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Tellumnothing

GP tippet attachment

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I am tying the Orange Parsons using  Mr. G. S. "Stack" Scovilles  SBS  directions from a 2006 copy of fly fishing magazine. Everything is going fine until I came to attaching the full feather golden pheasant tippets.  I know the feather stem is naturally formed in an oval configuration and I am supposed to "flatten" the feather prior to attaching. It doesn't do  any good to flatten the feather with the oval so how do you flatten it against the oval to make it sit perpendicular to the hook when it is tied on the top? This has bugged me for 20 years. Thanks for your help.

Tellumnothing

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I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "sit perpendicular to the hook". I flatten my toppings with needle nose pliers so that the stem sits flat on the hook or rather the platform I'm attaching it to. If need be I'll "nick" the stem w/ a fingernail to get the arch that I'm looking for.

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Carlton-1080.jpg
 

I don’t tie the classic salmon flies with golden pheasant tippet wings but with this simple winged wet fly I did not flatten the stems but used loose turns of thread while tightly holding in the feathers then tight wraps of thread

i know this doesn’t answer the question 

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6 hours ago, Tellumnothing said:

Thanks Sandan but I am not using "topping crest feathers."  I'm using full feather tippets. See the Durham Ranger.

 

OK, now I'm with you. I've tied that pattern. Same idea vas the crests, IMHO. Flatten the stem (rachis) w/ needle nose pliers. so the stem sits flat in the hook/platform. I'll flatten the platform w/ the pliers too. Then place the tippets and see how they sit.  You might have to "nick" the stem to get them to sit just right. 

Maybe @SalarMan will chime in, he's the guru.

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Now that I'm not getting a "Resource Limit Reached" page I'll add my 2 cents.

I use small smooth jaw pliers to work on the tippets or other feathers. Think the type lots of guys use to flatten the barb on a hook. You will find that they flatten the rachis beautifully as well allowing you to twist, bend and generally manipulate the feather in any way you wish. These feathers are surprisingly tough!!

So have at it, since experience is the best teacher.

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