FlaFly 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 Let me start by repeating: when I want to tie maybe two or three of a given kind of fly, I don't want to spend money buying a large quantity of material I may never use. Add to that I like to try my hand at making my own materials whenever possible. I'd like to try a few JF eyes on some streamers. I ran across online some "Real Fake" JF eyes made out of sheets of plastic. Has anyone around here ever made their own fake JF eyes? If so, howdja do it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fisherboy0301 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 I think I remember seeing a post on this forum about using partridge feathers, slicked down to the right shape, coated with head cement. Once it dried he painted them. It might've been loon fly paint, or even nail polish haha. Once the paint dried I think he coated them with a thin layer of uv resin. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rotaryflytyingdotcom 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 FlaFly If these are the plastic eyes you found I think you'll like them. Like any plastic replacement they have drawbacks starting with - well - they are plastic and so I don't like them. BUT I've used them for years on my fishing flies (hate to put real JC on flies I know have a limited life) and the only big problem is if they are bent out away from the body of the fly they tend to stay that way and stick out forever. The only cure I've found for that is to glue them onto the cheek of the fly as I'm tying the fly. If I skip the glue them to the cheek of the fly step and they do get bent out (it doesn't really happen all that often) and it's bad enough to bug me I simply cut them off. Hope that helps. ps - years ago (before the 1994 copyright you see stamped on the sheets) the colors were very dull and I didn't use them but when they brightened up the color I started to use them and still do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crackaig 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 You can trim down a guinea foul feather so it has only one or to dots showing and, colour them as you need. Not a great replacement but... Cheers, C. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruce Derington 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 I've used the fake feathers and they are fine, (now I use real ones) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fisherboy0301 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 http://www.featheremporium.com/Fly-Tying-Feathers/streamer-capes.html If the link works, keep going down this page. You'll get to some real JC feathers, and he has some fishing quality ones. Not perfect but good enough for fishing. Or you may even look into the #3 grade. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
agn54 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 Why not just use the real thing? You can get 10 nails for $5 here Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SilverCreek 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 If you have a ringneck pheasant skin you have the feathers to use the method in this post: http://www.stripersonline.com/t/718654/effort-at-new-feather-as-jungle-cock-substitute Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troutguy 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 Nice article SilverCreek. Starling also works well. Jungle cock feathers if you have never seen them a solid because the bird has a gland that produces a shinny waxy covering. Nail polish works best. Work on a wax paper surface. Go slow. You need white, black, yellow and clear. let one color dry completely before you start a second. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted January 3, 2015 http://www.flytyingbug.com/threads/a-sub-for-jungle-cook-nails.3774/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ditz2 0 Report post Posted January 3, 2015 A few of you old timers may remember that Herter's sold plastic JC in the late 60's and probably before. I may still have a few in my stash. They also sold two or three sizes of round plastic eyes. These had a small tab extending out from the round edge to secure the eye with thread. Being a warm water hack fly tier I never had much use for the JC eyes but I liked the round Herter's eyes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted January 3, 2015 make your own jungle cock eyes http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=21739 download the pdf file to your hard drive. youll be able to reference it next time somebody asks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fisherboy0301 0 Report post Posted January 3, 2015 make your own jungle cock eyes http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=21739 download the pdf file to your hard drive. youll be able to reference it next time somebody asks! That's what I was talking about. I searched but could not find it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troutguy 0 Report post Posted January 3, 2015 Fisherboy for all the questions you have, I would recommend this book to you. After you read it, nothing you see on Youtube or this board is really new. http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Tying-Spinning-Making-Manual/dp/B0007K7HIQ/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1420320617&sr=8-13&keywords=george+herter Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
