Your Tungsten beads suck, here's why!

Pick up my beads in the shop. Free shipping on orders over $50
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I've run the numbers and I've figured out what you need to look for to get the heaviest beads for the size you need. TLDR; See the chart where I compare all of them here:
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ERIC’S HAND TIED FLIES
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[@TroutFlies]

This turned out great Eric! For pretty much all my commercial and personal tying I've switched over to the driftstone beads. Once you tie on good beads you'll never tie on cheap ones again.

[@driftstone]

It's interesting how a random conversation can change your life so much. I'm glad our paths crossed.

[@OnTheFlyNZ]

Good work, another thing worth mentioning is the beads such as the ones you have also have an oval shape on the side that faces the hook eye. This means when it's tied on a non-jig hook it is able to tilt up and have the majority of its mass above the axis of the hook shank. It means more hook gap to penetrate the fish and you have the jig hook inversion effect due to the offset mass. The Spanish have known this for years, arguably the most consistent international competitive team and they don't use jig hooks. You can achieve the same effect with good tungsten beads and the right hooks without compromising hook gap. The hook gap on a regular hook with your type of beads is 80% larger than the same size jig hook. I have a good photo with measurements and illustrations to show this. This gap is measured from eye to hook point. I have my own supplier who meets these requirements such as the ones you mention in your video, though they also different bead sizes in 0.2/0.3mm interims which is important to me to cover a larger weight range. Though thats probably a small detail for many but may be worth exploring. Good to see more people thinking about this stuff though. I am impressed though that your 4.0 is 50 centigrams, mine are usually 46-48. If you ship to UK or NZ will consider you in future.

[@flyfishingtheozarks]

I understood 7 words in this video......but was fascinated the whole time!

[@driftstone]

LOL glad I was able to keep you entertained :D :D

[@MarceVasquez-ub9sj]

I never comment on KZbin videos! This is well worth the comment though. I've always been frustrated with the inconsistencies of tungsten beads and you have successfully anwsered all these inconsistensies with good solid SCIENCE! A person who notices something like this shows true attention to detail and those people who accomplish this usually follow as quite successful fisherman. I will definately be visting your site to order beads and if they are true to your advetizing I will definately be ordering many.

[@adventureswithfrodo2721]

Ignorance us not bliss.

[@user-hd7we5et5b]

Excellent presentation. as a laboratory technician I can appreciate your accuracy of the problems concerned. Many thanks.

[@xjohnoh]

Great Video! I just want to add a few points and observations through my own experience tying euro flies. One thing you didn’t mention is the front slot shape that ends up next to the hook eye. Square shaped front slots do not allow a variety of hooks to be tied with them and do not allow you to oversized a bead to a hook. This especially comes at a detriment when using a 14 wide gap jig hook for an egg fly and want say a 3.5 tungsten bead, the square slot will simply allow the bead fall off. For this very reason I refuse to buy front square slot beads and prefer the circular front slots. Second, the wider vs narrow back slot is a lot of preference on versatility. I do like the narrow ones due to the weight advantage like you stated, however, using lead free wire that fits the wider slot beads allows you to minimize the time to build up the thread dam and also let’s you have a variety of micro weight variations vs a straight .5 or .3mm tungsten step up or down. You can add lead wire to narrow slot beads but I found it can effect taper since they cannot fit the narrow slot. The wider back slot also lets you put smaller diameter beads on larger hooks like streamers and are especially great for tying leech patterns while the narrow slot gives you a narrower hook range. With all this being said my preference is a circle front slot, narrow back slot bead and is no means the right answer, but it has been the style that has shown the best variety vs efficiency when I’m at the vise.

[@LTrain23]

I won’t buy any other tungsten beads. The narrow hook gap is such a game changer! Awesome video.

