole in the center and a slit and viola! It worked to keep fibers out of the eye as a tied off the fly and cemented the thread. I don't tie catskill style anymore- or rarely.

 

[Tull66]

A friend of mine gave me his late father’s fly tying collection. It’s an amazing batch of stuff. I will have more thread, hackles, deer hair etc.. for my lifetime. There is one tool I can’t quite figure out. They were in with the thread spools so I think it’s something to do with that. Thanks in advance.

It is an expensive way to replace your fingers to push back deer hair.

 

[Bamboozle]

The tool was cheap and could be used hands free, unlike fingers...

Unless you had an accident at a sawmill. 😉