Hackle pliers
Hold even the smallest hackle feathers securely and tie them in easily
Some fly-tying materials are difficult or even impossible to handle properly with your fingers alone. This is exactly where hackle pliers become extremely useful. They allow you to wrap materials such as hackles, tinsel and many other fly-tying materials around the hook with much greater ease, control and precision. Hackle pliers are available in different shapes and price ranges, but they all fulfil the same essential purpose. The most important factor is sufficient clamping pressure so that the material is held securely without slipping while wrapping it around the hook. A high-quality pair of hackle pliers makes fly tying cleaner, more efficient and far more comfortable, especially when working on delicate fly patterns.
The hackle pliers are used to make it easier to wrap the feathers around the stem of the hook without the risk of breaking them.
Using them is very simple: simply tie the feather to the hook with the tying thread, lock the other end with the hackle pliers and gently wrap the fly tying material while holding the handle of the tool. When you're done, just let the hackles pliers hang still attached to the feather, fix it all calmly with the tying thread and cut the surplus.