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I'm an avid outdoorsman. I have access to different natural materials for tying flies. I recently obtained a skin from a turkey. I found many different types of feathers I think can be used in place of maribou. Has anyone ever tried using turkey down? And can it be dyed? If so, how.

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Well thank you. How would someone go about dying it. Natural is nice but I'd like to have other colors as well.

well that is above my pay grade... lol. I have no clue

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Ive seen some people talk about using Kool-Aid for dying. But I think the color in Kool-Aid is food coloring. So maybe look for some food coloring at your local grocery store. However Im not sure youll get anything other than super intense bright colors. But I would think using some food coloring mixed with water ive seen some people talk about using Kool-Aid for dying. But I think the color in Kool-Aid is food coloring. So maybe look for some food coloring at your local grocery store. However Im not sure youll get anything other than super intense bright colors. But I would think using some food coloring mixed with water And letting the feathers soak in it would color them. However Im not sure that will not come out in the water

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Thank you for the reply. Koolaid works well on bucktail, squirrel tail, and deer hide. I didn't think of trying it on feathers.

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Youll have to bleach the color out to get the naturally dark brown down feather to take lighter colors of dye. Or youll just get dark shades of everything.

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Thank you for the replies. How would one bleach the feathers prior to dying? Hydrogen peroxide perhaps? Or is there something better to use? I want a dark blue batch for steelhead fishing this fall.

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Just thinking out loud ...

If you're going for a darker color, then you probably don't need to bleach. A light blue, on brown feather will give you a dark blue ... no?

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no bleaching required

 

White-Turkey1.jpg

 

use the natural colored turkey for tailing, wings, leeches nymphs etc

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"real" turkeys, those you eat at holidays are white as in flytires picture, thousands of thousands of them give up their lives to furnish white marabou that accepts dyes and the carcasses are sold as a byproduct at Thanksgiving.

 

Your dark turkey is special, use as is, imo. every feather on it has potential.

 

Unless you just want to develop a new skill. Then get with the link provided by FIN-ITE 34 or your local hair dresser. Feather and hair are similar if not the same material.

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