Spinning Deer Hair

[dsaavedra]

well...i went to tie a muddler minnow today...and ran into extreme problems. i decided to practice the spinning technique w/ replenishable squirrel hair first, before breaking into my valuable (and scarce ) deer hair. well.....IT DIDNT WORK. donno if this is cuz of the hair or my ways. so seeing how terrible that experiment went, i backed off, and gave it a lump of squirrel hair for a head.

any instructions/ tips on spinning deer hair would be GREATLY appreiciated.!!!!

[mr. blur]

first...use deer hair.

[deeky]

You will need deer hair (not bucktail) or some other thicker, hollow hair. It is actually the compression of the hollow space in the hair that makes it flair as is desired in spinning and stacking. Start there, use heavier thread (at least 6/0, but 3/0 I think is better for learning), and pull hard enough to just avoid cutting the hair. Then pack away. Just don't push hard enough or off line from the hook to bend it. A few wraps of thread in front of each clump and keep practicing.

[JeffHamm]

Hi dsaavedra,

Spinning deer hair works, in part, because of how deer hair will "flair" when you put tension on it with the tying thread. Squirrel hair just doesn't have the same response. I think you will find that when you tie on your bunch of deer hair, it's rather easy to get it to flare simply by pulling down on the tying thread. In fact, it's more difficult to get deer hair to lay flat for a tail, like with a Royal Wulfe, than it is to get it to explode into a shaving brush. I've not tied many spun hair patterns, but I've tied a couple. The trick is to make sure the hair flares around the whole hook, and not just the side you are looking at when tying! Check the "far side" too! Spin the hair, pack it back, tie on and spin more in front, etc. When you trim the hair back with your scissors is when you make the final head shape, so don't worry what it looks like in that way, just make sure the hair is all the way around, and packed nice and tight.

- Jeff

[dsaavedra]

thanks guys. i just tied a muddler. other than my wing splitting apart cuz it sucked, it turned out good. the head doesnt look TOO great...only because i used one clump instead of the normal 3. i didnt want to waste as my kit only came w/ like a 1"x1" patch of deer hair, and most is gone. then next one will be good, as i am using synthetic wings and tails, and im going to use 3 clumps.

[billknepp]

Buy good hair in a shop where you can have "Hands On" experience with it...Look for hair that is resilient and Has good clean tips..no signs of broken tips...and Practice...A Lot!!!...It will become second nature faster than you think...!

[dragonfly1]

Before you spin the hair it's a good idea to get all the under fur out of the clump you selected. This will make spinning the hair a lot easier and make the finished fly look better. The under fur is that very fine fluff found in the deer hair. I use an old tooth brush to brush it out, but they do make combs for this purpose also, the tooth brush works well and cost a heck of a lot less.
I post on the NAFC also, I'm known as flyman there. I just saw your other post asking if there was any one else here from NAFC. Hope this helps you out a little in your hair spinning. Good luck,Dave

[JeffHamm]

To get the underfur out I often just hold by the tips and use a needle or bodkin. I've seen people use a piece of velcro (the hook bits) glued to a popsicle stick for this, and to "brush up" dubbed thoraxes to give a good leggy look. Don't forget to keep all that fine underfur though, as it can make great dubbing material!

- Jeff

[dragonfly1]

Thanks Jeff,
Never thought of velcro before, I'll have to give that a shot as well !
Tried the bodkin,sewing needle, toothpick approach before, just picked up the old tooth brush one day and gave it shot.Ever since that's what I've been using. Thanks again for the velcro tip! Later, Dave

[ducksterman]

and all deer hair is not created equal