Grading Tying Materials before you buy

[Alex C. 0]

So this is a pretty broad question, but what characteristics do you guys look for when buying misc. furs, feather, etc? Obviously bugs are bad, but what makes a bag of something stand out from the other ones on the shelf?

[Guest]

Wow, this is a tough question to answer. Since every material has a different "desired effect" produced. Just to generalize, I'm looking for materials that will work better to my fly tying style. Long webby hackles, even dying on materials. Etc. Tippets that are of even links. Just to hard to really explain since there is so many products out there. But hope that helps a little.

[Alex C. 0]

It would be a waste of space and too unorganized if I posted a seperate topic for each material so that is why I posted it that way. Hmmm, I wonder if there would be a way we could make a list of different materials, and have it so anyone could contribute to it as to what characteristic makes a certain material better than another sample of the same material

[Guest]

Well, the problem is each person has different wants then others. Some are true to whatever want "X tyer" suggests. So that's all they look for. It's always best to decide what you want out of the fly, and how you want it to look. Some like their hackles to be really webby. Some like them very sparse. Just depends on what look you're after. Onto furs, wow. I know guys who like the extra bouyant of the winter coats, where others like the more streamlined look of your late summer/fall coats. It all goes on your tying style really. What I'm looking for in a feather or patch of fur may not work with what you want out of it.

[FloydianSlip 0]

A broad answer for a broad question

 

I look for a good price without sacrificing good quality.

 

For hair products, I look for hunted patches rather than packaged hair. I usually can find larger quantities for less, and if the seller knows his stuff, he's selling a good fly-quality patch.

 

Hackles - i spend too much money on, but I try to buy something that will last months or years (I wonder if I'll ever make it through that cape?)

 

Dubbing - there's a fly shop down the street who does all of his own dying and bagging on dubbing, both natural and synthetic. Price is very good, and he's an expert fly tier. I've not been disappointed by his products. Did I mention his prices bury other fly shop prices?

 

Of course there is the hobby section in any store that isn't fly tying related. They often have staples for fly tying that are used in many crafts and often beat the price by an unfair margin.

 

I think if I made something, I would have to add "Fly tying material" on the label and mark the price up by about 200%.

 

Cost is huge to me, especially when the quality can be found elsewhere. I can only see spending a lot on good quality hackles. Everything else can be bought in bulk or found in other stores for a fraction of the cost.

 

 

[Bud Guidry 0]

my first priority is what amount of money i can sneak away with without the wife finding out. second priority is hummmmmm, let me think about this one, o yea, read priority one again, Bud

[appalachian angler (tn.) 0]

Skunked,

 

My first question to you is what kind of fishing do you intend to do? 2ND, unless you have the financial resources to simply run wild(assuming you don't) pick about 12 patterns to tye for say Trout, and buy materials to suit those patterns with the best possible quality you can afford based on a trusted sales person in the fly shop's recommendations. Many of the materials for those flys will carry over within the list of patterns you have decided upon. As you begin to master patterns that are proven fish getters, then you can slowly expand into materials for other patterns you've been wanting to try.

 

A.A.

[Brewer 0]

as of right now, im looking for hackles with a broad range of sizes, as im not going to tie up 400 of the same size fly

[Alex C. 0]

So far other than hackles I have just looked for quantity, I never realized, say for bucktail, that one is better than the other

[Guest]

Here is my two cents on bucktail. I look for very fine hair, if it is thick and coarse, I'll pass on it no matter the price. I also look at the quality of the dye and the intensity of the colors. I'll dampen my finger tips and stroke the fur, if the color comes off onto my fingers I won't buy it.

 

For hackle I stick with Whiting and Ewing. It's good quality and consistant.

[fly~by~night 0]

amen on the whiteing hackles And great pointers here...i do the "wet the fingers thing to test the dye " as well...and i must say....i have found waspi to run a few poopy dye jobs on some marrabo( spelled wrong i can just feel it )-jason

[Davy 0]

Well,I give my two cents I guess.More than judging materials in this day and age often we can't when ordering over the internet etc.One thing I have noticed is some suppliers when you order the first time you get great stuff, often better than expected, but upon 3rd or 4th orders the quality seems to go down.Not all suppliers just some I have bought from.

 

The other thing I do more of now is just ordering lots of any one thing I need and "hope" within that mass to find the 12 feathers I "really" need and use the rest to tye "working" flys.

 

I know the above isn't reasonable to some or even finanacially foolish to others but if I need top quality say, teal, I almost have to accept a ton of junk to find the few Cadilacs.

 

Or like Jerry knows first hand from me If I need Golden pheasant to fit a 8/0 topping it's gonna take few birds to find that "one" crest.The rest isn't wasted ofcourse.

 

It seems to me I am not doing this to be cost effective anyway-we can all order flys from China/Africa for 3.00/dozen tyed to our specs if we want cost effectiveness.

 

I rarely visit fly shops or the like where I can "see and sort" but when and if I do and find something on the wall I like (like flank,or guinea,etc) I usually just buy all they have ( or I can afford at the time) and sort it out when I get home.It's all usable,for something anyway.

 

I second what Troutbum said about bucktail as well.

 

Having said all that,when I am at said flyshop I take feathers/materials out ( carefully), wrap em around a finger, visualize what I need them to do,what I might need them to do etc.( you wanna make sure your not buying junk pillow feathers right) It's really just to complicated or to long And varied of a process to write out.

 

Guinea is a good example if you are buying loose packaged feathers though.Not many of them will usually collar a big salmon or steelhead fly or throat. Whole skins are your best value and just throw them in a pot and dye them to your color.(send the wife to the nail salon when you do this)

 

 

Ok, I'll shut up, good question, tough to answer in braod strokes though.

 

Davy

[caddis16 0]

I just can't bring myself to mail or online order. I just have to touch everything. I spend more time picking out a neck than I did my last 3 cars combined! I am lucky that I have a fly shop within walking distance of home, and the owner doesn't seem to mind me sitting in the middle of his shop fondling the newest shipment of hackle.

 

Materials other than hackle are much easier for me, all I look for is the color I want. I have many buddies who still hunt and I get mucho free stuff which is a wonderful thing...

 

[Guest]

One of the materials I've grown really picky with is Marabou. The fine barbs are okay for adding to a streamer wing where the only attribute needed is motion, but I NEED the fluffy bars for my Wooly Bugger tails. One of the few things I have actually tested side by side, I believe that they give an edge. It isn't ALWAYS necessary, but if it comes down to choice on a tough day I believe the wider, fluffy barbs out-produce the fine ones in this application.

 

I actually PREFER the fine ones in streamer wings because they provide motion without as much flare on the pause.

[JRG 0]

Hi guys,

 

I'm a new member to this forum and thought this was an interesting topic to start on.

 

I recently bought a lot of fly tying material online and at local stores. I found both markets to be quite acceptable as far as service, pricing, availability, and quality. I would prefer to shop local shops so you can actually see what you are getting but most materials are going to be very comparable.

 

I bought most of my Whiting necks and saddles online and was happy with every single one of them. More later, gotta run to lunch!!

 

Jeff