Favorite bobbin

[Carol]

I need to get a couple of new bobbins. When I first started tying I got cheapo depot ones (except that they have a ceramic shaft). My hubby decided they were too tight for his liking and stretched them out. Now the thread just falls off the spool, and I've never been able to readjust them to where they were before. So, for Christmas I'm going to ask for a couple of new bobbins. I do have one that allows you to adjust the tension, but it loosens up during use. There are so many different types out there and I don't want to waste money buying crap. That said, I'm going to ask a personal question, almost like asking what's your favorite food. What is your favorite bobbin and why?

[Paul Arden]

Hi Carol,

Bobbins are actually the spools that hold the thread/tinsel etc. What you are after is a bobbin holder! To be honest I don’t have a favourite bobbin holder, in fact for the first five years of fly fishing I didn’t even know they existed My bobbin used to run around the floor and I would use the material spring to trap it close to the vice. I’ve always been able to adjust the tension with the bendy arms, in fact I’ve had some of my bobbin holders for over thirty years.

I’m sure Lars will have a bobbin holder fetish.

Cheers, Paul

[Viking Lars]

Like Paul I tied with bobbin holders for a few years before getting one, but that’s beside the point. There are some *really* nice ones on the market, and I do like them. But “value-for-money-and-still-really-good”, I think Tiemco’s standard bobbin is hard, if not impossible to beat. My oldest ones are probably over 20 years old and have tied literally thousands of flies. They withstand hot water when I clean the ceramic tube for wax (I tie with thread wax some times).
They would be my recommendation.

Lars

[Boisker]

Tiemco ceramic are the ones I have settled on

[Hornbeam]

I'd agree with the views already expressed here. There are plenty of fancier, more complicated and more recent bobbin holders around, but I don't think any of them add anything particularly worthwhile. The heavier duty Tiemco bobbin holders, with the black ceramic tubes and offset legs, have been my own preference for years. If it isn't broken...

Tony

[ACW]

Another fan of tiemco ,i have a dozen or so bobbin holders all over a decade old some probably 40 years of use .I really cant see the need for anything more complex,but then I am still dressing using a Thompson thats near 50 years old with a replacement set of jaws .

[carlz]

Griffin ceramic tip bobbins. These are reasonably priced (you can get a few) and last forever. The ceramic tip is just a bead where it is needed, not the more fragile ceramic tube.

The Flyrite bobbin is a much fancier affair but is nice if you want extra control over thread tension.