flytire
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alternate fly tying materials
- Thread starter flytire
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brucerducer
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Flytire:
Howdy. I've found so much wonderful stuff in the last six months, that I decided to stop sharing the greatest part of it.
I've mentioned the "Hair Clips" in the Beauty departments of the Big Box Stores before. There is some fantastic material in those things.
I even called -Walmart earlier in the week to order some, only to find out they have discontinued a certain clip in a nice reddish burgundy color that was excellent for San Juan Worm, Leeches, and other flies.
I did find recently however, an actual reference in a 1991 book on the history of the worlds most common flies, that Dog Hair really was used for a fly. This appears on page 94 of "Fishing Flies: An Illustrated Album" by
Robert Atkinson. The author writes:
"Dog hair is an easy source of material for the tyer, and Harry Powell used the hair from a mongrel sheep dog to tie his pattern the DOGSBODY in 1924."
It looks like a Dark Brown Hare's Ear with about 5 dark brown tail pieces and a Dark brown and black Hackle around the upper thorax.
================================
.
However, I have found so much fiber from Stuffed Animals at the Thrift Stores, and Ladies Clothes and the Hobby Stores that I would not even bother with trimming my Brown or Black doggies (Pomeranians) to get material. I know that hurts the feelings of the Dogs, but what can I say. Substandard is Substandard.
I must mixed up a special and unique batch of RS-2 Dubbing this morning, and that new blender I bought for the job works like a dream when I just use a little bit at a time to mix it.
The Coffee Bean Grinder works, but it is slower, and does less.
------
I've been experimenting with many things, from plastic bags of different colors, to using cheap paint brushes for fibers, to using various twines of Synthetic fiber.
Also, I am still using ordinary Blonde Colored Sisal with satisfaction and I intend to start Dying some of that to get the colors I want.
Sisal, cut to 1/4" to 3/8" and added to Dubbing, can give a fly like a Hare's Ear a "very buggy" look.
I started buying India Ink to dilute with Alcohol and Blend it to get just the shades I want. I get a great deal of pleasure with using something like a Sparkly Antron fiber with something a little more dull and plain that I get from some clothing or stuffed animal or the other materials I've scavenged.
If you want to really see some fantastic possibilities, visit a Hobby Lobby and start walking up and down the aisles in the artificial Flower area, and where they also keep the materials for wedding banquet decorations etc. That place is a Fly Fisherman's dream.
Eyelashes from the Beauty Departments make for some great fine fibers for Dry Fly Legs and tails, and the Ladies Make-Up Brushes are a great supply of fine fibers too.
If you haven't visited the local Beauty Salon Supply Store, you could be in for a few surprises too. I walked through one just yesterday and found matierals for Crayfish Patterns and a few Hair Clips in Red etc, which I hope to use to compensate for what Wal-Mart has discontinued. Also, there is a shop called "Claires" which carries a different kind of selection of Sparkly/Shiny junk of the sort that Teenage girls like to use in their Hair, etc. A few things may be had there.
Also, I bought some more Plastic (glue-on) fingernails to make some small "spoons" with. I will paint these with Nail Polish.
I do not buy Brass Beads anymore. Instead, I use the "6/0" Glass beads from the hobby bead departments of the box stores.
They come in different colors, and the Gold is a very close approximation of the Brass in appearance.
The 6/0 size is the larger size, as will fit on a #8 to #10 hook or so and smaller.
Another type of Glass Bead they offer is also 6/0 in a type called the "Czech Glass Bead".
I move very slowly on some of these materials, sometimes thinking about a single pattern such as a Streamer for literally half a year before I actually start to put the thing together. Sometimes I just cannot quite find the material that I want, but sooner or later, something I see in a store, will work.
Also, I have lead, but I have come to use it only rarely now; because I have busted up several old household appliances like blenders, etc,
and now have a lifetime supply of Copper Wire.
I just bought some Twine in Orange, Yellow, and several Browns yesterday, and my wife says she can teach me to do a Three-String Braid, and I intend to use these for Stonefly Bodies, with other materials added in of course.
The Fly Tier wants to avoid using natural threads such as cotton, because cotton rots.
Synthetic Fibers are the best for flies. Of These, "Coats & Clark" (known also as "Coats") is a thread manufacturer who makes synthetics in two forms. One that can be used for fly tying is Polyester, and Polyester "coated" Polyester.
The second is Rayon, and the nice thing about the Coats Rayon thread, is that it comes in the sewing stores, on a Bobbin that is 1-3/8" wide (3.5 millimeter). What this mean is that it fits perfectly on to a fly tiers threading tool. It holds more thread though.
