Fly Tying Tools
Choose a whip finisher or a half-hitch tool
Choose the knot first
A wire finisher guides several turns into a whip finish. A half-hitch tool guides the loop over the eye. Try the motion with spare thread on a bare hook and decide which knot you want to place on the finished fly.
Measure the working space, not just the tool
The four-inch Dr. Slick stainless model is the compact option for small work. Compare the six-inch model if your hand crowds the body. Choose the Jumbo when grip width is the problem. Think through the path of the wire around the dressed hook before ordering.
Choose a bore by the dressing around the eye
When using a half hitch, the opening needs room to clear the hook eye and nearby material. Dr. Slick’s brass HHT set gives four openings across two tools. Compare fit on the assembled fly rather than reading the number of openings as a number of tools.