A gas station clerk in Ohio made me relook at my brush routine

Stopped for coffee last Tuesday and the guy behind the counter saw my soot-stained coveralls. He asked if I still hand-tie my rods, and I said yeah, always have. He laughed and said he quit doing that in 2019 after his wrist gave out, now he swears by a quick-connect system. It hit me different because I've been ignoring the strain for years, just thinking it was part of the job. Has anyone else switched away from hand-tied rods, and did it actually save your joints?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamiew831d agoMost Upvoted

Quit tying rods over a sore wrist? Man, I've been hand-tying mine for 15 years and my joints are fine. Sounds like the guy just wanted an excuse to buy new gear. Maybe you're just tensing up too much.

logan6482h ago

Funny you say that about tensing up. My buddy Dan wrecked his elbow last year tying flies, turned out he was gripping the vice like it owed him money. Doctor told him to take up knitting to loosen his forearms. Now he ties with his left hand and knits scarves with his right, looks ridiculous at the campfire but his wrist is fine. Took him three months to admit the vice wasn't the problem.