My adored fly tying desk. Once cherished and down through the ages worn and abused. Now cherished again.
My adored fly tying desk. Once owned by Rev. W. G. Summers. Presented to him by the officers, teachers and scholars of Health Town Congregational Sunday school, October 1913. So the brass plate is inscribed. Once cherished and down through the ages worn and abused.
I found it forlorn in a corner of an antique shop storefront, it called to me and I knew it had to be mine.
The desk has been my fly tying companion since 1979 and followed me wherever I wandered.
A cherished friend, when I'm with, I know I'm home.
Initially my intention was to leave the article brief but then realized most would like to see more detail.
A close-up. Many find where to store fishing hooks a conundrum. I was lucky enough to find my hook storage interlocking trays in the most unlikely place, a supermarket.
As you can probably surmise, I've been tying flies for a very long time. Way back when, in 1975 you could buy 100 fly tying hooks from smaller hooks $2.70 to $3.25 depending on the size. I never did understand that, wouldn't the smaller hooks be more difficult to make?
After starting to tie fishing flies, I realized that my fishing flies were not showing any signs of perfection. I signed up for Jim Poor's of Anglers All, fly tying classes, 5 one hour long instructions during one winter month. Through the classes I learned how to choose, prepare and apply the fur & feathers to the hook with better proportions. At the time there weren't many companies making fly tying tools. The scissors were off the shelf sorta, high quality German "Solingen" cuticle scissors and the hackle pliers were DIY, made from surgical blood clamps with a spring and split ring soldered together. Hair stackers were cottage industry.Tiemco bobbins were fairly new, 1969, and inexpensive. Spongy packing foam in a cigar box is free or cheap and you don't need to be concerned getting your tools in the right spot, just stick it in the foam.
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What's in the drawers? We all have our outrageous horrid of hair & feathers. I long for the days when you could buy Hungarian Partridge skin for $7.50, no kidding. Boy was I shocked when I needed to purchase more.
Yes, when you're consumed with the hobby you tend to hoard the materials for when you'll have more time after retiring, I'm glad I did. The airtight storage containers to keep the bugs away, are a lot better than using naphthalene crystals that the European Union has wisely banned.
Here's a question for all you connoisseurs of fur and feathers, are you going to let your children dispose of your treasures in the end? Or are you going to take control of what happens to it? I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this perplexing matter.
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Adored fly tying desk