.
.
That's all I can think of at the moment.
:frogdance
Howdy. I've found so much wonderful stuff in the last six months, that I decided to stop sharing the greatest part of it.
I've mentioned the "Hair Clips" in the Beauty departments of the Big Box Stores before. There is some fantastic material in those things.
I even called -Walmart earlier in the week to order some, only to find out they have discontinued a certain clip in a nice reddish burgundy color that was excellent for San Juan Worm, Leeches, and other flies.
I did find recently however, an actual reference in a 1991 book on the history of the worlds most common flies, that Dog Hair really was used for a fly. This appears on page 94 of "Fishing Flies: An Illustrated Album" by
Robert Atkinson. The author writes:
"Dog hair is an easy source of material for the tyer, and Harry Powell used the hair from a mongrel sheep dog to tie his pattern the DOGSBODY in 1924."
It looks like a Dark Brown Hare's Ear with about 5 dark brown tail pieces and a Dark brown and black Hackle around the upper thorax.
================================
.
However, I have found so much fiber from Stuffed Animals at the Thrift Stores, and Ladies Clothes and the Hobby Stores that I would not even bother with trimming my Brown or Black doggies (Pomeranians) to get material. I know that hurts the feelings of the Dogs, but what can I say. Substandard is Substandard.
I must mixed up a special and unique batch of RS-2 Dubbing this morning, and that new blender I bought for the job works like a dream when I just use a little bit at a time to mix it.
The Coffee Bean Grinder works, but it is slower, and does less.
------
I've been experimenting with many things, from plastic bags of different colors, to using cheap paint brushes for fibers, to using various twines of Synthetic fiber.
Also, I am still using ordinary Blonde Colored Sisal with satisfaction and I intend to start Dying some of that to get the colors I want.
Sisal, cut to 1/4" to 3/8" and added to Dubbing, can give a fly like a Hare's Ear a "very buggy" look.
I started buying India Ink to dilute with Alcohol and Blend it to get just the shades I want. I get a great deal of pleasure with using something like a Sparkly Antron fiber with something a little more dull and plain that I get from some clothing or stuffed animal or the other materials I've scavenged.
If you want to really see some fantastic possibilities, visit a Hobby Lobby and start walking up and down the aisles in the artificial Flower area, and where they also keep the materials for wedding banquet decorations etc. That place is a Fly Fisherman's dream.
Eyelashes from the Beauty Departments make for some great fine fibers for Dry Fly Legs and tails, and the Ladies Make-Up Brushes are a great supply of fine fibers too.
If you haven't visited the local Beauty Salon Supply Store, you could be in for a few surprises too. I walked through one just yesterday and found matierals for Crayfish Patterns and a few Hair Clips in Red etc, which I hope to use to compensate for what Wal-Mart has discontinued. Also, there is a shop called "Claires" which carries a different kind of selection of Sparkly/Shiny junk of the sort that Teenage girls like to use in their Hair, etc. A few things may be had there.
Also, I bought some more Plastic (glue-on) fingernails to make some small "spoons" with. I will paint these with Nail Polish.
I do not buy Brass Beads anymore. Instead, I use the "6/0" Glass beads from the hobby bead departments of the box stores.
They come in different colors, and the Gold is a very close approximation of the Brass in appearance.
The 6/0 size is the larger size, as will fit on a #8 to #10 hook or so and smaller.
Another type of Glass Bead they offer is also 6/0 in a type called the "Czech Glass Bead".
I move very slowly on some of these materials, sometimes thinking about a single pattern such as a Streamer for literally half a year before I actually start to put the thing together. Sometimes I just cannot quite find the material that I want, but sooner or later, something I see in a store, will work.
Also, I have lead, but I have come to use it only rarely now; because I have busted up several old household appliances like blenders, etc,
and now have a lifetime supply of Copper Wire.
I just bought some Twine in Orange, Yellow, and several Browns yesterday, and my wife says she can teach me to do a Three-String Braid, and I intend to use these for Stonefly Bodies, with other materials added in of course.
The Fly Tier wants to avoid using natural threads such as cotton, because cotton rots.
Synthetic Fibers are the best for flies. Of These, "Coats & Clark" (known also as "Coats") is a thread manufacturer who makes synthetics in two forms. One that can be used for fly tying is Polyester, and Polyester "coated" Polyester.
The second is Rayon, and the nice thing about the Coats Rayon thread, is that it comes in the sewing stores, on a Bobbin that is 1-3/8" wide (3.5 millimeter). What this mean is that it fits perfectly on to a fly tiers threading tool. It holds more thread though.
.
.
That's all I can think of at the moment.
:frogdance
Last edited:
Rip Tide
Well-known member
The long black fly in the center of this picture is a 'white water witch" tied entirely from Halloween wig hair.
noreaster
Well-known member
This is the reverse side of a crispy crunch bar wrapper used as Mylar
flytire
Well-known member
contents deleted
Last edited:
noreaster
Well-known member
That fake eyelash tip is quite SMRT : Smart.:thumbsup:
Also read about those old school Glad garbage bag plastic ties that look like a zipper working as nymph wing cases.
Also read about those old school Glad garbage bag plastic ties that look like a zipper working as nymph wing cases.
moucheur2003
Well-known member
The braided polypro or nylon lanyards that they hand out at conferences to hang your nametag from. Some of them come in yellow or orange, and when you unravel them, the strands are perfect for stimulator bodies.
mcnerney
Administrator
Forum member Kelly (kglissmeyer1) had another tying article published (KG's EPF Emerger) in the autumn 2012 issue of Flyfisher Magazine. The interesting thing about this emerger is that it uses that thin white foam sheeting used for protection of electronics in the packaging. Kelly uses the foam as a topping over the thorax area and looks great once you pull in tight. Lately I have been tying a few up for this coming fishing season.
Rip Tide
Well-known member
A number of Gary LaFontaine's flies utilized packing foam... the airhead, the mess, the halo emerger....
All of the flies in this photo except the clousers on the lower left have glow in the dark spider web from the Halloween section at K-Mart. It has the same texture and works like EP fiber. The fly on the top right is an EP type minnow made entirely out of the spider web. I darkened the back with a marker and it actually glows though the marker. I love the stuff.
I also like Halloween wigs for big Pike flies. I take the straight stuff and wrap a few inches around a pencil and hit it with a hair dryer on high for a bit. It permanently coils it. Whe 'fritzed' up it works exactly like Big Fly Fiber' but is much cheaper and comes in many more colors.
Heart beads from the craft store. I use them as the head on Reynold's Pike Flies. It makes a larger head that protects the only vulnerable spot left on the fly. I use 5 min. epoxy on the weed gaurd, everything else is covered in leather. This makes the flies look better and are now just about indestructable.
Big Intruderish fly I call a flame thrower tied on a cotter pin.
Tube fly Poppers made on cotton swab tubes, foam ear plugs, and the clear tygon tubing from oxygen tubes.
The throat on this tube fly is shed fur from my neighbors half Pekinese, half Chow. Don't ask how that happens, I can't picture it.
I'm sure there is more, but that was all I could think of in a pop quiz sort of way.
I also like Halloween wigs for big Pike flies. I take the straight stuff and wrap a few inches around a pencil and hit it with a hair dryer on high for a bit. It permanently coils it. Whe 'fritzed' up it works exactly like Big Fly Fiber' but is much cheaper and comes in many more colors.
Heart beads from the craft store. I use them as the head on Reynold's Pike Flies. It makes a larger head that protects the only vulnerable spot left on the fly. I use 5 min. epoxy on the weed gaurd, everything else is covered in leather. This makes the flies look better and are now just about indestructable.
Big Intruderish fly I call a flame thrower tied on a cotter pin.
Tube fly Poppers made on cotton swab tubes, foam ear plugs, and the clear tygon tubing from oxygen tubes.
The throat on this tube fly is shed fur from my neighbors half Pekinese, half Chow. Don't ask how that happens, I can't picture it.
I'm sure there is more, but that was all I could think of in a pop quiz sort of way.
Rip Tide
Well-known member
The flies that I'm tying today have bead chain eyes, craft fur tail, saddle hackle collar, and a deer body hair head.
Well you say... that all came from a fly shop and it's true, you can get all that stuff at a shop but that's not where I got mine.
The bead chain I collect years ago and I always salvage some when I find it.
The craft fur came from a dept. store. Bought long before you could find it in any fly shop.
The saddle hackle.... okay I bought that
The deer body hair came from a hunter and was personally dyed by me, myself.
Well you say... that all came from a fly shop and it's true, you can get all that stuff at a shop but that's not where I got mine.
The bead chain I collect years ago and I always salvage some when I find it.
The craft fur came from a dept. store. Bought long before you could find it in any fly shop.
The saddle hackle.... okay I bought that
The deer body hair came from a hunter and was personally dyed by me, myself.
Jimmie
Well-known member
Many different types of ribbon at the craft store that are good for flashback material.
Flyfisher for men
Well-known member
wool army blanket makes great olive dubbing.
Nylon rope can be a good source of fibers.
An old pair of suspenders for rubber legs
a stuffed animal for the interior "fluff"
Christmas bows can make nice strips of ribbon.
Nylon rope can be a good source of fibers.
An old pair of suspenders for rubber legs
a stuffed animal for the interior "fluff"
Christmas bows can make nice strips of ribbon.
brucerducer
Well-known member
- Messages
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.
One of the materials that has been mentioned in at least one book, as an alternative to using Sally Hansen's "Hard---As---Nails" for glue is the following product.
"Beauty Secrets Nail Hardener & Thickener" 2.5 oz bottle
This comes in round bottle and it is usually found I think, only in the
"Beauty Supply" stores. I do not think even that the Big Box Stores carry it. It can be purchased from Amazon.
What I want to point out about the product, is that is offered as a mere "alternative" to Sally Hansen's but it really is a very different product in its characteristics. It isn't the same, but it's differerences make it all the better for the fly tier.
(a) "Beauty Secrets Nail Hardener" dries Faster, and it stays thinner for the life of the product.
(b) "Hard As Nails" evaporates over time, and becomes thicker.
I use it when I want a kind of final glue, when I am getting up and walking away from the tying bench. (It can be thinned with Acetone)
But if I want something "thick" to cover sharp corners or to smooth out
a surface, the thickening Hard--As---Nails works well.
(c) "Beauty Secrets" does not thicken over time. I have never seen any product dry so fast.
I keep both Sally Hansen's and the "Beauty Secrets" Hardener on my bench.
"Beauty Secrets" works rather well.
One of the materials that has been mentioned in at least one book, as an alternative to using Sally Hansen's "Hard---As---Nails" for glue is the following product.
"Beauty Secrets Nail Hardener & Thickener" 2.5 oz bottle
This comes in round bottle and it is usually found I think, only in the
"Beauty Supply" stores. I do not think even that the Big Box Stores carry it. It can be purchased from Amazon.
What I want to point out about the product, is that is offered as a mere "alternative" to Sally Hansen's but it really is a very different product in its characteristics. It isn't the same, but it's differerences make it all the better for the fly tier.
(a) "Beauty Secrets Nail Hardener" dries Faster, and it stays thinner for the life of the product.
(b) "Hard As Nails" evaporates over time, and becomes thicker.
I use it when I want a kind of final glue, when I am getting up and walking away from the tying bench. (It can be thinned with Acetone)
But if I want something "thick" to cover sharp corners or to smooth out
a surface, the thickening Hard--As---Nails works well.
(c) "Beauty Secrets" does not thicken over time. I have never seen any product dry so fast.
I keep both Sally Hansen's and the "Beauty Secrets" Hardener on my bench.
"Beauty Secrets" works rather well.
JoJer
Well-known member
I'm sure we all have some copper wire from old motors.
Craft stores have a variety of wire of different of diameters and colors, cheaper than the fly shops.
I've used cut strips of colored plstic bags for thin skin applications. My favorite is a 1/2" wide strip (comes on a spool) of stretchy green plastic for tying plants to stakes. I tape it to a cutting board and cut strips to size with an Xacto.
While you're in the fabric store, check out the Sulky thread display. There are colored, translucent plastic threads that are like a spool of Krystal Flash. Also very narrow metalic for flashy ribs with no weight.
Craft stores have a variety of wire of different of diameters and colors, cheaper than the fly shops.
I've used cut strips of colored plstic bags for thin skin applications. My favorite is a 1/2" wide strip (comes on a spool) of stretchy green plastic for tying plants to stakes. I tape it to a cutting board and cut strips to size with an Xacto.
While you're in the fabric store, check out the Sulky thread display. There are colored, translucent plastic threads that are like a spool of Krystal Flash. Also very narrow metalic for flashy ribs with no weight.
sandfly
Well-known member
And you all wonder why there are no fly shops left (mom & pop)..
brucerducer
Well-known member
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[/COLOR]
The idea however, works both ways, does it not?
One may wonder why there are "no fly shops left" and at the same time,
wonder why there are not more "fly-fishermen".
If it is considered that the cost of financing a hobby ever served as a barrier to participation, then certainly, the cost of materials for fly-tying may be regarded as a critical obstacle.
We might consider that developing more Fly Tiers, by making it affordable, would as a natural consequence, create more eventual customers for those (mom & pop) fly shops. I don't think any Fly Tier obtains materials exclusively from thrift stores, box stores, or other sources. Everyone goes to the fly shop.
I am reminded that I used to be told; "Necessity is the Mother of Invention".
.
Thanks for the thought Sandfly.
The idea however, works both ways, does it not?
One may wonder why there are "no fly shops left" and at the same time,
wonder why there are not more "fly-fishermen".
If it is considered that the cost of financing a hobby ever served as a barrier to participation, then certainly, the cost of materials for fly-tying may be regarded as a critical obstacle.
We might consider that developing more Fly Tiers, by making it affordable, would as a natural consequence, create more eventual customers for those (mom & pop) fly shops. I don't think any Fly Tier obtains materials exclusively from thrift stores, box stores, or other sources. Everyone goes to the fly shop.
I am reminded that I used to be told; "Necessity is the Mother of Invention".
.
stimmy7
Well-known member
In "days of Yore" I had a couple of buddies that tied and we used to go in halves or thirds on materials to save bucks- worked well with boxes of 100 hooks or beads, a cape, a saddle, a GP crown, even a jungle cock cape, fur patches and bulk bags of plucked feathers...
If you can find others local to you that have the same sick habit as the rest of us, you can save some bucks and STILL get first rate materials.
And all these craft threads, flosses, yarns? You can buy a box for floss with flat cardboard 'spools' it them and just spool off enough for each of you, then pass along the rest to others. Same with craft beads...
If you can find others local to you that have the same sick habit as the rest of us, you can save some bucks and STILL get first rate materials.
And all these craft threads, flosses, yarns? You can buy a box for floss with flat cardboard 'spools' it them and just spool off enough for each of you, then pass along the rest to others. Same with craft beads...
silver creek
Well-known member
Just to tag a photo to post here is what JoJer means. Sulky Holoshimmer at JoAnns for thin holographic tinsel.
brucerducer
Well-known member
- Messages
- 323
- Reaction score
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Mylar is one of the most treasured supplies for the Fly Tyer.
Unless I am mistaken, Mylar is what "Flashabou" is made of.
Shiny Mylar can also be found in the grocery store as follows:
As the Inner Lining of a Bag of Potato Chips.
I found some of the Shiniest Silver Mylar I have ever seen, in a box of Nabisco "Teddy Grahams" this week. It's a Graham Cracker Cookie shaped like a Teddy Bear. I like Teddy Bears and Graham Crackers are good to snack on when tying, with a coffee or tea.
---------- Post added at 05:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:17 PM ----------
The JoAnn's was out of business though. However, there was a shop called
"Creative Needle". So, expecting to be disappointed, I went in and asked for Metallic Embroidery Thread. The lady showed me some stuff, and then the Owner asked; "Are you tying flies?"
"Yep!" I said.
"Well here," she said. Here's what all the fly tyers buy."
And wouldn't you know, she sold me all kinds of Pearlescent Threads and that Dark & Rainbow colored Metallic Embroidery Thread and to top it all of, a neat product called, "Ribbon Floss, Metallic / Opal" which means OPALESCENT of course. I came out of the store feeling like a bandit.
That was just all right. Ha ha. "All the fly tiers..." she said. That was a good one.
.
Unless I am mistaken, Mylar is what "Flashabou" is made of.
Shiny Mylar can also be found in the grocery store as follows:
As the Inner Lining of a Bag of Potato Chips.
I found some of the Shiniest Silver Mylar I have ever seen, in a box of Nabisco "Teddy Grahams" this week. It's a Graham Cracker Cookie shaped like a Teddy Bear. I like Teddy Bears and Graham Crackers are good to snack on when tying, with a coffee or tea.
---------- Post added at 05:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:17 PM ----------
Silver Creek, guess what? I was making my rounds yesterday, looking for this stuff in town. Hobbly Lobby first, then the Denver Fabric Store, and they suggested the Jo Ann's way down on South Broadway at Ridge Road.Just to tag a photo to post here is what JoJer means. Sulky Holoshimmer at JoAnns for thin holographic tinsel.
The JoAnn's was out of business though. However, there was a shop called
"Creative Needle". So, expecting to be disappointed, I went in and asked for Metallic Embroidery Thread. The lady showed me some stuff, and then the Owner asked; "Are you tying flies?"
"Yep!" I said.
"Well here," she said. Here's what all the fly tyers buy."
And wouldn't you know, she sold me all kinds of Pearlescent Threads and that Dark & Rainbow colored Metallic Embroidery Thread and to top it all of, a neat product called, "Ribbon Floss, Metallic / Opal" which means OPALESCENT of course. I came out of the store feeling like a bandit.
That was just all right. Ha ha. "All the fly tiers..." she said. That was a good one.
.