Clean Peacock Herl

[Jim Sentell]

I use Peacock Herl in a lot of flies I tie and get aggravated when I see a pattern being tied on YouTube or elsewhere. The Peacock Herl looks so brilliant and colorful. Mine is sort of dull looking, even in the sunlight.

While perusing a well-known fly shop's catalog, I noticed a statement in the description of their Peacock Herl, "we clean all our herl for you before we send it out..blah, blah..."

Have any of you heard of "cleaning peacock herl" and if so, how do you do it?

Thanks, Jim

[ducksterman]

Jim, short answer ...No...

However there is the green herl and then there is the bronze with some variations in between...perhaps yours is not the brilliant green ...the bronze does look a little duller....at least mine does....

I just wish I had fuller herl...mine [and I've got a lot] isn't that nice full stuff....

[popperfly]

Another short answer,

I have purchased brilliant green herl from our local fly shop and it has been dyed more of a brilliant green and I really like it.

[kglissmeyer]

Just a thought, if you are buying the strung or packaged herl and not the actual feather 'stick' then the herls tend to be of a lesser quality and more dull than when cut straight from the original feather. I only use herl I cut from the tail feather and I find a tremendous variety of size and quality and can choose just the ones I want to buy. Also, check with your craft and decorating stores as well as thrift shops where you will find not only peacock, but some other exotic feathers you may find useful.

Kelly.

[narcodog]

As was stated buy the sticks more better quality. I have found strung is inferior in that it breaks easily, color not consistent and the quill thickness is also not consistent. Strung might be cheaper but you will throw more away and get more aggravated with it breaking.

[kelkay]

I agree about the herl. I have not found any good strung herl at all. It is very poor quality for the most part.

[Ray Kunz]

Don't reject some herls for being a dull, bronze color. Some some flies this is preferred.
To get herls to get a bronze cast I've been told they should be placed in direct sunlight for several days.

[Buddy Sanders]

For me, and I use lots of herl, buying it is sort of like buying a good dry fly cape. I need to see it and be able to pick through a bunch to find the stuff that's good enough for me to use.

Not all strung herl is created equal.

Some of it is excellent. Some of it isn't.

I've found that the longer socalled premium herl from Orvis is great. Some of the shorter stuff I've found in some fly shops is marginal.

I like the larger packages of strung herl. I'll get different shades, from green to bronze, in the same package. I can then pick the shade I want for a particular tie.

The herl pulled off of the tail feather itself, especially that found in the eyes, tends to be a bit fuller. But for the amount of flies I tie with it, I can't afford to buy only whole feathers. Strung herl is fine for my uses if I can get the good stuff. So far, that hasn't been a problem.

I've never cleaned it myself, nor seen a need for me to. The quality of the herl is the issue for me, not whether it's clean or not.

Buddy

[Panman]

I use Peacock Herl in a lot of flies I tie and get aggravated when I see a pattern being tied on YouTube or elsewhere. The Peacock Herl looks so brilliant and colorful. Mine is sort of dull looking, even in the sunlight.

While perusing a well-known fly shop's catalog, I noticed a statement in the description of their Peacock Herl, "we clean all our herl for you before we send it out..blah, blah..."

Have any of you heard of "cleaning peacock herl" and if so, how do you do it?

Thanks, Jim

Jim: It appears that you may have stumped FAOL's herl experts (lol). Could you query the "well known fly shop" and ask them? If you find out I would like to know and I would guess others would also.

Thanks, Tim

[Martin McFly]

Hey Jim,
A good friend of mine who lives in AZ has a little farm and she has peacocks, she has given me some feathers and they do look nice and bright. I can gladly share with you (free of course), let me know.
Thanks