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Hair stackers, stainless

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Does anyone have much experience with small hair stackers?

Would a stainless stacker have less static problems than a brass one?

Anyone have any idea of size diff between a stonfo mini and small dr. Slick?

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I'm using the small Dr Slick hair stacker (brass). I tie strictly trout flies so I think it's perfect size for that application. From the web images I've seen the Stonfo mini looks a bit smaller than the Dr Slick. If you get steel and have an issue with static I'd try dragging a dryer sheet thru the tube a few times.

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When using a metal stacker, the static will be generated by the hair itself. There should be no difference between brass and stainless.

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Stainless is slightly more neutral than brass, but I doubt it makes very much difference. I'd try the dryer sheets, store an half sheet with the materials and keep one on the bench to wipe your fingers with. I imagine the static is you touching the hair.

Another option that I have seen mentioned but never used is the spray static guard.

 

Washing hands with dish soap or wiping hands with damp wash cloth just before tying can help as can running a humidifier.

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I have the cheapest hair stackers I could find. Don't even know who makes them or what they are made of. All I know is they were CHEAP! Never had an issue with static. Don't sweat the small stuff.

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I have the cheapest hair stackers I could find. Don't even know who makes them or what they are made of. All I know is they were CHEAP! Never had an issue with static. Don't sweat the small stuff.

 

 

Poopdeck since they were CHEAP maybe you got em here.

 

 

Ollies-Header.jpg

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Far as cheap goes, I use my hands. It may be slower, but I'm not in all that much hurry and most of the hair I use is either spun or streamer wings where the ends don't need to match precisely. I think stackers only shine in production dry fly tying.

Being a dyi type I've made stackers from oversized drinking straws, shotgun casings, film canisters, copper pipe etc, but the one I intend to make sometime and just haven't yet is a chapstick tube. Some of the dyi stackers worked well but I never really got the habit of reaching for one.

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I have a large aluminum stacker I got from H&H several years ago, a standard brass Dr. Slick and a no-name anodized brass mini-stacker. Each has its uses, and static has never been a problem.

 

I also stack by hand for bucktail streamers. (It's the only technique that truly is stacking, but that's another discussion.)

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Al Troth used to drill a short board and glue empty .22 casings in the holes (seems like 12 casings). He could stack hair for about a dozen of his elk hair caddis' in a couple taps. He was a production tyer but it is a pretty neat trick if you are tieing dries.

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Thanks all , I bought a dr. Slick small stacker. I'll get to play with it when it comes. Im sure I could do something with a 22 magnum case. I'm still really new and buying tools, and a vise.

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I got a Renzetti stainless. I think 2 1/4"long. Guess you can trim the pipe to as short as you want. Dryer sheets.

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I don't know that the type of metal will make any difference to static build-up. Since metal naturally grounds through skin, it's hard to imagine much build up at all.

 

BUT ... using anything plastic or rubber will create MUCH larger static charges. Using a plastic comb to clean out underfur is a huge mistake. Each stroke will enhance the charge.

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The comb pulls out fluff. Static pulls out fluff. Static in a hair stacker would be bad. Static in a comb is good. No?

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dont use a "plastic" comb

 

use an anti-static comb made from antler

 

71gHiK2.jpg

 

get wooden stackers

 

was_hairStackers.jpg

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