Joe,

Without reviewing all the posts above, allow me to offer up 3 comments that were not mentioned:
1)Wing 'Cutters' like large nail clippers will do the job. However, you must make the size and shape of the 2 wings identical.
2)Wing 'Burners' will accomplish the requirement of #1 above.
3)If you use a Wing Burner, and I believe this is true for most feathers used in this process as well as other materials that may be used, the edges of each barb/fiber are singed and hold together better then if the feather or material was cut.
I hardly use either of these processes, but if I did Burnt Wings would be my preference. So it's entirely possible that #3 is open to other opinions. Lastly, it appears to my view that the wings of the flies in the first post were cut, not burnt.

Tight Wraps.

Allan