FlyFishin'Jam 0 Report post Posted January 24, 2013 Who ever figured this out is a genius. I loosely heard the idea thrown around and just decided to google it. Anyway i pulled out some nasty twisted and horrible GP Crest i have and instead of fighting it as usual i took some feathers off and waved them over the steam from the kettle, it was like some sort of magic, not only did the crest straighten up perfectly but it seemed to 'puff up'. Stunning! Next i took some beat up flies from my fishing box that had been put back all wet and have dried into some twisted ball of hackle and wing. Hahaha they came back to life how i had tied them. Interesting! The GP crest i can probably use now! I have a question tho, after the process of steaming and tying the feathers in, after u have fished with them will they go back to the twisted state or the steamed state? Like once it is steamed and straight it will stay like that after tying in? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nick2011 0 Report post Posted January 24, 2013 i would think if storeed the right way they would stay strait , just like steaming wrinkles out of clothes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 yup Jam when you steam them they will remain in that state which is their natural state the twisted bent stuff is actually just a byproduct of the tanning/drying process Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kirk Dietrich 0 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 Works great on chenille. Also, if you lightly steam a spun/stacked deer hair bug before trimming, it puffs it out pretty good. Kirk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dvs 0 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 Want to thank you just for the post. I have 2 complete turkey tail mounts that are a bit tattered and I have been debating how to clean them up! Off to the kitchen! (might I ask what you did other than steam? just massaged them into place?) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 an age old trick that can work wonders on a variety of materials Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scud 0 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 After steaming gp you can put it on a glass or mug and it will take the Curve off the object so it sits right on a fly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 or just put the gp in warm/hot water http://www.jpdessaigne.com/Astuces/topping/topping.html its in french but the video is universal Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chefben4 0 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 Jam' dont start taking a bunch of feathers into the sauna with you. You will creep people out for sure!!Im going to have to try this.. I have some hackle thats all sorts of twisted. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyFishin'Jam 0 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 gonna take my basket of chinese dumplings and gp crest to the sauna and start speaking french while arranging my tippets, in my budgie smugglers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chefben4 0 Report post Posted January 25, 2013 gonna take my basket of chinese dumplings and gp crest to the sauna and start speaking french while arranging my tippets, in my budgie smugglers. hahahhaha Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Gibbons 0 Report post Posted January 26, 2013 ERROR...whats this about? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Gibbons 0 Report post Posted January 26, 2013 flyfishinjam,this was the smile my face was waiting for on this miserable day in a world of miserable people Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Will K 0 Report post Posted January 26, 2013 Ditto the deer hair bug thing. once things are spun, steaming before taking the razor blade to the fly really gets the hair vertical. Great little trick! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyFishin'Jam 0 Report post Posted January 26, 2013 flyfishinjam,this was the smile my face was waiting for on this miserable day in a world of miserable people It opened up a whole new world of dim sum and fly tying to me! In all honesty i am steaming up a storm, have to justify boiling the kettle so may have had a few too many oolong teas. Only issue is now it will take a lot longer to tie a pattern, with naturals it seems preparation is a large part of the tying process, i don't mind this but the looks i am getting from my wife... Peacock Herl goes awesome under some steam too and if you are into marrying wings like goose, this does the trick. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites