I want to replace the standard , cheap rubber band collars to hold skirts on spinner baits , swim jigs , etc. with a wire tie - what is the best way to proceed ? I'm thinking to lace the wire wrap just barely in front of the rubber skirt band , then once tied use an exacto knife to cut off the existing  rubber skirt band ? 

Chris,

    That is what I do when I make my skirts. I put them all together with a rubber collar, push them on the jig, tie wrap the skirt in front of the collar, and then I roll down the band so I can use it again. This works best for me because it keeps everything in place and I can adjust skirt colors if I want them on the top or bottom before I wire tie.

5 hours ago, cadman said:

Chris,

    That is what I do when I make my skirts. I put them all together with a rubber collar, push them on the jig, tie wrap the skirt in front of the collar, and then I roll down the band so I can use it again. This works best for me because it keeps everything in place and I can adjust skirt colors if I want them on the top or bottom before I wire tie.

*Thanks for the tip ! ... Why use an Exacto knife on the rubber collar when I can slide the rubber collar down after wire tying and use the rubber collar again ?  Also I bought #24 and #26 gauge copper wire  wire from a craft store and a small vacuum held vice to hold the jigs ,spinner baits and chatter baits while I wire tie them up . Some guys that are real good don't even need a small vice but I feel like I do at least to begin with so I get that wire tied just right on the skirt and head .

Rubber skirt bands roll back easier then trying to slide back as Cadman noted.

Tom

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-safety-wire-twisting-pliers-45340.html

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-3-4-quarter-inch-articulated-vacuum-vise-3311.html

 

I use safety wire pliers and suction cup vise from Harbor Freight to tie jigs. Wire is 22 gauge craft wire but 20-26 gauge works.

 

Allen 

20 hours ago, cadman said:

Chris,

    That is what I do when I make my skirts. I put them all together with a rubber collar, push them on the jig, tie wrap the skirt in front of the collar, and then I roll down the band so I can use it again. This works best for me because it keeps everything in place and I can adjust skirt colors if I want them on the top or bottom before I wire tie.

I do the same but I use an o-ring for greater ease of removal.  The "senko sized" ones work well for most jigs and the  "trickworm sized" ones work well for smaller jigs.  

17 hours ago, WRB said:

Rubber skirt bands roll back easier then trying to slide back as Cadman noted.

Tom

 

*Thanks for the tip Tom !

13 hours ago, Munkin said:

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-safety-wire-twisting-pliers-45340.html

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-3-4-quarter-inch-articulated-vacuum-vise-3311.html

 

I use safety wire pliers and suction cup vise from Harbor Freight to tie jigs. Wire is 22 gauge craft wire but 20-26 gauge works.

 

Allen 

*I bought the exact same vise but was unaware of the pliers ... I have similar "manual" pliers plus needle nose pliers - I believe from videos a couple of wraps of wire plus just a few twists of the wire ends , cut then crimp down the wire ends on the jig head will do . Possibly the 6" specialized wire twist pliers may have an advantage , some jig skirt wire tiers just use their hands for twisting wire on jigs then pliers at the end to cut the wire and crimp ends down . 

Instead of wire I use some black upholstery thread and head cement 

10 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

*Thanks for the tip Tom !

*I bought the exact same vise but was unaware of the pliers ... I have similar "manual" pliers plus needle nose pliers - I believe from videos a couple of wraps of wire plus just a few twists of the wire ends , cut then crimp down the wire ends on the jig head will do . Possibly the 6" specialized wire twist pliers may have an advantage , some jig skirt wire tiers just use their hands for twisting wire on jigs then pliers at the end to cut the wire and crimp ends down . 

Somewhere on the tackle making forum I did a tutorial on how to wire tie jigs.

 

Allen

 

Here is how I do it.