Odd materials

[Sirrom]

For "microfibbits" Loew-Cornell makes some nylon paint brushes. Various stores (Hobby Lobby and Wal-Mart) sell them in packs of 3 (3", 2", and 1") for about $4. They come in two colors that I know of, White #1170 and Brown #1177. They white ones can be easily marked with a permanent marker. The bristles are fine and pointed.
Sort of in a rush, going fishing, will post other "odd" materials later.
Chuck

[altimas]

I thought about using Bellybutton lint for dubbing but thought the smell would scare off the fish...

[dudley]

A lifetime ago "Tap" Tapply wrote the Tap's Tips column for Field and Stream
One of his flies used the fluff from a milkweed pod for the wing

[Jayatwork]

Thanks for the post, peregrines.

The same thing can be done with Scotch "Tear By Hand" tape....and the adhesive is already there.....wish I could remember where I learned it so I could give proper credit...not my idea.

I bet you saw Bill Heckel use that at the flytiers expo. That's where I saw it.

[ducksterman]

I bet you saw Bill Heckel use that at the flytiers expo. That's where I saw it.

I believe you are correct ...it would have been several years ago in Eugene though...thanks for the reminder

[bassman]

Maybe not be a real odd tying material, but I just bought a couple pair of regular flip flops at Michaels for 39 cents a pair. To cut plugs out of to use for poppers.They will give me hundreds of cylinders. John

[ducksterman]

Maybe not be a real odd tying material, but I just bought a couple pair of regular flip flops at Michaels for 39 cents a pair. To cut plugs out of to use for poppers.They will give me hundreds of cylinders. John

Not too mention they can give you several hundreds of eyes

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I get the thick freezer ziplock bags and cut them in thin strips. Do an over lapping wrap on the fly bodies to give them a translucent shine that has a good depth to it. From the same ziplock bags i have cut the zipper parts both the yellow and the green wrapped on the hook shank make nice ribbed bodies.

I surprised myself with the biggest rainbow of the season with one of my ziplock bodied flies.

I use those feather dusters instead of fibbits the two tone black and white make really good tails.

[hikepat]

Xmas ribbon that was red, tan and olive that turned out to be made of swiss straw, I also have found that the dowel rods we get in at work often are tied with a material that looks like swiss straw that I hope to try out some time.
Foam grip material for ant boddies. Some one did a fly of the week not to long ago just like the one I do.

[Gigmaster]

My favorite 'non-standard' materials are Hot Glue (Low temp), Gorilla Glue, and Lee Press-On Fingernails. All of these make killer bodies.