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Thread: Barb flattening

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    174

    Default Barb flattening

    I've been noticing the barbs on SST's flies and they always seem to be nicely flattened. Most of the time, I don't get the barb to lay down and break the tip off and then have to squash the nub down. What's a good technique to get the barb to flatten without breaking?

    Thanks,
    Joe

    PS The construction and the photography of SSTs flies are always top notch. Nice stuff!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Sacramento, Driggs
    Posts
    1,204

    Default

    I use a very long spring loaded pliers with flat (not serrated) jaws for barb crushing. They have more uniform leverage and force to help avoid the hook breaking problem. I learned this after breaking a lot of hooks. Unfortunately I can’t find a pliers delicate/small enough for hooks below a size 18 but those are at least more pliable with a hemostat.

    I use a cheapo true value pliers but Dr Slick makes a dedicated barb pliers.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    174

    Default

    I've actually got pair of Dr Slick's ECO barb pliers on my tying bench but still manage to break the barbs. They are fairly small pliers and I've been tying half pounder steelhead size flies size 6-10 recently. Maybe a longer pair of pliers is the ticket.

    https://www.drslick.com/catalog/view...eco-barb-plier

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Santa Rosa, Calif
    Posts
    1,015

    Default

    Tahoe Joe,

    On the coast for Steelhead where I am required to pinch the barb I like to leave the bump after I smach the barb, That little bit of resistance gives me a great feeling compared to a totally slick hook. My 2 cents

    Carl Blackledge

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Boulder CO
    Posts
    90

    Default

    I crush it with my vise jaws before tying. That seems to get it pretty flat.

    It seems like 1 in 15 hooks break when I pinch the barb. I'd rather have it break on the bench than on the river.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    174

    Default

    Thanks for the insight Carl.

    That seems like a great idea and perfectly legal (as long as it won't hang up in your shirt or, maybe, just a ball of cotton for testing on the bench it should pass the Game Warden test). Even when I break the barb, I should be able to carefully bend down what's left instead of smashing the nub down. Smashing hard is what I've been doing and trying to avoid.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Santa Rosa, Calif
    Posts
    1,015

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    Joe,

    Very high carbon hooks like Umpqua break very easy in the vice, I switched to Daiichi around 20-25 years ago and have NEVER broke a hook in the vice since I switched. By the way I use Regal vices, in case that makes a difference. It's a bitch to tie a very pretty little say PT nymph and as you take it out of the vice you notice it's in two pieces AWWWWWWWW

    Carl Blackledge

  8. #8

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by TahoeJoe View Post
    I've been noticing the barbs on SST's flies and they always seem to be nicely flattened. Most of the time, I don't get the barb to lay down and break the tip off and then have to squash the nub down. What's a good technique to get the barb to flatten without breaking?

    Thanks,
    Joe

    PS The construction and the photography of SSTs flies are always top notch. Nice stuff!

    Thank you for the kind words.

    I use the jaws of the vise to flatten the barb before I tie. This way I never forget! The exception would be for presentation/shadow box flies where the barb provides more aesthetics.

    Additionally, I try to avoid some brand of hooks due to their brittleness at the barb. There are a few exceptions- when I absolutely must have a certain style. In extreme cases I break out the Dremel and smooth the barb area out. Otherwise I try my hardest to purchase strictly barbless hooks.
    You shoulda been here yesterday!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Dixon
    Posts
    36

    Default

    Of all the goofy things, I stole some crafts pliers from my wife for smashing barbs. They have short, fine, round jaws that somehow seem to work perfectly. They pass the cotton ball test but leave a noticeable hump similar to what Carl posted.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Tejas !!
    Posts
    792

    Default

    I use flat jaw needle nose and a trick I think Lefty mentioned somewhere- i don't crush the barb from the side, i come in from the hook point and have the jaws pointed to the bend. I haven't had a broken barb since.

    Why it works better I cannot say, but it does.

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