Jump to content
Fly Tying
Artin

Bucktail

Recommended Posts

Hi All,

Been a member for a long time on this forum but I mostly read. There are some really fine tyers here. I enjoy the topics and the contents very much and along the way I have picked up some good pointers from here. I have been tying since I was in my teens and now 40. Feels weird saying that as I don't feel 40. I am still learning.

So my question is, how do I get rid of that smell from bucktail. You know which smell. Haven't really tried any solutions because I cant think of anything that I can put there that will infuse an artificial stenche to the material and call it paranoia but I don't like the idea of having my bucktail smell like fabric softener. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. My drawers that the bucktail is in have that stench. All of them.

 

 

Thanks

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Welcome to the active side, Artin.

 

I've got a couple of bucktails ... and neither of them stink. BUT ... my self-harvested raccoon tails used to.

If you keep the bucktails in a bag, put an inch or two of kitty litter in the bottom. Not the "clumping" kind, the clay "oil dry" kind. It absorbs odors, but more importantly, it absorbs moisture, which allows the odor causing bacteria the grow.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think it is the dye that stinks, I have naturals that don't stink (have slight odor like everything does) and just bought some dyed tail that smells very loud.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i wash mine with dawn dish soap and warm water

 

i had natural white bucktail that i assume smell like deer sh1t

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

All mine smell like moth balls. But everything else in my cabinet does too. If they didn't I'd be writing my own book entitled "Feather Thief"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Whenever I get desiccant packs in mail packages or furniture boxes, I put them in my deer hair drawer.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Whenever I have a few (or a lot...) of bucktails that are stinky my first choice is to wait for a bright sunny day with a good breeze. I use clothes pins and pin each separately on the chain link fence in my backyard... Since my tying desk is right next to my garage's side door it's an easy thing to keep an eye on them. A few hours in the sun with a good breeze and your tails will be in much better condition. If they don't pass the nose test - my first move is one more day outdoors, if the weather is co-operating... Since all of my bucktails in recent years come from Wapsi they stay in each individual bag they came in until needed (and rarely need any cleaning or drying measures at all...). Once a tail has been used, if there's any remaining usable hair it goes back in its original packaging... Once the usable portion of a bucktail is gone - leaving the brown center - then I'll put three to five of them in one bag... Those remnants are quite useful for doing brown bucktail jigs or bonefish skimmers, or collars for Cockroach style tarpon flies.

 

If a tail is not clean - or has needed to be dyed before use - then after a thorough washing (for dirty tails) or after dyeing - each tail is laid out on newspaper skin side down - then a second layer of newspaper on top with a board or some kind of modest weight to keep each tail flattened out until they appear dry (a day or two...). Then, before packaging (in new plastic bag...) each tail gets the fence treatment for at least a day to make absolutely certain that it's properly dryed out before going into a package - then into storage (big five or ten gallon plastic tubs)..

 

I'm no longer tying commercially (except for bucktail jigs...) but old habits die hard... I still have enough natural materials to stock a small fly shop - and do my best to keep them in good condition..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good to know this is common. I was a little worried I got some bad ones. My black one doesnt seem to smell though...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've noticed that if there's fat still on the hide, near the base of the tail, or if the tail seems to be especially oily, that's when there's a smell. I believe it to be that oil combined with bacteria and moisture, and warmth, has started to decompose, and creates a rancid odor. Same could happen if it's starting to grow some mold, which may not always be evident right away.

 

A quick cure, might be to freeze them, but it won't remove the odor entirely. Freezing temporarily kills off the microbes. The excess fat needs to be removed.

 

The best way to keep it from happening or cure the issue once it's there is to clean them in warm, soapy water, with a detergent such as Dawn which has been already mentioned, rinse well in cold water, which removes all of the soap, and thoroughly dry them. I also do as Flicted mentioned and save desiccant packs and place them in bags with tying materials, to limit moisture.

 

Natural materials, especially on the hide will have some moisture present. That's natural, but it's when it reaches levels that allow bacteria or fungus to grow, that's where the smell usually comes from.

 

Yes, some dyes do have some odor to them. Keep in mind that dyes are chemicals and they're not all the same. The various colors can be different chemical compositions, so some may have an odor.

 

If you air them out good, the odor may subside. If not, you simply have tp deal with it, but I've never found it to last very long once I started using a tail for tying.

 

I've processed and dyed hundreds of bucktails, and as far as those odors, some are going to be worse than others and much of it can be resolved with a good cleaning.

 

I have obtained raw tails before, that smelled like the deers backside. If there's feces left on the tail, then darn right, it's going to stink & only get worse.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

BTW, there may still be some odor after cleaning, you won't remove it completely as raw hides do have some odor, especially if there's still a bit of excess moisture. Once that dries, it shouldn't be repugnant. Of course my idea of what that is & what someone else's may be, might not be the same.

 

Put them in a freezer again. That helps remove the rest of the moisture & hopefully any odor that's still there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This may be a stupid question, but is there a reason they don't tann bucktails? Maybe they do and I've never seen them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...