bucktail wings

[JSzymczyk 0]

JS what are you using in place of the jungle cock for the cheeks? Looks like a tiny metal spoon.

 

Steve

 

Steve they are tiny metal spoons which I got from Mike Vendon as he posted above. Bill Edson's originals used a sort of small metal spoon and thank7s to folks like Mike we can stay true to the history. BTW the patterns work as well today as they ever have.

[JayWirth 0]

I wouldn't worry about a hair stacker, and the hair you are using is good.

 

After looking at your picture what you want to do with each color is first cut a pinch that is a bit smaller and then A) pull out the short stuff from the bottom while pulling the longer hairs out and replacing them in the pile. This is all done while holding the hair in hand. Its hard to explain but is a quick process. Second, then you measure the hair and pinch tight (in lft hand) trim close to your finger tips, keep pinching, and attach the first color with a couple wraps. Repeat for each color. Part of the trick is using just a bit less hair than you think. Once all three layers are in place the amount will be perfect.

[JayWirth 0]

Nothing fancy, but a bucktail streamer we use here in central NY state. I use hair from the base of the tail on up.

 

 

[KOKOEK9 0]

Hi, I just noticed something, when stroke the bunch of cut hair to remove the extra long hair it makes the bunch fan out like a thin scraggly witches broom. It has no body and is impossible to tie in. could it be static electricity. I tried some from the base of the tail and it was impossible to handle. I have never had this hard of a time with it

[Crackaig 0]

Static could be part of your problem, One solution is to use one of the sheets that are usually put into tumble driers. They are anti static. Just touch your hands and the hair bunch to it as you are handling it.

 

It is strange the way static affects some people. I've never had problems with it. Others seem to suffer hugely. I have no idea why this should be, Maybe I'm just better grounded!

 

Cheers,

C.

[KOKOEK9 0]

could the static becaused because I store them in plastic bags, zip locks

[flytire 0]

could the static becaused because I store them in plastic bags, zip locks

possibily but probably not. does any of your featers react to static electricity?

 

your static could also be from lack of humidity in your home

 

http://lifehacker.com/5851341/how-can-i-avoid-static-shocks-in-the-winter

[Will K 0]

I dont have much to add. But, from a purely aesthetic point of view, one option is an actual hot water dip. I find if you run hot tap it works, but using a heamostat to hold the hook and CAREFULLY pouring boiling water from a tea kettle down the fly - from the eye down - , then setting the fly at the edge of the bench and letting it dry can really organize a hair or feather wing and make it pretty. It will "lose" this set after 1-2 trips to the stream/lake... but at least initially, it really helps get the hair to settle into a very neat fishy shape.

 

Just be careful, you dont want to burn you!

[Christopher K 0]

For the hair stacker, use a large one and run a fine toothed comb through the entire bunch, then put it in the stacker, it will separate the fibres and the big hair stacker will keep them apart, works like a charm with calf tail.

[KOKOEK9 0]

Hi, we heat with wood so our house is quite dry,

[Stevester 0]

Mark, sorry for the delayed thanks. They look like an interesting variation on some classic streamers.

 

Steve

[JSzymczyk 0]

Hi, I just noticed something, when stroke the bunch of cut hair to remove the extra long hair it makes the bunch fan out like a thin scraggly witches broom. It has no body and is impossible to tie in. could it be static electricity. I tried some from the base of the tail and it was impossible to handle. I have never had this hard of a time with it

 

It sounds as if you are just not keeping a decent hold of it... yes you need to comb out the shorts and pull out the longs, but you still need to keep a grip on the entire bunch of hair while doing it! You don't so much "stroke" the long hairs out of a bunch, just grab them by the tips and pull them out. Wish I could just show you what I mean... maybe one of these days I will have to figure out the youtube thing and make a video. I have been tying bucktails for over 30 years and I just can't get a good picture in my head of what your trouble is.

[s fontinalis 0]

Tie the hair on with loose wraps at the back and tight wraps at the front (near the eye). Use wax on your thread too. Using hair from a tail with straight rather than kinked fibers also helps. When buying bushfires I always avoid those kinked fibered talks, the hair just don't stack in a stacker

Here's one I tied last Saturday morning, size 4. Far from perfect, but you'll see what I mean about kinked vs straight hair

[KOKOEK9 0]

Hi I tried the dry sheet and it works, I think the problem is too much static electricity, out house is very dry

[Crackaig 0]

Brilliant! Without being there to help you it is really difficult to help. We are very much guessing in the dark, so I'm happy we have got somewhere. There may be better, more permanent, ways to sort the problem out, but at least we seem to have found the problem.

 

There is a way to make static work for you. I'm not sure where I read it, and I've never been able to make it work myself (as I said static isn't a problem I've got). What I read was that you can use just the tube from the stacker without the base. Put the combed out hair into the stacker, hold the tube vertical with the tips about 1/4 inch above your table, and move it in little circles. The static will pull the tips down to the table. I would then touch the whole thing to your drier sheet before removing them. If this works for you it means you can use just about any tube as a stacker.

 

Cheers,

C.