DaveB 0 Report post Posted June 15, 2008 Would anyone recommend sorting jungle cock eyes by size and grade? I have done this with Golden Pheasant tippets and crest as well as other materials and it has sped up the selection process and tying time. However, since I am looking for a matched pair I am debating, before I start plucking, whether leaving them on the skin would be better rather than spend the time plucking and sorting. Any thought? Thanks, Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silver Doctor 0 Report post Posted June 15, 2008 Would anyone recommend sorting jungle cock eyes by size and grade? I have done this with Golden Pheasant tippets and crest as well as other materials and it has sped up the selection process and tying time. However, since I am looking for a matched pair I am debating, before I start plucking, whether leaving them on the skin would be better rather than spend the time plucking and sorting. Any thought? Thanks, Dave I have often thought of sorting them but never sat down to do it. I guess I like to pick feathers that are nested together on the cape for matched pairs. also I love the look of a cape (until it has only a few feathers left.).I think it would speed thing up if they where sorted. Any thoughts from others out there that sort. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rockworm 0 Report post Posted June 15, 2008 I prefer to keep mine on the skin. The feathers from one skin can be very different in colour and quality from those of another skin, so I like to select matched feathers from the same skin. There is also usually a subtle difference in curvature from feathers on the left and right sides of the skin. Finding matched (mirror image) feathers is much easier from a skin than from loose feathers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted June 15, 2008 I leave them on the skin but I can see the value in matching pairs and storing them in small ziplock bags. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
J.Z 0 Report post Posted June 15, 2008 DON'T DO IT! I did it one time, and i have always regretted it. If you just leave it on the skin, you can usually find a match pretty quickly. If you sort them into little baggies, it will take up more room, and time. But that is just me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
picketpin 0 Report post Posted June 16, 2008 I agree with all the other gents keep them on the skin Tight lines mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaveB 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2008 Thank you all for your opinions. I will leave them on the skin. I think Silver Doctor hammered it home with keeping the beauty of the skin whole. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ephemerella 0 Report post Posted June 22, 2008 Keeping them on the skin lets you find matched pairs quickly. Looking carefully at the markings, you will see the feather's mate is the same distance form the center line of the pelt on the opposite side, at the same "row". Of course these are from once-living creatures and so don't have perfect symmetry, but it is amazingly close. -E Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arkle 0 Report post Posted June 22, 2008 I once bought some loose j.c's from a close out sale, someone had taken the time to put them on a post it and fold the glued part onto the plain. So that the eyes were trapped between the two. I think they must have come from damaged packets as they were sized quite well. That would be a last resort though, the bird has the best method of sorting & storing them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bud Guidry 0 Report post Posted June 24, 2008 keep them on the skin, remember this, there are much more important things to do when it comes to fly tying than sorting JC eyes. the way i look at it, the bird growing these featheres already did us a big favor by keeping these beautiful feathers all on one small patch of skin. when you need a pair of eyes you just pick one from the right side and one from the left then thank mother nature for packing them the way she did, Bud Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites