[Flyguy65]

I'm working on a Hardy Rogue River, tons of intermediate wraps! What's your method for the simplest clean wraps? Thanks~

 

[Mike Monsos]

Clove hitch
Mike

 

[Mike Monsos]

Leave the tag ends about 1" long and apply your first coat of varnish. Trim the tag ends and proceed to add your varnish coats to the wraps.

Mike

 

[Flyguy65]

Clove hitch
Mike

Hi Mike,
I looked up clove hitch and I'm not sure how this works for the wraps?? Also you know me....I don't use varnish

 

[Flyguy65]

Quite a few of my trim wraps have the nasty "nubs" from the cut off tags, if I burnish them too much they unravel. I put a dab of fly tying clear nail polish to keep them from unraveling......???

 

[Mike Monsos]

Hi Mike,
I looked up clove hitch and I'm not sure how this works for the wraps?? Also you know me....I don't use varnish

Ha Ha The clove hitch works nice for trim wraps and two wrap or three wrap intermediates. If you experiment with a short length of thread on a rod shaft you can pull the tag ends tight, compact the wrap from each side, you end up with a very narrow wrap. I would think you could wet the threat with color preserver to hold it in place if you are having trouble. For the finish I didn't know there was something other than varnish , but if there is you might add a lite or thinned coat first. After that coat dries take a single or double edged razor blade to trim the tag (nubs) tight to the wrap. Add your choice of wrap finish now and the nubs should be gone.

 

[PhilR]

I use the clove hitch as well, and leave the tags on while packing and burnishing. I don't cut the tags until right before I put the finish on.

 

[9140greenie]

If you use a multi coat finish, you can leave the tags. Just apply a super thin coat of finish, let it dry, and come back with a really sharp razor and trim. You can then proceed with your finish coat.
Tight lines,
Keith

 

[Troutcreek]

I stay away from intermediates when I can but when forced I use a tip shared by Dave Dozer. Note that this is my version of Dave’s tip, he probably does it differently.

When the guide is finished put a dilute coat of CP to seal and prevent unraveling. I use Al’s which dries quickly although anything that dries quickly will work. That done use cheap contrasting whipping thread to wrap from the guide all the way to where the intermediate starts. Do the intermediate against the thread wraps and tie off. CP the intermediate then pull the thread wrap to the guide. Sometimes I rewrap the thread to the spool and re-purpose but normally just toss it out. You can get exact perfect spacing by counting the wraps and the intermediate is totally square. You simply use thread as a spacer, using large size (usually cheaper) whipping thread works better.

Sounds like a lot of work but for me this is many times faster along with giving better results.

The down side is that it uses a lot of thread.

 

[Flyguy65]

150+ for the Hardy....I hate intermediates!