Worst feather to wrap

[flytire 0]

has to be "pheasant filoplume" aka "aftershaft"

the stem just wants to break just looking at it

it takes delicate skill when wrapping

[Jaydub 0]

I've had the same experience.

Phil Rowley puts them in a thread loop in this vid (skip to about 8:50):

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asWs0DfXQ6w

[Philly 0]

For me, there are two feathers that I have issues with.

First, small starling feathers that I use as soft hackles on most of my nymph patterns.  This one is a size 14.  I did tie them down to size 20.

Or CDC feathers which I use for bodies on my Usuals, CDC and Elk and my favorite midge pattern.  This one is a size 20.

When you get down to small flies, you need a light touch to keep the feathers from breaking as you wrap or twist them.

[jcozzz 0]

Only use pheasant aftershft on Gartside sparrows.A little bit of thin type super glue  on the thread base at the head helps a little.Primarily a bluegill fly for me and gills tear em to pieces.Same with soft hacle especially partridge.Starling is also pretty delicte.

[KnottaFly 0]

I has problems especially with small feathers of any kind with my arthritic fingers.

Tying some feathers, such as dove, I soak in water for about 30 minutes. Makes them more pliable.

[vicrider 0]

I have a couple of streamers from swaps where they tied those "aftershaft" feathers in as the streamer body. Makes a very living, breathing, small streamer in the water.

[cebe 0]

Same with me, tying Gartside sparrows uses a lot of aftershaft. Extra needed because they are so fragile.