Synthetic hair questions

[RexW 0]

I've only been tying for 25 years or so, but this is the first time I've used synthetic hair.  The stuff is quick and easy to tie with, but I have a couple of questions for those of you with experience using this stuff.

 -  I used FTD's Congo Hair, because, well... it's cheap.  For those of you that have used both, how does Congo Hair compare to EP Fibers?

-  Does anyone have any tips for getting a more natural looking taper with synthetic hair?  For the pattern below, it should be tapered to more of a minnow shape.  Most of my flies have a boxier look at the tips.  I tried trimming after it was tied on the fly and that didn't look very good either.  Natural hair can be stacked or can easily be adjusted in your fingers, but this stuff doesn't seem to move very easily.  Any suggestions for getting a tapered look at the tips when using synthetic hair?     

Here's the fly that I was working with.  The taper of the one in front is closest to what I wanted to achieve.  The second from the left shows the "boxier" look that I don't want. 

Vanek's Ghost Minnow (This is a surprisingly fast fly to tie.)

Hook: Mustad 3366 size 8 (or Gamakatsu B10S)
Thread: UTC 140, Gray Brown
Eyes: Large Bead Chain Black 
Back/Wing: FTD Congo Hair - Shiner Tan (Vanek uses EP Fiber in Gold Olive Minnow)
Flash: Midge Flash, Pearl
Belly: Senyo's Laser Dub - White
Lateral Line: Silver Flashabou sub'ed for Lateral Scale Flash

 

[Philly 0]

I don't use either.  I use Mirror Image most of the time.  I blend flash into my material, but the process may help you get your material to taper without having to trim it with scissors.   What you do is pull is pull pieces of material out of the bag and lay it on a flat service.  Lay out 6 or 7 pieces.  Then repeat the process laying the next layer on top of the first.  Do that until all the material in the bag is laid out.  Roll the material together.  Then repeat the layering process.  It normally take me 5 or 6 repetitions to get a good blend of flash and material.  Since you're only trying to taper the material.  Maybe 3 or 4 repetitions would do the trick.  I use small plastic ties to hold the bunch of material together once I'm done.  I just put it back into the original bag.  Probably takes 5 to 10 minutes.  Beats the hell out of trying to trim it to shape with scissors.

Here's a couple of flies tied with the finished material.  For the larger one the I used Ultra Hair or Super Hair, not sure which.  The smaller one is tied with Mirror Image.

[RexW 0]

Thanks Philly, that makes sense and should work.  Pulling the bunch of hair completely apart and then restacking would solve the issues I had getting the material to move.  That's an embarrassingly obvious solution.   Thank you!  😀

[Philly 0]

I didn't know about it until Steve Farrar gave a tying class for my SW club about 7 years ago.   I'm lousy with scissors that's why gave up tying with deer hair.

[DarrellP 0]

If it is too wide, you can use barber's thinning shears.  Another solution for shape is to hi-tie.  (Several clumps front to back.).  I like congo hair and several of FTD'S products.  I use Congo hair for parachute posts, too.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Here’s another tip about tying with synthetic materials… As a general proposition less is more with most synthetics… 

Matter of fact when you finish a pattern you should be able to lay it on your hand and see right through it.. 

[RexW 0]

Thanks for the help Everyone.  I had to try the tips, so I tied one tonight.  This one came out much better.  I definitely need more practice, but I can sure the potential in these materials. 

Thanks again!

[FliesbyNight 0]

On 2/7/2022 at 9:47 AM, Philly said:

...... I blend flash into my material, but the process may help you get your material to taper without having to trim it with scissors.   What you do is pull is pull pieces of material out of the bag and lay it on a flat service.  Lay out 6 or 7 pieces.  Then repeat the process laying the next layer on top of the first.  Do that until all the material in the bag is laid out.  Roll the material together.  Then repeat the layering process. ...

This technique also works well with bucktail if you are tying for a certain color or effect.  I also learned it from Steve but in a video.

BTW, Philly, that's some nice looking Surf Candy. 

[robow7 0]

On 2/8/2022 at 3:08 AM, Capt Bob LeMay said:

Here’s another tip about tying with synthetic materials… As a general proposition less is more with most synthetics… 

Matter of fact when you finish a pattern you should be able to lay it on your hand and see right through it.. 

I spoke with Bob Clouser a long time ago and he felt the same way.  He mentioned that in his opinion, too many fellows were using too much bucktail and reducing the transparency of his Clouser Minnow which he felt was a major selling point to the fish.  He stressed "sparse"