Peacock herl brush

[Goldfly 0]

I have 5oz. of strung herl and was wondering how to make a brush out of it to make my tying go a little faster.

[rockworm 0]

I have held back on this as long as I can, hoping someone would step in and clarify the issue. I consider peacock herl the perfect natural dubbing brush. What could be faster than tying in one or more herls, twisting it/them with/without a thread loop and wrapping? Where is the need for speed?

 

(I will be more than happy to learn there is a use for PH I have not tried!)

 

 

 

[Goldfly 0]

I am probably a bit slower than most considering my experience level (low) and thought making a long strand of several pieces and rotary wrapping would speed up things a bit. I have seen them advertised in catalogs and stores so thought there was some merit to them. Maybe I just need to tie a few dozen prince nymphs and make my own speed.

 

I might be confused as to what a "peacock brush" is. Is it not just several herls braided, glued, or whatever together to form a long strand?

[rockworm 0]

Goldfly

 

There is no shame in being a novice. It is, in my view, an enviable position. Do go ahead and tye a few dozen Prince Nymphs, Coachmans, Alders, Picketpins .... I would be surprised if you don't learn to love peacock herl as I do. Be aware, like most things, there are tricks and techniques to using PH.

 

If you have seen them in catalogues and stores, then there probably is some merit there that I was unaware of... Those companies don't make a product unless there is (or they think they can convince us there is) a need.

[utyer 0]

The process of making a "brush" from your peacock herl means to twist several herls around each other. To make them stronger they can be twisted together along with or around a single strand of thread. This will make the flues on the herls stick out sort of like the brissels on a gun cleaning brush. In common terms, making a "brush" is the process of tieing in several herls and looping the thread along the length of the herls and back to the hook. Wrap the thread around the hook a couple of times a the tie in point. Then clip a hackle plier to the thread and clip to the end of the thread and herl. Try and leave a little slack in one of the lengths of thread. Now give the hackle plier a twist. Twisting spins the herls and threads togeather into a small rope or "brush." I think the term brush comes from the bristle effect of the tiny flues sticking out from the rope. This brushy effect is more obvious when making a "dubbing brush"

 

A "dubbing brush" uses the same process but start with a SMALL amount of dubbing material along a 2 or 3 inch section of thread, loop the thread back to and around the hook, thus trapping the dubbing between the two sections of thread. Then clip a hackle plier to the end of the loop and spin it. Again the dubbing fibers will be reinforced by the thread, and some will stick out. You then wrap the "brush" around the hook.

 

Each individual peacock herl with a lenght of 5 to 6" will be enough to wrap most flies. By using 2, 3, 4 or more herls togeather, you will build up thicker bodies on bigger flies without having to wrap back and forth on the hook. For very small flies, say 18 and smaller, one herl is enough, but it should be reinforced. 14 and 16 size 2 or 3 herls is usually plenty. 10 and 12 size flies 3 to 4 herls, and so on.

 

 

[Goldfly 0]

Thanks for the clarification on the "peacock brush" utyer. Good for making herl stronger and bushier, but not faster.

 

I have tried the dubbing loop before , but gave it up for now until I can get a good eye for proportions.

[utyer 0]

If you want to reinforce herl, and still keep the speed up, just tie in the herl, and extend the thread out along the lenght of the herl and wrap them all together. The thread will start to twist around the herl as you are wrapping. If your ribbing or putting on a palmer hackle, none of this is really necessary.

[fishaholic69 0]

someone should make a video or step by step on how to make a brush. i think i am getting your drift but I am not 100% sure.

[James Daly 0]

Greetings,

I did a step by step on tying the stimulator. I used peacock for the body. In the sequence I showed how to make the brush. Check it out. If you still aren't sure, I can get more in depth or send you more pics of just the herl part. Let me know. Regards, Jamie Daly

 

http://www.hatchesmagazine.com/page/month/345

[fishaholic69 0]

thanks james! easier than what I was thinking!

[Skip48 0]

I do understand wanting to make your own, but I see them for not so much cost reinforced with wire.

 

Skip