[@driftstone]

Once you see it, haha. Thanks Landon

[@jp410]

Great video. One thing you don't discuss explicitly is the effect of the gap on hook/bead compatibility. It has really frustrated me with my beads is that I can't tie a 3.8 bead on a size 16 hook, and even a 3.3 bead often demands that I build up a little thread ball behind the eye before I put the bead on. This is to prevent the bead crowding the eye, or in the case of the larger bead, from slipping over the eye and off the hook completely. I've built up a collection of slotted beads from 2.4mm to 3.8mm, in silver, black nickel, and copper. Oversizing the bead means I have to oversize the hook as well. I'm stuck with them. Not going to rebuild my whole collection, because it gets expensive.

[@blackflycreations]

Great video Eric! Proof of concept, solving other brands weaknesses, and good quality control, equips to quality products. Thus why I will also be using your beads as another tool in my tying arsenal. Good job my friend!👌

[@driftstone]

Thanks Steve, you're awesome!

[@glenndotter5065]

As a former QC engineer and Reliability Engineering Mgr. I found your study fascinating until it became the intro of your product. I've been fly fishing over 60 years and tying for 40. It is a BEAD for crying out loud. The trout dont care! In fact, although I have used glass, brass, and tungston. I tie 98% of my flies without a bead and find the beadless flies are better. Not that beadheads dont work. But I have yet to flip a rock and find a bug with a huge shiny head. Guess I am just a purist. Beads are ridiculously expensive too. Great marketing ploy and engineering job though.

[@driftstone]

The best part is no part. Total respect to fishing unweighted flies, they are much easier to cast well.

[@glenndotter5065]

@@driftstone I was 7 when I had a bamboo flyrod put in my hand. I learned to control the line with a worm and the was given 3 wet flies. A black gnat, light cahill, and a March Brown to swing and caught so many trout! We highsticked and tightlined long before it was stylishly called Euronymphing. I see how beads can help in those cases, but I dont do competition so weighting flies is also an option. Thanks for your comments and your study!

[@sagehearttenkara]

Very cool! I will have to bookmark the page and check them out next time I order beads!

[@paulpohopien709]

Nice job Beadman!…this vid turned out excellent. Truly appreciate the insight here and yes I confirm your Driftstone beads have been excellent

[@skypieper]

Just got my driftstone hooks and beads in the mail. Stoked to tie up some tasty trout snacks.

[@driftstone]

Awesome, have fun tying!

[@johnbernick2944]

I loved the video. Who knew there was a difference? Thank you for sharing your evaluation. I'd love to see some more/other brands tested like the FLY TYING SOURCE.

[@driftstone]

Thanks John, I've got some Montana Fly company beads coming and plan to add them to the list. I wasn't aware of Fly tying source. I'll go pick some of theirs up too. Thanks!

[@Oholisfliesandfishing]

Congratulations on good video. However, you didnt do the most important test... Compare the sinking rate of those beads when on a fly.... Which is an ultimate test... Because that bead weight difference impacts less in certain circumstances.... Buggy fly with lot of resistance, thick tippet...... Test may be properly done with perdigons in a pool.... I was thinking of it a lot before.... But j dont think it matters Problems with narrow gaps can be higher diameter hooks.... Some folks use heavy wire hooks and gap can be too small for them....

[@mikegolfpro]

Nice work Eric! I’m looking forward to getting mine and no doubt will be a lifer. Appreciate you doing the hard work to make our lives easier, not to mention saving us all some greenbacks! 🤘🏽

[@driftstone]

It was a fun project and thanks for the order. Hope you enjoy tying on them :D

[@familyflyties3913]

Fantastic video Eric! Thanks for sharing these statistics and also for the transparency regarding sample size.

[@driftstone]

There are a million variables really with all the brands and the batches of product they have made. Everyone has different experiences, I tried to give it my due diligence, but I couldnt buy a ton of beads from every brand. Just glad to get people thinking and talking about it.

[@deakemarschall2992]

OK. These are the only weeds I want to be involved with when I'm doing anything fishing related. Excellent explanation with real science. Guess it's time for me to place another Driftstone order. Love the Bill Nye thumbnail.

