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ryveradair

deer hair spinning

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I have tried spinning deer hair multiple times and I'm just awful. I always put a thread base down before i tie anything. I don't know if that is the problem. I need help bad

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Putting a base down first is a definate no-no, the only place to put thread down is the stop point toward the back of the hook otherwise it makes it difficult to pack the hair and have it stop. How are you tying it on to spin? We need more information on what you are trying to do in order to give you help with spinning.

 

Blane

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Yeah you want a bare hook shank. When I first started with deer hair I wanted to control the spin, don't, just take two loose turns over the hair to hold and as you pull tight carry on the thread round the hook and it should spin. Take 2 or 3 turns and allow it to splay and spin. You can tidy it up after you pack it all.

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Thread base or no thread base. There are very good deer hair manipulators who prescribe each way. One who says "thread base" is Pat Cohen, who does wonderfully artistic work.

 

Without more information of what your experiencing, no one can tell you what you are doing wrong. One of the problems I had early on was not securing the thread to the hook well enough before spinning. When I tried to tighten down on the deer hair to flair it, the whole thing would spin on the hook.

Another mistake is using too little or too much hair. Too little and you don't get good all around coverage. Too much, if you aren't ready for it, can make the whole process more frustrating.

 

Look up some video instructions here on this site, on YouTube or on other fly tying sites. Deer hair is not an easy pattern, but with some patience and trial and error, you'll get better at it.

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Listen to Mike.

 

Use GSP thread to spin/stack your hair. Not required for the entire fly, but for deer hair work it is the best.

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Here's an additional tip or two to make your spinning work better for you. First off, deer hair spins nicely - but deer belly hair spins better.... I learned to use an amount that's just about the size of a wood pencil for each bundle of hair... It's also helpful to shorten the bundle a bit by clipping off the tips, leaving an amount of hair that's already just a bit larger than how you'll want it after it's trimmed. Lastly I take each bundle of hair (of whatever kind you're spinning with) and very carefully comb out the butt end to remove any fine underfur that might slow down the flaring and spinning process. Good luck. If I'm any indicator everyone's first efforts with spinning hair are going to leave a lot to be desired. Spinning, then trimming and razoring a deer hair head takes some practice.... To this day I won't take any orders for deer hair patterns - it just takes me too long to do quality work with the stuff....

 

Tight Lines

Bob LeMay

(954) 435-5666

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When you look at the butt end of a hair fiber, you should see a hollow core big enough to stick in a fine needle. It's that hollow core that allows the hair to flare when crimped by tightening thread. My biggest frustration as a young tyer was trying to use deer hide sections with fibers that were too thin to flare. With good hollow hair and strong heavy thread, there is a lot of forgiveness no matter which way the clump twists and turns on the hook. I've thought many a bunch of hair was ruined by twisting and going all over the place only to see the fly turn out nice and smooth after a good packing and trim.

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I learned by trial and lots of error many years ago when there was little to no instruction available. From my personal experience I don't like a base. Just a bare hook works best for me. I put 1 complete turn and just slightly snug and then add 2 more loose turns of strong thread and then just pull tight. Then I put 2 wraps around the hook and then I use my finger nails to push the hair back to pack the hair. From the second batch to the last batch of hair you can pack very tight. The first bunch not so tight. I also find it very time consuming to spin and trim but I do enjoy doing it. I would have to charge at least $15 a bug to make any money at it. Always remove the under fur before adding to the hook. I always trim the bottom of the bug first and it is flat and as close to the thread as I can get without cutting the thread. Many different things can be done with the finished bug. Dip it in a floatant such as rainX or several others. ...Leave it untreated. Lightly goop the face if you want flat and a loud pop. ....Goop just the bottom of the bug body....Any combination of the above. different treating creates a different action in the water. There are some fellas on here that tie some beautiful bugs. I mostly just use a hair tail and natural brown or white bodies and I do mostly Tapps style bugs. I do sometimes add some color rings or faces sometimes. I also do a black bug here and there. A well tied hair bug will last years if you don't lose it so I normally use stainless hooks. Bronze hooks will also last if you properly dry the bug before storing it. Weed guards are good too. If you find you don't need it they can quickly be cut off. Just like hard body poppers, I prefer long shank hooks.

 

If you are just doing heads on a fly like a Muddler I just use the thread that is already in use down to 6/0. You just have to be careful to not pull too hard on the spin. GPS does work well. I use the 100 strength.

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I've been attending and tying at FFF conclaves for 30/27 years. For many of those years, at every conclave that Billy Munn also attended, I always spent time either sitting next to or across from the "best deerhair tyer" in the country. If you don't believe me, just look at interviews by Chris Helm, Tim England or other top "hair guys", and you'll see that that they all acknowledge their debt to Billy. You see, he's been tying and teaching hairwork for over 50 years!

In 2006, at the Southern Council Conclave in Mt. Home, AR, Billy was there, and he had a DVD for sale"Tying Hairbugs with Billy Munn" . I immediately purchased a copy. It is a very well done, professional quality production of Billy tying four hair bugs. As he goes through these bugs, he explains everything that he is doing. The photography and sound quality are top notch. It was the best $25.00 that I've ever spent in tying.

 

The producer/videographer is a deerhair tyer, and he and Billy made sure that every detail was covered on this video... It is wonderful!

Everyone who has every watched Billy Munn work with hair will be thrilled with this DVD. And those of you who have never had the opportunity to watch Mr. Munn, but who wanted to learn to tie hair or "move up" to the next level with your tying are in for a real treat. You will not be disappointed.

Currently, I don't know where else this DVD is available, but if you are serious about learning to spin or stack deerhair, why not learn from the master of deer hair?

 

Kyle M.

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Flytire has given you the avenue to the best help with deer hair. Chris is the master of hair, he's forgotten more than most know. He's a super nice guy to boot.

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