Craft Stores

[flyline64 0]

i have never really gone into a craft store to buy tying materials except for wire and was wondering what you would buy to substitute z-lon or antron???? :help: :dunno:

 

 

Well, as I understand it, zelon is no longer made, or, if it is, it is only sold in fly shops. Blue Ribbon Fly Shop has the best selection (regular, fine, straight all in many colors).

 

Antron is carpet fiber, and I don't know what it is currently used in. Aunt Lydia's Sparkle Yarn was made from Antron, though it apparently is now made from something else (the Antron version of the Sparkle Yarn was Lafontaine's preferred material for his deep sparkle pupa and emergent sparkle pupa). (I foolishly threw out giant skeins of the old stuff in more than half a dozen colors, thinking I would never use it, though I kept a few yards of each.)

[smokinprice 0]

For example, you can find small bottles of fabric paint with glitter--from a manufacturer called Polymark--that is EXACTLY the same as EZ Shape Sparkle Body. The only difference is the Sparkle Body is about $3.95 per bottle, the fabric paint is less than $1. If anyone wants to pay 4 times the price for the same thing, they certainly can. I won't.

 

Hey Flyline64 how hard is the Polymark to work with? Great idea btw.

 

 

Just as hard (or easy) as the EZ Shape Sparkle Body. My experience is limited. For me, pretty easy to put eyes on, tougher to get larger areas uniform--such as two-tone sand eel bodies. (Here's a youtube video on tying the sand eel.)

 

It appears the EZ Shape is just re-labeled Polymark sparkle fabric paint, though the EZ Shape comes in more colors with sparkle than the Polymark. (There are many more "flat" Polymark colors, without sparkle.) Here are photos of the two:

 

 

 

Thanks for the info. I am going to look into it. I am always trying to save some money in this hobby. Again, thanks.

 

[Guest Big E]

Got my Ott lamp on sale at Hobby Lobby.

 

I also have bought embroidery thread and picture fixant to hold feather fibers together.

[lewy271 0]

Guys you have to look harder, my Hobby lobby has full rabbit skins about 4 or 5 distinct colors when I bought them they were about 4 bucks.

 

Larva Lace nope buy it at the hobby shop, I bought 12meters in about 12 colors for 10 bucks, o yea you will find colored wire here for brassies and such in a similar type package.

 

Eye lash yarn it is what I use in my "Plastics" furled bass fly, this is my number 1 pattern for bass and pike. It may also be called elf yarn. Anyone that fishes Steelhead ping me I can send you a few I know they will work but its freaking cold out there.

 

I'm sure someone has already spoken about beads....Yea they aren't as heavy or counter sunk but they aren't so bad.

 

Razor blades....Stay away from them they suck.

 

Plastic boxes.....just like the plaino boxes but not adjustable 2 bucks a piece.

 

Also there is this stuff, It is like big heavy D-rib. I use it on Pike Fly bodies. It is a bear to work with but it is super sexy when you get it right, and virtually tooth resistant. I will have to post some pic's on this.

 

Hum what else....Leather lace mouse tails and such... Punches...I use a Girls head punch on my "She's my pusher fly", and have a ton of other shapes and colors.

 

I challenge you guys to see what you can do with embroidery thread...There are a million colors I'm just never satisfied with the flies that I create with it.

 

Scissors....You will find scissors that you will never see at a fly shop, which I have found some I like better than my Dr. Slick's and they were 4 bucks on sale.

I think the most important thing is just to calmly walk through all aisle's and think logically.

 

BTW I just spent 200 bucks at a fly shop, and have spent at least 500 bucks online with other vendors over the past few months, so I don't want to hear anything craft stores are just a good source for things that you don't need to spend alot of money on.

[smokinprice 0]

Hey flyline64,

 

What craft store did you pick those up at.

[flyline64 0]

Hey flyline64,

 

What craft store did you pick those up at.

 

 

I got the Polymark at a Michael's store in New York City. However, based on only limited experience, the stock in Michael's is not always the same from one store to another. (I have also seen it at a Wal Mart in Norwalk CT, but they had a smaller selection.)

[DHise 0]

I agree