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Material Issues
Last night I took out my fly tying materials to tie a few flies. It has been months since I pulled everything out. I was tying using a Pheasant Tail clump I bought years ago. I noticed at the bottom clump a whitish moist-ish powerdery substance. I had stored this feather in an unsealed bag. I didn't see any other signs of bugs. What happened to my material? I am suspecting that made the material was not fully dried and there has been some mositure instrusion? Comments please.
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Borax used as a preservative?
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if its not borax and if it got damp it could be a kind of mold. a wash, light and air should kill it.
Eric
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I'd guess borax too. I have a bunch all over my stuff too. After all this time haha.
nb
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Seems to me he should have noticed borax originally...borax won't grow but mold will....ergo...mold
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If the piece dried significantly from the last time he saw it the borax could easily have dried out and fallen off... ergo, we don't know... ;)
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Besides if it is mold it would be spelled "ergot"... But why be "wry"... ;)
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This is a clump I purchased from a local fly shop. I threw away the original packaging but it was probably METZ. I don't think it is Borax since I don't see the little "pebbles" you get with borax. Based on all your comments I am guess mold too. I will give it a good wash and get back to tying...Thanks everyone
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why not pluck or cut off the usable feathers from the clump and throw that away?? am i missing something here??
you wont have any problems after that