How I make my Composite Loops SBS

The last few months I have been using more and more composite loops in Jerry French style when tying my flies and I really like how the flies looks and not least swims in the water. Have made my Vikingtruders for many years now with hair and dubbing spun in loops. I got the right spin technique but had problems to keep the composite materials together when lifting them form the tying table to sliding them into the loop and many with me had this problem. I have noticed by all mails and messages I get when people ask how I do. I always send them a link to the OPST Youtube site so they can see how Jerry does his loops and hear his thoughts on composite loops flies.

After some thinking I came up with a idea how to get the material into the loop without dropping half of it on the floor or in the bin bag and I call it the Buisness card trick and it works like this. It takes some practise to get it right but this helped me alot and hope it can help you too.

 

 

Take a business card, playing card or other stiffer paper and use a black marker on one of the edges of the card to get a line so it will be easier to see were the loops is going to be placed. Then start placing the material you want to use on the card.

Take a second card or what you prefer in the same size and put it right on top of the first and you will get the edges of the material sticking out. Pick it up from the table holding the cards together and then you can adjust the edge of the material with your fingers.

Put the material in the waxed loop just by the edge of the cards.

Then very carefuly loose the pressure on the cards and slide them away from the loop very slowly so no material will fall out.

Now you can start adjusting the material with a dubbing needle and with your fingers.

Then it's just to use your spinning tool and the composite loop is ready!