Harold Ray 0 Report post Posted October 23, 2007 I've not seen Nemes' book on tying small and will be looking for it There is a link to Amazon in my last post that leads you right to this book. You can purchase it there. I am a veterinarian who treats all types of birds. I was tying nymphs and scubs yesterday using red African Gray parrot feathers. Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevCompton 0 Report post Posted October 23, 2007 Ray, The aftershaft feather: "Although every single feather on the pheasant can be used to tie a fly, there is one particular feather found on a pheasant that I have a special fondness for the aftershaft feather (often mistakenly called the filoplume ). This humble, hidden feather — Hypor hachus for the Latin lover — is the downy insulating feather attached to the base of most body feathers not only on the pheasant but on birds throughout the avian world, from partridges to penguins, in a wide range of sizes and colors. On the pheasant the aftershaft feather may be long or short (depending on the size of the body feather it's attached to) but mostly it's a dun-gray plume thick with very soft barbs attached to a pulpy stem that is exceptionally strong at its butt end and extremely weak at its tip. Above all, it's a feather with many uses for the imaginative flytyer." -- Jack Gartside Yes, the body is thread. Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harold Ray 0 Report post Posted October 23, 2007 Kev, I have seen those feathers; they float around the clinic with ease! They are so fluffy and light I didn't think they could be used in flytying because of what some have said and the fact we strip similar materials (my thought) from the stem of the rachis before we use a feather and throw it away. Are you using the fluffy, downy-like materials on the feathers or the stronger fibers toward the end of the shaft? Is there any finish on the thread body or is it naked thread? Thanks, Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jjtroutbum 0 Report post Posted October 24, 2007 I've not seen Nemes' book on tying small and will be looking for it There is a link to Amazon in my last post that leads you right to this book. You can purchase it there. I am a veterinarian who treats all types of birds. I was tying nymphs and scubs yesterday using red African Gray parrot feathers. Ray Well I picked it (book) up today good read so far about half way through it all ready Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jjtroutbum 0 Report post Posted October 26, 2007 pheasant tail soft hackle this fly turned out better than its picture.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevCompton 0 Report post Posted October 26, 2007 Hi Ray, The body on that Micro Soft-Hackle is Hyperfine Thread in the nude. It was manufactured/distributed by Siman Ltd. in the Czech Republic. It is no longer available. It is a very fine two-stranded monofilament thread with an almost waxy appearance. It is spooled on a sewing machine sized spool. But as far as I know, there is no wax on the thread. It makes great small fly bodies. Moreover, since there are two strands, dubbing loops cam be used for very small flies -- simply twist the bobbin as you would with the 'split-thread' technique of spinning loops. It's too bad it has disappeared. There are other, similar threads in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. I'm trying to corral a source. Regards, Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harold Ray 0 Report post Posted October 27, 2007 It's too bad it has disappeared. There are other, similar threads in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. I'm trying to corral a source. Kevin, When you do find one I'd appreciate your letting me know, too. The thread makes a beautiful body. I was struck with how different it looked, very refined. Thanks! Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevCompton 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2007 Hi Ray, Here's a better photo of a pattern tied with the same Hyperfine Thread (Olive). I believe it is an #18. It has an almost glossy look to it, no? (It's probably the lighting) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harold Ray 0 Report post Posted October 29, 2007 Kev, I googled small threads which you've probably done too I suspect and only came up with the UNI 17/0 in white and black. Its single strand and only available in those two colors. I ordered some anyway and thought I'd try it with coloring done with Magic Marker. I'll see how that goes. Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GPB 0 Report post Posted October 30, 2007 Kev, very nice tie that one. Shame to here about the Siman thread, I’ve heard about it before and was hoping to ask our local Siman agent to get me some, I love splitting threads and use this method frequently. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve P 0 Report post Posted October 31, 2007 I tied my first soft hackles last week in 18 (a haresear soft hackle with bobwhite quail for the softhackle ribbed with silver wire) and fished them this last weekend and love them I have been watching the bird feader for some starling (I already have bout 15 sparrows) man these things worked like a charm i fished them a hundred different way just dead drifting them through the shallows. slowly letting them drop down stream of me and they would rise like an emerger, under a gresed leader and like an emerging midge they even sucked them right off the surface like a dry. this is now my go to fly!!! Steve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jjtroutbum 0 Report post Posted October 31, 2007 Yep they are certainly killers all of em. Makes one feel kinda silly handing out the lost secrets of nearly a hundred years ago. :lol: Forgot to mention where you were having all this success Steve. Figured since we are just about neighbors you could give a little more info. JJ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevCompton 0 Report post Posted November 6, 2007 Ray and others, Some info* on small fly threads: Thread Brand / Aught Size / Material / Denier / Breaking Strength / Thickness (.000")* UNI Caenis 19-20/0 mono 20 3 oz 1.7 Gudebrod 10/0 polyester 45 9 oz. 1.0 UNI Trico 17/0 nylon 40 5 oz 2.0 Danville Spiderweb N/A mono 30 5 oz 2.0 (*source: Chris Helm and Bill Merg thread study.) With a greater breaking strength, finer diameter, and a range of colors, I'll stick with Gudebrod 10/0. It's too bad, though, that Gudebrod closed the thread shop in Pottstown. In Tying Small Flies, Ed Engle states that Gudebrod 10/0 "changed my life".... Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harold Ray 0 Report post Posted November 6, 2007 Kevin, I bought a few spools of the UNI 17/0 or 18/0 last week from J Stockard and used it over the weekend at a flytying meeting in Louisiana tying scuds. It really did well, Using that small thread gave the flies a look the larger didn't, less bulk of course in the heads, just a more refined look. I did break it a few times but less actually than I had anticipated. I did begin throwing half hitches when I reached the end of a certain technique before I went on to the next and that saved a few scuds. The response from everyone was more than I anticipated. People were coming by to look at them once they saw what I was tying. No one else was doing scuds. I suspect soon more and more are going to be enjoying doing these. Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FKROW 0 Report post Posted November 6, 2007 Ray, Would you have any photos of the scuds? Regards, Fred Krow Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
