tying with chenille sticks

[green 0]

Has anyone tried using this? Will the wire rust?

[SilverCreek 0]

They are pipe cleaners.

 

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=fly+tying+withe+pipe+cleaners&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&q=fly+tying+with+pipe+cleaners&spell=1&sa=X&ei=RHI7UYHkJIKsywHa-IBo&ved=0CC8QvwUoAA&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.43287494,d.aWc&fp=83725e35ebc0a2f0&biw=953&bih=918

[tidewaterfly 0]

Yes, the wire will rust. Tried it many years ago. You want something cheaper? Go on Ebay & search for rayon chenille yarn. You'll find the stuff made for fly tying, but there will also be regular chenille made for knitting. It won't be the same density as the fly tying chenille, and I reiterate, it's not the same as fly tying chenille, but you can get a skein or cone with a couple hundred or even thousand yards pretty cheap in many, many colors. It's good stuff for tying simple patterns, especially if you tie panfish flies. With a little practice, you can tie up some pretty good looking flies too with it.

 

As an example, I was just looking at a listing for a 150 yd skein, that had multiple colors of silver, rust, greens & tans. The Listing was priced at $3.45 + $2.50 shipping. So for $5.95 you get 150 yards. That would tie a lot of flies for less than the price of 3 regular cards of tying chenille, which are usually 3 to 4 yards per card.

 

Chenille yarn is often listed in ypp, which is yards per pound. The heavier or denser it is, the less yards per pound. So, a chenille @ 600 ypp, is heavier than chenille @ 1000 ypp.

 

You may not want that much chenille, but it's worth considering if you're on a very tight budget & have a fly you like to tie a lot in a particular color.

[utyer 0]

I would use yarn, or dubbed bodies before I would use pipe cleaners.

[green 0]

I never thought to look on ebay. Do I need an ebay account?

[utyer 0]

Yes you will if you want to log in and make purchases. You can browse eBay without an account, but you can't bid without and account. Then you have to pay for purchases, and most of those will require a credit card purchase. There is a whole separate application and process to set up to sell on eBay. I have made two purchases in the last week, but I don't sell anything.

[tidewaterfly 0]

Ebay can be a good source for materials & other items, and you can find some great deals there, but it's good to know what things are worth before bidding.(There are also listings that do not require bidding.) I've seen folks bid up the price of some items, not even something that might be of value for collectors, to as much as twice what it would cost at a retail store. I guess folks have their reasons for doing that, but to me it makes no sense paying too much for something.

 

You also have to watch the shipping charges, as some sellers will get you real good on shipping, particularly on multiple items. Be sure to ask questions! When I see something of interest, or multiple items listed by a seller I've never done business with & the seller doesn't spell out their combined shipping policy, I make it a point to ask if they combine shipping costs & how they do it!

 

As an example, Ebay's policies allow a seller to charge full shipping costs for each listing. So, if you buy 4 packs of dubbing, and there's a shipping cost of $3 per listing, they can charge you $12 for the shipping. Most won't, but some will. I had it happen to me! I won several bids for some stick on eyes, and the seller charged me $30 shipping for a package that ended up being less than 2 lbs. which cost them $3. Be sure before you buy!

 

However, once you find sellers who have things you need & treat you well, you'll keep going back. I have a list of about 50 sellers who I've made purchases of various items from over the last several years, and I make sure I check their listings when I want or need something. As with other sellers I might deal with (retailers, fly shops or whomever), I like to give my business to those who treat me fairly.

 

BTW, to add to what utyer has said, you'll also need a Paypal account. Paypal is a service owned by Ebay, and is a pretty good way of paying for items with credit cards or you can link it to a bank account. The seller will never see your credit card or banking information since the transaction goes through Paypal. I've been using Paypal for many years, even before Ebay acquired it, and have never had any major problems. The few times I had problems, which were glitches that didn't allow transactions to be completed, they resolved them very quickly.

[petelangevin 0]

A skein of fly tying chenille is 144 yards per danville chenille company. Its cheap on ebay but you can always call danville direct. You just need to know what size chenille you want. And i think they may sell in 1/2 skeins as well. So you may be able to buy half of one color snd half of another. Hit their website for color and size charts. They also make a tinsel and crystal chenille as well. Give them s try.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Not only will the wire rust as stated by others but the pipe cleaners don't come in to many sizes. The ones I've seen are pretty big; to fat and fluffy for most of the small to medium salt/freshwater flies I tie. The twisted wire is kind of thick too.

 

Kirk

[mikechell 0]

But I do like the name ... "Chenille Sticks".

[utyer 0]

Just like "Fish Sticks" both are similar to but NOT the same as.

[joman 0]

I have used them for the last 3 seasons on wooly buggers as well as on some bass flies. After every outing I hang all of my flies out on a drying rack beside a little fan. Never had a wooly bugger made of pipe cleaner rust on me yet. As long as you dry them I think you'll be good.

[flytire 0]

chenille sticks oops pipe cleaners come in different sizes. maybe more

 

.

[flytire 0]

Will the wire rust?

 

yes, eventually

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

chenille sticks oops pipe cleaners come in different sizes. maybe more

 

.

 

Okay, so they come in many different sizes but the hobby shops by my house don't carry this kind of variety. I just never saw the benefit in buying pipe cleaners for flies when chenille is pretty cheap and comes in some really good colors dyed for the fly tier including barred and variegated The antron chenille is especially nice, its almost all I use now.

 

Kirk