Hair stackers?

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

riverman wrote:
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.

When you get sick of it, throw it my way.

I use a Griffin sometimes. Depends on the fly and the hair. I could use a
large Griffin sometimes, so maybe you should try that model? grin Bottom
line: some people like crew cuts, others prefer the shaggy natural look. I
usually don't use a stacker except on smaller flies like size 18 ehc where
uneven hairs would make it hard to get the right density (if you can see
what I mean).
--
Stan Gula
http://gula.org/roffswaps

riverman wrote:
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.

When you get sick of it, throw it my way.

I use a Griffin sometimes. Depends on the fly and the hair. I could use a
large Griffin sometimes, so maybe you should try that model? grin Bottom
line: some people like crew cuts, others prefer the shaggy natural look. I
usually don't use a stacker except on smaller flies like size 18 ehc where
uneven hairs would make it hard to get the right density (if you can see
what I mean).
--
Stan Gula
http://gula.org/roffswaps

riverman wrote:
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.

When you get sick of it, throw it my way.

I use a Griffin sometimes. Depends on the fly and the hair. I could use a
large Griffin sometimes, so maybe you should try that model? grin Bottom
line: some people like crew cuts, others prefer the shaggy natural look. I
usually don't use a stacker except on smaller flies like size 18 ehc where
uneven hairs would make it hard to get the right density (if you can see
what I mean).
--
Stan Gula
http://gula.org/roffswaps

From: "riverman"

tried a lipstick case, but when I dumped the hairs out, they all
fell into disarray again.

If you "dump the hairs out", nothing will work. You need to hold them by the
butts once the tips are aligned, and keep pressure on the hair until it is tied
in. I suppose a lipstick container would work, (you'd have to cut it down so
that the butts of shorter length hair would be exposed), but a "real" hair
stacke isn't real expensive, and, in most cases will be a bit more user
friendly.




George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

"riverman" wrote in
:

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



One production commercial tier I know uses a .45 shell casing. I use the
renzetti, but I never use the small end of it.

Scott

"riverman" wrote in
:

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



One production commercial tier I know uses a .45 shell casing. I use the
renzetti, but I never use the small end of it.

Scott

"George Adams" wrote in message
...
From: "riverman"

tried a lipstick case, but when I dumped the hairs out, they all
fell into disarray again.

If you "dump the hairs out", nothing will work. You need to hold them by
the
butts once the tips are aligned, and keep pressure on the hair until it is
tied
in. I suppose a lipstick container would work, (you'd have to cut it down
so
that the butts of shorter length hair would be exposed), but a "real" hair
stacke isn't real expensive, and, in most cases will be a bit more user
friendly.


What I did discover with the lipstick case was that the inside bottom was
not flat. (I had to use the lid, as the main body has some sort of mechanism
that holds the lipstick.) But even if I used a shell casing, I found that
when I put the hair in and tap it, most of it doesn't really settle down.
Then I grab the bottoms to take it out, and then transfer it to my other
hand by grasping the tips, and then tie it in. But in all that transfer, the
hairs get a bit out of alignment again. I think a real hair stacker has some
sort of 'collar' that you remove so that you can take the hairs out by the
tips, is that correct?

Like I said, this is sort of just mindless chatter, as I am going to buy one
anyway to try it out. I didn't know they came in different sizes, tho.

--rm

riverman wrote:
snip
But just the same, whats the
scoop....do most of you advanced tyers use a stacker, or do you do it by
hand?

I'm by no means an advanced tyer, but I took my tying gear
on a fishing trip this past year intending to tie up some
comparaduns. I had everything I needed *except* a hair stacker
which I'd left at home under a stack of clutter. I may as well
have left the whole kit & caboodle at home because without the
hair stacker there was not an ice cubes chance in Hades that I
could tie a comparadun. Admittedly, I have more thumbs than
fingers, but for me a hair stacker is an essential item.

--
Ken Fortenberry

riverman wrote:
snip
But just the same, whats the
scoop....do most of you advanced tyers use a stacker, or do you do it by
hand?

I'm by no means an advanced tyer, but I took my tying gear
on a fishing trip this past year intending to tie up some
comparaduns. I had everything I needed *except* a hair stacker
which I'd left at home under a stack of clutter. I may as well
have left the whole kit & caboodle at home because without the
hair stacker there was not an ice cubes chance in Hades that I
could tie a comparadun. Admittedly, I have more thumbs than
fingers, but for me a hair stacker is an essential item.

--
Ken Fortenberry