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sefly.com > Flyfishing Skills > Haywire Twist |
Haywire Twist |
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The Haywire Twist is the one and only way to make a loop in the end of single strand
leader wire for attaching hooks or swivel. Single strand wire comes in both coffee
color and bright. I prefer the low glare of the darker wire. Single strand
wire has a size number designation: 4, 5, 6, 9 and so on. Most modern packaging of
leader wire will also be labeled with breaking strength. You can also compute the
approximate breaking strength by multiplying the size number by 10. Single strand wire is not difficult to work with, although the very small sizes can be a bit temperamental . To teach yourself, I recommend that you start with about a # 8 wire. The larger size wires are easier to snap off at the end, and it is easier to see how the wires are twisting together.
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Making the Haywire Twist Don't start out with your tag end too short, you'll need that extra little bit at the end. Put about 4 inches of wire through the hook eye and bend the wire into a loop. I prefer to make this a fairly round bend rather than a hard fold. I like a nice round loop for my fly to swing on. Using you thumb and fore finger of one hand pinch the two parts of the wire together at a point just past the hook eye. This will determine the size of your loop. With the thumb and fore finger of the other hand twist the wire together making a X with the ends at 45 degree angles to what would be a continuation of the centerline of the hook shank. |
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| At this point you can continue to pinch the wire between your thumb and fore finger or, you can re-position the hook eye up to the base of the first X twist. With the hook at a right angle to the leader wire, grasp both the hook eye and the wire loop again between thumb and fore finger. This re-positing of the hook eye will provide a lever to use as you continue to make 4 more X twists. |
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| At the end of the 5 th X twist you should begin to change the orientation of the tag end to end up at right angles to the leader. Then make three barrel wraps with the tag end.
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| The tag end should now be sticking up 90 degrees from the leader wire. One inch above the barrel wraps, bend the tag end 90 degrees so that the tag end is parallel and pointed in the same direction as the leader wire. |
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| Grasp the hay wire twist
section between the thumb and fore finger of one hand (which ever side the hook is on) so
that the leader wire is point toward your free hand and the bent tag end is point
up. Position your middle finger of your holding hand so that it supports the leader
wire just forward of the tag end (at the termination of the barrel wraps).
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| With your free hand grasp the tag end at the bend. Using the bent end as a lever to rotate the tag end on it's axis and at the same time bending the tag end down toward the barrel wraps, you will create a stress in the tag end of the wire which will break it off at the termination of the barrel wraps. It is very important that the focal point of this action be directed at the termination of the barrel wraps. This simultaneous twisting and bending action will make a clean crisp snap of the tag end of the wire. Done properly it will be perfectly smooth where the wire breaks at the barrel wraps. |
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Harry Hall |
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