i can tie a beautiful FG knot. i just cant finish the knot neatly every time.

[Darth-Baiter]

the finishing knots.  the several overhands..the other uni-knot looking thing.  that is when i usually go awry and have to scrap the entire operation.  

 

how are you ending it, and locking it all up?  i do use some knot glue i have to buy insurance.  

 

i finished one simply yesterday with copious overhands and glued it.  but i want to stick the FG landing repeatedly.  any tips?  there is zero doubt it is the thinnest knot for me.  

[Team9nine]

Here’s my std routine (I don’t glue):
 

Do the wraps

Then 2 alternating half hitches

Cinch everything down tight

Cut the leader tag

Then 2 more alternating half hitches

Finish with a 4-wrap Rizzuto - cut braid tag

 

[Darth-Baiter]

the Rizzuto leaves the tag end poking out of the middle of the knot?  that single move is my hangup.  it sometimes pulls tight before all the slack is cinched up.  misery.

 

i'll watch video again.

 

found a better video.  the Rizzoto is the same as the ending of serving wrap on a bowstring!  i was doing it wrong.  thanks @Team9nine

[Darth-Baiter]

just tried again.  not a thing of beauty

[FryDog62]

I tied the FG knot for 2 seasons. But the last step of tying off with hitch knots, etc - I found the diameter in that specific area about the same if not larger than the Alberto knot. IMO, the FG is kind of a hot mess at the end and I know it's strong, but the lumped up hitch knots would catch on the guides occasionally - about as often as good old Alberto which is easier to tie and I've never had slip out. 

[Darth-Baiter]

20 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

I tied the FG knot for 2 seasons. But the last step of tying off with hitch knots, etc - I found the diameter in that specific area about the same if not larger than the Alberto knot. IMO, the FG is kind of a hot mess at the end and I know it's strong, but the lumped up hitch knots would catch on the guides occasionally - about as often as good old Alberto which is easier to tie and I've never had slip out. 

  hahah..i was in a WebEx meeting.  glad i was muted.  i feel the same way you do.  i just cut it all off and went with my Alberto.  i'm over it. fishing is suppose to be relaxing.  hahah

 

but i think you and i are on the same page.  the finish of the FG is just as girthy as my Alberto.  

[softwateronly]

I do the same as @Team9nine

Tightening the half hitches without them rolling over on themselves is also my weakness, but to me it's still smoother than the mono tag facing the wrong way on the cast of an alberto.  The rizzuto can also overlap itself while tightening which can lead to an unraveling, but the previous half hitches are doing the work so I keep fishing without issue.

 

scott

[Bankc]

Well, you want to alternate, of course.  One over, the next under.  That way they'll snug up next to each other.  But I generally just keep the windings pinched in my left hand to tie the first overhand, and then slowly work it back into position while it's still a big, lose loop before cinching it.  And I cinch it by pulling the tag end back against the direction of the knot, so it pulls up nice and snug to the rest of the knot.  

 

Maybe I do something weird that I'm not aware of.  But I've never had issues with the overhand knots, other than the occasional breaking off too early when trying to use something like 6# fluoro and cinching too tightly.  In fact, I find the FG a lot easier to tie than the Palomar.  Of course, it takes a LOT longer to tie.  But I often get the line twisted with the Palomar and that reduces the strength of the knot, or get it hung up in the hooks.  Whereas the FG doesn't give me fits, assuming I'm willing to commit a full 1-2 minutes to it.  

[michaelb]

I carefully melt the tag end of the braid with a lighter. That seems easier and better than glue or tying a fancy finish. Seems to work some of my leader knots have lasted months 

[garroyo130]

Rizzuto finish, no half hitches. Then take lighter to both mono end and braid end.

[Bass Rutten]

Three half hitches and done. In the two years I’ve been using the FG I haven’t had one fail.
 

[waymont]

12 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Here’s my std routine (I don’t glue):
 

Do the wraps

Then 2 alternating half hitches

Cinch everything down tight

Cut the leader tag

Then 2 more alternating half hitches

Finish with a 4-wrap Rizzuto - cut braid tag

 

This is my style too, but with 5 wrap Rizzuto

[ATA]

5 hours ago, waymont said:

This is my style too, but with 5 wrap Rizzuto

same here only rizzuto sometimes more if smaller line.

[txchaser]

Last half-hitch gets a couple of extra turns, snip, wet fingers to protech the line/knot, hit the end of the braid with a lighter. 

 

A tip that has helped me a lot - you can twist the braid in your fingers a little and it will help the hitches lay very tight, both with each other and with the mainline braid. 

[throttleplate]