Cutting flank feathers straight

[Alex C. 0]

I just started tying and have been having trouble cutting wood duck flank feathers for my wings. It seems like you need 3 hands for this task, one to pull the fibers away from the stem, one to hold the feather straight while you pull, and one to use your scissors.

So what I did was hot glue a "chip clip" to a flat piece of steel. That way it's portable, yet heavy enough to let you pull the fibers out without sliding across your bench. Now I just clip the feather in, pull the amount of fibers I need straight with my left hand, and cut them from the stem with my right. Hope this helps someone

[atroutbum2 0]

Try peeling the fibers from the stem insted of cuting. Its the same thing you do when you peel the fluffy freaters from the base of the stem when you prep a dry fly hackel,but your trying to keep the tips lined up.

 

1st with the fibers on the stem bend the fibers so that the tips line up.

 

2ed with the tips lined up pinch the fibers so that the aligned tips are traped between your fingers.

 

3ed Gently peel the fibers away from the stem. With the fibers traped in the pintch it shouldnt misalign them.

 

4th cut the peeled stem away from the fibers close to the base of the fibers.

 

once you have cut the peeled stem away fron the fibers , the fibers will not want to realign themselves. Mount them to the hook in the usual way.

 

 

[Alex C. 0]

you mean I don't have to use scissors

[Alex C. 0]

okay, I just read that peeling causes slipage.

[atroutbum2 0]

one thing to watch doing this, dont try to grab too many fibers, if you think you need more ,then put the 1st bunch down( i sometimes temporarly bind them to the hook or hold it with hackel pliars) then get a 2ed bunch(sometimes even a 3ed), then allign the tips by eye, merge the bunches. This method takes a little practice .