[@Loyalist-ul6qm]

You just got yourself a buyer and subscription my friend look forward to trying out those beads and I will be looking to scrutanise them all the best for 2023 tightlines.

[@driftstone]

I appreciate you, I hope you enjoy tying on them :D

[@Loyalist-ul6qm]

@@driftstone thanks.

[@michaelcrisp7176]

Hi Eric, Thanks for the video!

[@LostManFishing]

This is an epic video and very enlightening for fellow tiers - 🎉🎉🎉

[@raywalteroutdoors]

It is true that the gap makes the difference. Many of us tie in .020 wire to keep the bead in place. We shouldn't need to.

[@wcdunn]

This was great. Thanks for all the work that went into it.

[@driftstone]

I appreciate it, it was fun getting into the weeds on this.

[@NDFlyFisher]

This is a great analysis. Thanks for using science!

[@kobuslotter1928]

I like what you said, and enjoyed watching it. Would like to add that as a consumer i like to see the quantity on the bead/hook packs I purchase ( for the justification of the price) and do respect that as a business man you set this up to show your product in good light. But I have questions. 1 quantity 2 international shipping 3 availability. Cheers.

[@mattlittle3330]

As a science nerd this is right up my alley. I have always bought beads because of the size of their hook slot. If you tie a lot of perdigons, a wide hook slot is a nightmare to work with. Nice video.

[@driftstone]

That's a great point about perdigons where you want a clean and slim profile. Thanks for watching!

[@mikejames663]

We need dedicated tyers/suppliers like this, transparent overview, could apply to other materials & tools.

[@driftstone]

Thanks Mike, any ideas and things you'd like deeper dives into?

[@jimholland1592]

Nice, I thought I over thought stuff. I love this data👍

[@driftstone]

Ha, thanks Jim!

[@DanielOrr26]

I love your approach and process here. Driftstone beads FTW!

[@driftstone]

Thanks Daniel, it was a pleasant surprise to see my beads on top. It was a fun process to work through

[@mtrunner1833]

Outstanding research, impressive 👍

[@driftstone]

Thanks, it was a fun learning experience.

[@TNFlies]

Great video! Sometimes I do like a larger gap on a bead so I can use a barbed hook with the smallest possible bead without smashing the barb.

[@driftstone]

I always fish barbless so that isn't something I've considered. Does the width of the gap affect the barb's clearance? I would think it would be the size of the hole which I didn't even consider measuring tbh.

[@TNFlies]

@Eric Leslie I have been buying tungsten beads and hooks from wholesale flies, recently, size 20 nymph hooks with 2.0 mm beads. The beads will sometimes get stuck on the barb and I have to smash the bard to get it to fit, others maybe 1 out of 10 will slide on with no issue. This could also be due to the thickness of the hook and the barb angle/length in the hook. So when I get one of the really wide gap beads I'm pretty happy about it, for the barbed hooks at least. 😂

[@stephenarmstrong7354]

For volume you might try using isopropyl alcohol. It works great when I am measuring case volume for cartridge reloading.

[@driftstone]

Several have suggested that, thank you. I need to revisit that.

[@bluejacket645]

Hi Eric, I just came across this video and found it enlightening. Question: If one was to switch to inverted tungsten beads would not the hook gap problem be addressed? One caveat, however, I'm thinking it is difficult to bore out the tungsten material in a consistent manner. I do believe that 3.5 mm inverted bead is heavier than a 3.5 slotted bead, but I don't have any data to back this up. What are your thoughts?

[@CarlosGarcia-507]

Have you ever weighed a tungsten bead vs a brass bead of equal size with lead wraps? I’m curious to know what or even if there is a difference

[@driftstone]

I haven't tried that, but for comparison. Tungsten's density is about 19.2g/ml. Brass is 8.7 and lead 11.3. So you'll need about twice the volume of those metals to match a tungsten bead.

[@skypieper]

Well I haven't started tying flies yet. I'm looking forward to starting though. I get so many good feathers as a duck hunter and I love fly fishing that I've decided it's time to try my hand at it. I'll be sure to pick up some of ur beads!

[@driftstone]

I highly recommend fly tying. It completes the fly tying experience.

[@michaelshaw8370]

Tying your own flys completes the fishing experience. When you start to catch fish on flys you made yourself they are memories to cherish. On a serious note make sure that all new materials are treated for mites and other possible infestation. Just one feather or pinch of fur not treated could infest and destroy every piece of natural materials and your fly collection. Same if anyone gives you some flys before you include them into your collection keep them in a ziplock bag with some mothballs for a couple days before you add them to your collection. In my materials storage. Most capes are in separate ladled bags. Those bags are labelled then put in groups cock capes. Hen capes. Wings. Tail feathers, put them inside larger bags with several mothballs. Same for seals fur. Hares mask. Deer hair. Calf tails. Look after both materials and tools they will last for years.

[@skypieper]

@@michaelshaw8370 interesting thx for the advice. Are mites common for people that tie flies with non treated/ natural feathers from wild birds? I've saved many feathers from fowl for several years in zip lock bags and they always seem to keep their integrity, never any issues.

[@mattsflytying2816]

Great job on this video my friend I will have to try your beads I use hanak mostly as I agree fully about the sloppy gap in them again great job on this

[@driftstone]

Thanks Matt, it was pretty enlightening doing all this research.

[@MrMitchellCrane]

Great looking beads! How does the finish hold up on them compared to a Hanak bead?

[@driftstone]

The plated colors are very durable and have no sharp edges that cut thread. The painted colors will chip over time, but that's true of every painted bead I've used.

[@salmo3t900]

Super video, just sent in large driftstone bead order.

[@driftstone]

Thanks dude, you rock!

[@anatoliyantonov7149]

BRAVO ERIC! the science matters!

[@driftstone]

Thanks Anatoliy

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

Very interesting video.

[@RedSinter]

Hey Eric, your right I won't because I'll just buy them from you. ;^)

[@dontdoxmebro1780]

Any plans for beads larger than 4mm for driftstone? I like using 5.5 or even 6.5 on some larger jig patterns or jigs for conventional tackle.

[@driftstone]

On my next batch, I will have 4.6 and 5.5 in Black Nickel and 4.6 in Matte Olive. I can get 6.4 but I feared there wasn't demand enough. Apparently not. What colors might you be interested in?

[@dontdoxmebro1780]

@@driftstone black nickel is a good versatile color but I’d say the basics are your best bet silver/gold/black nickel. As far as I know there is only one other place to get 6.5mm beads other than china and that is spawns super beads by hareline and the quality on those is lacking and so believe they are around .80 a piece which is an insane cost. If I could find a source for some higher quality more affordable ones I would definitely be interested. Can’t speak for the tying community as a whole as I know there aren’t many patterns out there that call for beads of that size.

[@graysenpack]

Great video & resource!👍

[@driftstone]

Thanks Grayson, I appreciate it

[@larryelkington4639]

Thanks for the info. Nice shout out for troutflies, he has some good KZbin videos.

[@johnthomas5806]

thanks...

[@augustonthefly]

Interesting info.

[@kerrypitt9789]

A number of times I have noticed my "Tungston," beads could be picked up with a magnate. What are you going to do? Maybe carry a magnate to the shop?

[@driftstone]

You certainly can take a magnet, but I don't think that really is a big enough factor to worry. The hook gaps are a much bigger factor in overall weight.

[@vanomaden]

Nothing new here. It was all described in this fantastic book "fly fishing by jr hartley" about 50 years or more ago. I can only advise to get a copy.

[@driftstone]

His memoirs published in 1991 talk about slotted tungsten bead gaps?

