I braid my silk fly lines from 100% Japanese filament silk, on a 100+ year old New England Butt Braider. The braider, along with the art of making a silk fly line, came with no instruction manual, so it was a lot of trial and error to figure out even the basics. Years into it, and I’m still learning!

Each line is meticulously laid out and measured. Each spool containing the proper amount of thread, in the proper tapers, to create the individual weight and taper profile of each and every line I make. There is no computer. There is no automation. Other than the braiding machine, any equipment I use was designed and built by me, for it’s specific purpose.

The silk is all laid out by hand, then spooled onto 16 bobbins, which are placed in an exact pattern on the braiding machine. Each line takes approximately 2 hours to braid. Next, the line is placed in a gently heated solution of boiled linseed oil varnish, and placed under vacuum to degas the solution and remove the air bubbles from the silk weave. After several hours, the line is removed from the boiled linseed oil and placed on a purpose built rack to cure for several days. From that point, it is coated another 5 times, and cured between each coat before the buffing process can begin. The line now has enough build up to begin the buffing process, and is buffed, coated, and allowed to cure many more times, until the proper level of varnish, as well as the proper texture are achieved. I then hand tie the whipped loops (if ordered) on both ends of the line and place a final coat of varnish on the line and allow it to cure before boxing it up and shipping it to you, the customer. This process takes weeks to complete, and I will typically work on each line, every day, 5 days a week until it is finished.

As you can see, there is a great deal of labor involved in each and every line I make.  This is why you will not find them on a shelf at your local fly shop. I do not generally stock any lines, as they are custom made to each individual’s specifications. However, I do occasionally have them available on my Facebook page (link at bottom of page). If you are interested in one of the lines listed there, contact me and we will proceed from there.