My first attempt at spinning deer hair, yikes!

[spinsheet 0]

I found some of my double edged blades and trimmed the 'frog' up a bit. Didn't want to take too much off at the first go around. I can always take more off but I can't put it back on...

 

It might even be salvageable. I also tried to tie a basic mouse. No tail, ears, or anything else, just working on getting the hair right. I tried packing it as tight as I could. I used the empty body of a pen. Would an actual hair packer do a better job?

 

 

[outdoorsmanfool 0]

I found some of my double edged blades and trimmed the 'frog' up a bit. Didn't want to take too much off at the first go around. I can always take more off but I can't put it back on...

 

It might even be salvageable. I also tried to tie a basic mouse. No tail, ears, or anything else, just working on getting the hair right. I tried packing it as tight as I could. I used the empty body of a pen. Would an actual hair packer do a better job?

 

 

 

when ever i tie my mouses when trimming them i always make the bottom of the mouse flat, it also starts to form the body and helps you in the further process i also use a empty pen and it works fine for me i was told by my local fly fishing shop that those would work fine, but to get the mouse to look a little thicker i grab a thicker clump of deer hair but just don't grab too much.

[mikechell 0]

those pictures are what mine look like before I start trimming. I am just waiting for an opportunity to get a Fugly hair packer. Yes, a packer will do a better job than an ink pen body. I am not saying that you can't learn to do well with a make-shift tool, but there is one technicians saying that will always hold true.
"The correct tool for the job."

[utyer 0]

For a packing tool, get the small top of an orange juice carton. Heat a nail to poke a hole through the center so it will just slip past the hook eye. Thats all I ever use as a packer. This device will fit closer to the hook shank than an empty pen and has a flat surface that will push and stand the hair up. You would always want to firmly hold the back of the hair so it doesn't slip as you compress the hair bundles.

 

There are tools that MAY do a better job, but this works for me.

[RedneckArt 0]

ive seen guys using a wire stripping tool to pack hair. there are many different sized holes on it and they a relatively inexpensive. the people ive seen using them say they are nice because the are like pliers you just have to clamp over the shaft to pack.