Clark's dubbing block

[hankaye]

Ruard, Howdy;



Thanks for that...

hank

[gingerdun]

Dick Clark who invented the spinning block was a fishing companion of Jim Leisenring and Vernon S. "Pete" Hidy. Both Dick and Pete learned to spin bodies from Big Jim. Jim spun the bodies on his pants leg, which Dick didn't like, since it left too much untidy residue of dubbing fibers on his clothes. So Dick invented his famous Block to keep his pants leg clean. Jim had nothing to do with it. Pete Hidy loved the Clark Spinning Block. He made many of them to give them away to fishermen before his death in 1983 at age 68. I have one of Pete Hidy's blocks, signed by him on the back.
The dimensions are 4 5/8 x 2 1/8 x 3/4 inches.
The curved edge at one end just made it easier to nail the loop anchor pin at a 30-degree angle, enabling it to hold the silk more securely.

Here are some photographs.
The Naugahyde strip has white on one side and black on the other, used according to the color of the dubbing mix.

Attached are also some of the cards that Pete Hidy stored his bodies on. After a day or so, the silk would "set" so that when the dubbing loop was removed from the card, it would not unravel. Threads that are not silk are more likely to fall apart when removed from the card.

This was long ago, and not necessarily recommended for the more advanced fly-tying methods in use today. Just a glimpse into the past, for whatever it may be worth.

[Kelly L.]

THANK YOU Gingerdun for those photos, especially of the blocks. Now I need to find a piece of leather or naugahyde. Maybe I can get a naugahyde sample at an upholstery shop...in black, and white... It never hurts to try.

[Mataura mayfly]

Gingerdunn,
Nice pictures of a neat bit of history. The 30 deg nail is a much better idea than how I positioned my own (note made for the Mk 2 block!) I imagine one could use any textured material for the "sighter" pad as the idea behind it would be to help stop the dubbing adhere to any remnant wax as much as being the background of contrast?

So the brass nails are fairly self explanatory, bu what is the chrome eschunion or upolstory pin for in the top of the block?

[hankaye]

Disreguard... screwed it up and couldn't delete.. if a Moderiater or Admind wold please delete ...
thanks

hank

[hankaye]

Gingerdun, Howdy;

Fascinating stuff. Seeing the pic. of the cards
gives me some perspective as to the amount of time
put in to get the desired results... Some of the difference between
'Hardcore' and hobbyist.....

hank

[William Anderson]

Gingerdun, your willingness to share all these wonderful pics and information has been an enormous boost to my interest in this material. I thought I had all there was on Hidy to (until Jim Slattery releases his material) have in books, articles and conversations, but to have this "pictures are worth a 1000 words" situation here is amazing. Thanks so much.

w

[gingerdun]

Gingerdun, your willingness to share all these wonderful pics and information has been an enormous boost to my interest in this material. I thought I had all there was on Hidy to (until Jim Slattery releases his material) have in books, articles and conversations, but to have this "pictures are worth a 1000 words" situation here is amazing.

William, I'm just glad there is some interest in it. Others have advised me to "sit on it," and wait for publication. But there will still be new stuff in the book. In the meanwhile, it seems a crime not to share some of this freely now, just as Pete did during his lifetime.

I'm sure that plenty of people will find these old methods quaint and crude by today's standards. But there are enough history-minded fishermen, like you, to make is worthwhile to take a look at where we came from.

[wayneb]

Hi Gingerdun;

I and others find all that you share thrilling and very usefully. I think Clark's block and the method of dubbing itself to be timeless! Your photos of dubbing cards made me realize I can create some that are a lot sparser then anything I've created so far.

Everything else you've shared is so thrilling, I can't wait to see your posts!

[William Anderson]

Gingerdun,

I am of the mindset that the more you share the more interest there will be. If you posted everypage of your book (I'm not actually suggesting that by any means) I would be more inclined to purchase the book than not. I get more excited about the material the more I see...which translates to purchase. And probably purchase for gifting. I like the notion that Hidy, like Nemes were just interested in sharing something that made them happy, hoping others would find the thing that often seems lacking in life. Just joy. thanks again.