Necks

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Forgot to mention.... you can also revive old flies with a bit of steam, then allowing each fly to dry while only the hook is secured so that hackles, etc. can show their full potential. Since I'm a saltwater tyer I seldom try to revive a fly... ours get pretty chewed up so I'm usually cutting back to whatever is still okay then re-tying only what's needed for round two (or three...).

[flytire 0]

so how long does the steamed moisture remain in the feathers or do they return to the dried out condition when the moist runs out???

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I find that they stay in the refreshed condition for at least a month or two (but I am in a very humid environment -all my materials are in my garage which isn't heated or cooled at all). At any time you can run them through the steam process again, as needed. The one thing you must be careful of is the actual heat of the steam (very easy to burn the tips of feathers with steam that's too hot...). That's why I advocate that you use your hands to hold the materials as they steam - you'll know the moment the steam is too hot... Since I buy materials in bulk (for feathers whether they're saddles or neck hackles my most common purchase is strung and bundled (tapered bundle, it's called in the trade...) by the pound. Strung neck is bundled with the flare outwards - strung saddle hackles come bundled with the curve (or flare) inwards. I routinely steam these goods (after breaking them down into six to seven inch string lengths so that they'll fit into a standard quart size ziplock bag...). I get very good results with this method (but remember I'm thoroughly drying out any steamed materials before they go into any plastic bags). I only steam what I'm actually needing to use and leave the remainder bundled exactly as it first came to me while it's being stored.

 

Actual necks or saddle patches are handed differently. Each one remains in the original bag it came in until it's needed (I buy Metz #2 grizzly saddles 10 at a time when they;re needed.. for example). When I need to use a neck or saddle then I'll look it over and if it doesn't need any refreshing I'll skip the steaming. If it does need steaming I'll do one or two at a time only -then carefully lay each neck or patch on paper towels and allow it to dry for a day before any tying. Occasionally I'll get necks or saddles that actually feel greasy when I first remove them from any packaging -these will get a bath in warm soapy water (I was taught to use Dawn for animal fats -Joy for any synthetic or petroleum based oils or grease) -then a careful rinse in cold water with an outdoor drying process ( I clothes pin each item to a chain link fence to allow any washed feathers to dry as naturally as possible). Any feathers that have been washed in this fashion will rarely ever need steaming unless you re-package them tightly and they're in a bulk bin with lots and lots of other bulk items... Hope this helps

[Saltybum 0]

Good info as usual Bob. I remember years ago steaming the feathers on our arrows ( before all the plastic vane rage ) to bring them back to life after beating them up in the woods and getting spider webs etc. on them.

[CSB1 0]

Bob, How long do they usually stay "Fresh" in the original packaging before you have noticed them becoming dried out?

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

It varies so widely that I'd hesitate to even give an estimate. For me, drying out is a secondary problem. I'm much more dealing with materials that have been packed into bins and not carefully stored at all so steaming is simply a prep to bring them into their best condition before being used to fill an order. Funny thing - I've pretty much quit tying for shops so most of my large bins might not even get looked at for months at a time. I actually have a lot more feathers and hair than most shops....