On Sat, 4 Dec 2004 19:54:36 +0100, "riverman"
wrote:

In my beginner days, every single fly tying instruction book I read (that
means both of them) had the same 'inside hint' that a hair stacker was not
really necessary. One suggested an empty lipstick case, another said you
could align the hairs by hand just as easily, with a bit of practice.

But now that I'm getting a bit better at tying, I find aligning the hairs a
RPITA! I tried a lipstick case, but when I dumped the hairs out, they all
fell into disarray again. I think a hair stacker really is a good idea, but
I don't know for sure because I've never really used one.

This is really a weak topic for a thread, because if I just go out and buy
one and then toss it later, it will represent a much smaller waste of money
than most of the things I have in my tying kit. But just the same, whats the
scoop....do most of you advanced tyers use a stacker, or do you do it by
hand?

--riverman

I used cut down shell casings for years, with wax melted in the bottom
to cover up the primer indentations and make a flat bottom for even
tips. Bought a real hair stacker last year. Much, much, much more
pleasant to use than the homemade ones I used for 25 years previously.
Get one.


g.c.