Fly Tyer Guy 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2008 False finger nails for beetle shells. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dart 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2008 I've not actually done it... but I've thought of... belly button lint! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BEETLE BOB 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2008 I currently use several dozen exotic fingernail polish colors for some baitfish patterns.My wife is a cosmatoligist so I have acess to alot of interesting materials at a reduced cost. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sidesfam 0 Report post Posted December 25, 2008 Bald eagle cape, almost as good as whooping crane, but the best is California condor............ I really did use the eagle feathers, found it dead where I duck hunt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridleyffo 0 Report post Posted December 25, 2008 Not exactly weird, but good and cheap one; a site recipe recomended organza for a spent wing trico. I asked the wife to pick some up at the craft store and she came home with square yard. I haven't done the math but I could probably make near 7.6MM tricos with the square yard. Want some? It works well and is real cheap. Little touchy to tie but easy nuf with an X crossover. You can tie in various wings with it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lennart 0 Report post Posted December 25, 2008 Syntetic fetherduster for steamers works OK. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DHise 0 Report post Posted December 25, 2008 squirmy wormie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
camoham 0 Report post Posted December 26, 2008 ive got some llama hair a friend brought in for me that was in a baggie. i was pleasantly surprised..............musta been a clean llama because it didnt smell at all. certainly better than the suspect dubbing that comes from the family dogs. so..............i got the market cornered on llama dubbing. anyone got a pattern that calls for that? light creme/tan color. happy holidays all. camoham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Inconnu 0 Report post Posted December 26, 2008 Pantyhose, spandex jogging pants, sequined evening gown, shoe brush, puka shell necklace, woven jute belt, braided leather belt, assorted items of clothing from the thrift store, make-up bag, bootlaces, green stretchy cloth for which I have no name, skipping rope, twist-ties, the list goes on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chase Creek 0 Report post Posted December 26, 2008 Hair from the testicles of a yearling albino Tibeten Yak. Well, really, pieces of a Mars Bar wrapper, and hair from my chest. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Brown75 0 Report post Posted December 26, 2008 Yes i have pet llamas and basically any dry pattern works. the fibers are hollow so they float well, mine dont stink :dunno: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ashley 0 Report post Posted December 26, 2008 Dorito packet cut into strips (I'm not happy about the new orange packs...wrong shade!!). Brown balloons for nymph backs. Christmas tinsel, I found some really narrow mother of pearl a few years ago which is perfect for ribbing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smallieFanatic 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2008 i jacked some tinsel off a dollar store display once :hyst: :shifty: probably the weirdest material i've ever used is white chihuahua tail hair (i used it as a calf-tail substitute) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fred&Ruth 0 Report post Posted February 9, 2009 the streamers off the handlebars of a kids bike for flashback nymphs found them on the ground in yellowstone they are just the right width and they work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hnat 0 Report post Posted February 9, 2009 Central/Eastern European tiers just got used to observing their surroundings and consuming any material to tie new patterns, some of them killing. I gues you've heard about the pig's bladder and the famous Polish Nymph based on it? Catgut (natural surgery thread) is just as good, and much easier in use... Other nymph 'cult materials' are smoked mackerell skin, eelskin etc. (I use the smoked lavaret skin and, on the other hand, synthetic and protein 'skins' from some kind of sausages etc. It's a long story. There's a bunch of materials in any haberdashery: myriads of beadheads of different colours and sizes, sparkling ribbons for streamer bodies and ribbings, synthetic lines suitable for synth/mixed dubbing and even some great hairwing/pike flies (after unbraiding, combing out and trimming/shaping), organza ribbon (you can yield a pseudo-hackle and a nice 'base thread' out of a single piece), sequins for baitfish patterns (eyes), clear and coloured vinyl/lycra ribs for a penny and so on, so on... And that was only about haberdashery - and only a fragment in that branch. The world offers new, and sometimes fantastic materials everywhere you look. It's the whole science My favorite "flyshop" ever is called 'Costa' and it is a "Christmass articles" wholesales" in Wrocław, Poland (they also rend greeeeat lymuzines for special occassions And what about MY weirdest material ever used? Well, it is definitely NOT the 'cat dubbing' because this is my regular dubbing! Just as eelskin, foamed packing materials etc. Among the weirdest, I could mention the Lithuanian bison dubbing (dyed in wood stains - great for bigger salmon patterns) and the onion skin, suitable for dying (nice yellow/amber/apricot color) but also for scud's shellback, as they say... (I've used it only for dying so far). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites