Some New Materials

[SenecaLaker]

Finally had an opportunity to put some new materials that I picked up over the winter to use to use. The winter has been somewhat hectic. Dad is getting old, and my mother needs some help and the basement remodel is nearly complete. I put the advise given by William and Doug to good use and worked a Hares mask down. I think I could have separated the mask further by colors and textures, but this works for the first one. After trimming and shaving the mask, I rinsed the different furs with a strainer and put them in a mason jar with hair conditioner and shook the mix for a while . Dumped the mixture back into the strainer and rinsed the conditioner out of the fur. I set the furs onto coffee filters to dry for the evening and seperated further in the morning after they were dried. The results of this were amazing. The underfur and guard hairs were distributed completely even throughout the mix. I found using the material from this process to be much easier and the results of the fly bodies to be much more consistent than just trimming fur from the mask. I picked up a Greenwells and Ginger 4B skin from Jim Slattery a few weeks ago and enjoy them so far. Thanks again for the Generous offer Jim. As a new tier, I am grateful for the information shared on this site, Thank you all very much!

[tie2fish]

I think he's got it! That's some fine looking stuff for a "newbie". Well done.

[William Anderson]

Yup, I'd say you nailed this. Such a more satisfying and connected feeling to the materials. Makes the entire enterprise a richer experience. Definitely something you can't buy in a package. That pattern is just unbeatable.

It compromises the purity of the technique, but it's useful to pick up several masks, dyed in the more earthy shades, and mix blends to get a more spectral result. Separating the regions and combining "like" areas for texture. It wouldn't improve on these flies at all, but it's a nice way to expand what you're doing here.

Very nice.

[DOUGSDEN]

Dearest Senecalaker,
Your post is simply fantastic! I like the way you have laid out the different "regions" of the mask along with the tools too! For a newbie, you did fantastic! Personally, I think you are far more advanced than you let on as evidenced by your fly that you posted! Wow!
William said it best above about the connection one feels with the materials worked. Isn't it amazing how some water, hair conditioner, a jar, and a strainer can bring out the best in furs? It is a small but very interesting part of the magic of fly tying!
Please keep these interesting and beautiful posts coming our way! This is soooo cool!
Dougsden

[SenecaLaker]

Thanks for the words of encouragement folks. I admittedly have a tendency to be very OCD, it bothers me to be just OK at anything I try to learn. I know my ties have gotten better and probably very fishable, but reading through the other posts on the forum, I realize how much more there is out there to learn. Lately I have had some difficulty with the hackle fibers sweeping rearward on some of the wet flies that I have tied. I don't seem to have issues with flies that have both sides of the fibers attached. Pulling the hackles rearward with wet fingertips seems to lay them slightly on their sides sweeping rearwards. When stripping one side of the hackle fiber, however, the fibers seem to like to stay perpendicular to the hook and not sweep to the rear. I'm sure there is a technique or angle of palmering that would help but I cant seem to figure it out. Again, i'm sure they are fishable. If my description doesn't make sense, I will tie and post a picture for more clarity.

Thanks
Dave

[tie2fish]

Dave ~ Some tiers actually use "tricks" to get the hackle fibers to stand out more, not less. But If it's an aesthetic issue for you, try stroking the single row of barbs back as you wrap just as you describe for the non-stripped feather.

[Jerry G]

You might try breaking the rachis (barbs part closest to the stem) by stroking the dull side of the scissor blade against the feather stem. Tie in hackle stem where you want to wrap. Grasp tip with hackle pliers. Now just rub the closed scissor blade against the stem to be wrapped on the front side of the feather. Notice how the barbs will tip toward the rear of the hook.

Regards, Jerry

[UC Steve]

Lately I have had some difficulty with the hackle fibers sweeping rearward on some of the wet flies that I have tied. I don't seem to have issues with flies that have both sides of the fibers attached. Pulling the hackles rearward with wet fingertips seems to lay them slightly on their sides sweeping rearwards. When stripping one side of the hackle fiber, however, the fibers seem to like to stay perpendicular to the hook and not sweep to the rear. I'm sure there is a technique or angle of palmering that would help but I cant seem to figure it out.

Nice Hare's Ears. I wouldn't worry about the hackle not sweeping back, & in most cases prefer it flared. If you hackle using Leisenring's method the hackle will flare perpendicular to the hook shank, held, spring-loaded by the thread wound through it. Water current will train the hackle back, but wound thus it has the propensity to spring back to position, resulting in more action/obfuscation, & also providing mass & profile. You see this concept amplified in the Japanese kibari flies. If you want the hackle to lay back, as a diving caddis, for example, tie the hackle in last, by the tip, & train back while you wrap the head back to cover the wound hackle stem.

Thoughts.