....good brand bobbin? Preferably available at Cabela's. I just started tying flies and the bobbin I bought breaks the thread too much. Any info would be great.

Tiemco. Griffin.

I bought a some at academy for 2.99... you have to kinda tweak 'em a little bit so you dont bust the thread, the only bobbins I have over 10 bucks are a couple ceramics for kevlar & GSP

I prefer a ceramic tip. I don't care about the brand so much. I just don't like the all metal tip.

sandwich a block of wood in the bobbin overnight; itll spread out the arms. then use the mound of skin under your pinky to control drag.

i hated my first bobbin also and bought anew a bit larger and more comfy. funny, i prefer the cheapy now after a lengthy "persuation"

EDIT>>> are you new to tying? if so you can forget about a bobbin fix. just accept some broke threads theres no way around it. its like my welding teacher told me, "the only way to practice welding is to just go burn some rods"

I can't remember the last time I had a bobbin that was real bad about breaking thread, so I have no real preference. I do try to teach my students to practice breaking thread with 6/0 or 8/0 to get a feel of how much pressure they can put on the thread before it breaks. You simply start the thread on the hook and then pull till it breaks. I find the flies are more durable when they are tied with as much thread tension as you can handle without breaking the thread. I find that most folks that tie for over a decade still have days when they break thread. It seems to be one of those lessons that will still rear it's ugly head from time to time.

Big Dale

No matter how carefully you manage the thread tension, bobbins will eventually cut thread if their tubes are metal. Over time, the thread wears grooves in the metal that are sharp enough sever the thread. Save yourself some heartache and frustration and buy bobbins with ceramic inserts in the tubes.

Griffin ceramic bobbins are available on Cabela's website for $12.75. It's money well spent.

Solamisandwich, yes I'm new to tying and a I will probably try the block of wood. When i get a little more experiance I might try a ceramic head. Thanks everyone for the replies.

I still like my rite bobbin, 37.95 well spent

Ron,
What thread type and weight are you tying with? If you're using 8/0 or 70 Denier, or smaller, it may just be a matter of getting used to how much tension you can put on the thread.
For the first year I tied, I used mostly 6/0 and 140 denier thread. I just couldn't quit pulling on the small stuff. I still break 'em, just not as much.
To see if you have a problem with your bobbin, tie on to the hook, pull out about 2 inches of thread, and act like you are trying to crank a boat up on the trailer. What you are trying to do is make the thread contact the full inside edge of the tube. After 3 or 4 "cranks", let out more thread and see if it looks frayed where it was rotating against the end of the tube. If it still looks like thread, not like fuzz, your bobbin is probably OK.

Kirk

its a bobbin ????

I bought 4

I am using 6/0 and 70 denier right now. I bent the wire on the bobbin out a little bit and now it doesn't put as much tension on the thread any more but the thread does break when it rubs on the side so now I have just been holding it completely vertical when tying.

LittleRon, I must agree with others here that the ceramic bobbin is the best to use. It is $5-$10 dollars more,but what is your time worth to you when you have to start over on a fly that is 75% finished when you have a thread failure. I have both and never use the metal bobbin on anything but heavy thread I tie clousers with.

Start over? pssh. Just restart the thread where it broke and pretend it never happened. The fish will never know.