[@trouterman420]

cool now restock the beads :)

[@harrymartyn7241]

Your beads may be good and would like to try some but you are out of stock on most sizes we use. How about some fire orange or white or cones.

[@driftstone]

I get it Harry, this video blew up and my stocks got destroyed. I've got more beads coming next week and new colors coming by the end of the month. I'm cash flowing all of this, so I'm taking requests for the new colors I add. Will definitely bring your suggestions to market.

[@harrymartyn7241]

Thank you , Eric. Some how if you can let me know when you have replenished your stocks and any new items you may get post it web site . I tie a lot and have many friends that do also. Thanks again

[@driftstone]

@@harrymartyn7241 Probably the best way is to go down to the footer at driftstone.co and put your email address in where it says to stay in the loop. I will send out messages to those signed up with updates as them come.

[@harrymartyn7241]

👍

[@northerngm6431]

I lock my tungsten beads in with resin, not thread.

[@driftstone]

That's another way to do it. Narrow gaps also give you heavier beads in the same diameter.

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

For people who are saying beads made in china are the issues, China produces the most tungsten, accounting for over 80% of global production.i'm all about made in USA, however made in USA usually just means put together here from crap from china. Nature of the world we live in, Also the entire global supply of tungsten contains on average 1% iron.

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

also using jet dry will get the air out. something we use in metal recovery all the time.

[@driftstone]

Full disclosure, my beads are manufactured in China. If this business continues to grow, I will seriously consider bringing the manufacturing here and do it all under my own roof. I didn't know that about the tungsten purity generally having 1% iron. My findings with most of the brands sticking to a magnet would agree with that. Thanks for the tip with the jet dry. I may go back and revisit the density side using something like that to cut the surface tension.

[@ckbhack]

Two words Vacuum Chamber.

[@ezzye5]

Great video. I appreciate your methodology. However, for a hobbyist this is exhausting.

[@driftstone]

Fair enough, Wanted to go deep for those that are interested.

[@adventureswithfrodo2721]

Just a typical care salesman

[@driftstone]

I do care, thank you for noticing.

[@lonewizzard8456]

A fat Weiner needs more Weiner wraps. A thin Weiner needs fewer Weiner wraps. A properly tied fly requires zero Weiner wraps. Don't be a Weiner and fish without weight when you're out on the water. Your love of fly fishing using actual fly line will significantly increase.

[@driftstone]

What a beautiful poem

[@naturalverities]

Every science needs engineers to quantify what the scientists have qualified and bring it to the people. You done good!

[@driftstone]

Ha thanks, I'm naturally a pessimistic person and often need to test things myself. Thanks for the kind words!

[@glenndotter5065]

Not on a friggen Bead. It's a BEAD for crying out loud. Ever flip a rock and find a "beadhead" bug?

[@naturalverities]

@@glenndotter5065 ever flip a rock and find a "hooktail" bug? 🤔🙂

[@leonardwells9613]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ !!!! Many thanks ! L 👍🎣👍

[@driftstone]

Thanks Leonard!

[@gregoneal1]

Let me get this straight. This convoluted, supposedly objective testing that you did resulted in ………..drum roll please…………..your own brand of beads coming out on top? That’s a real shocker. I thought this was a cool video until I realized it’s a commercial. You should have said that up front.

[@driftstone]

Greg, you should DM me your address, I'll send you some beads to try out. Maybe I can convert ya! 👋

[@icefisher1171]

Will that site be stocking any 4.6mm or 5.5mm beads? I've been trying to find them both in the rainbow color, but have only found the 4.6mm, thus far. I'm working on a new jig/fly and I'd really like to use a rainbow bead for one variation. Anyway, thank you for the information. I appreciate that.

[@driftstone]

Hello Kyle, I'm definitely taking requests as I expand the colors and sizes. My next shipment will have those sizes in black nickel. I'm also getting matte olive in 4.6 So my next round I'm happy to get a full range of rainbow beads. Are you talking about the metallic rainbow color?