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TheCream

Bug from last night

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While my fiancee was watching Dancing with the Stars last night, I figured that was a good time to head to the vise. ;)

 

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Looks Great! I see that new head packing tool has helped a bit......The hair is much tighter and you are able to trim closer to the shank on the bottom as well! It looks like your eyes are recessed now, did you trim or burn the sockets out? I've been using a soldering iron, but think i need to upgrade to a cauterizing tool.....

 

Mike

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Looks Great! I see that new head packing tool has helped a bit......The hair is much tighter and you are able to trim closer to the shank on the bottom as well! It looks like your eyes are recessed now, did you trim or burn the sockets out? I've been using a soldering iron, but think i need to upgrade to a cauterizing tool.....

 

Mike

 

Actually the trimming improved when I realized which razors I needed to be using. I was using standard razor blades like you'd use around the house. I started using the Wilkinson Sword double edged razors and was AMAZED at the difference. All of a sudden, shaving these bugs was easy! Those blades are paper thin and glide right through the hair.

 

I have been recessing the eyes for a while, but I trim the sockets. Burning would be much better, I have seen it done that way in videos online. I stick the eye in place on the bug, then use the tips of a pair of fine point scissors to sort of trim an outline of the eye, then remove the eye and trim the rest out.

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Whoa, beautiful bug. Very nicely trimmed, tightly packed, I love it. Did you steam this bug?? Great job.

 

Tom

 

Thanks! No steam, I have not tried that yet.

 

And please don't disgrace Pat Cohen by comparing this to one of his! :D ;)

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Whoa, beautiful bug. Very nicely trimmed, tightly packed, I love it. Did you steam this bug?? Great job.

 

Tom

 

Thanks! No steam, I have not tried that yet.

 

And please don't disgrace Pat Cohen by comparing this to one of his! :D ;)

 

I learned about steaming, over a coffee kettle, in an article by Charlie Craven. It works great, makes it easier to trim the hair with a razor and causes the hair to fluff up and make the bug more tightly packed. It takes some care, I usually do it with popper heads before any tail is added. If the steam hits those tail hairs it will cause them to curl up. Looking at your bug though, I'm not seeing a lot of room to improve. Great fly.

 

Tom

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Using the right type razor blade makes a big difference! Another tip w/those that i probably picked up from here years ago is to cut the blades in half and put a little piece of duct tape on the edges so you don't cut your fingers and they are then even easier to bend.....After a bug or two you just toss it away and grab the other half.....Saves us older guys from trying to trim a bug w/the dull side of the razor.....again, Outstanding work Brutha!

 

Mike

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I am still learning how to do the deer hair bugs and I agree about the razor blade making a big difference. What I use to protect my fingers are some leather protectors used for wood carving. I have a set like these that I used when I was carving wood. They save a lot of cuts on the fingers

 

Leather Protectors

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I am still learning how to do the deer hair bugs and I agree about the razor blade making a big difference. What I use to protect my fingers are some leather protectors used for wood carving. I have a set like these that I used when I was carving wood. They save a lot of cuts on the fingers

 

Leather Protectors

 

Thanks. I have a Stonefly blade holder, which basically holds the blade in a curve with one end well protected by plastic. Looks like a great tool, but for some reason it doesn't work great and I don't care for it use it much. I don't know if others have used it and had better luck/some tips for me?

 

Tom

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