How do you bleach elk hair?

[cklenske]

I have a couple of pieces of elk hock hair, natural color, and I enjoy working with it. Handles real well for me. I wish now that I had picked up some of the bleached color, but didn't. Then I started thinking - could I bleach it myself? Maybe - If I knew what to do. Anyone tell me how to go about it? Or should I just pick up some of the bleached stuff next time I get to the shop?
Thanks.
CJ

------------------
The only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.

[Benjo]

When I bleech things, I put them in bleech until I get the desired result, then quickly take them out and bathe in water for a while. It usually doesn't take long. Bleech will take all the feathers off peacock herl in about 20 seconds. Great for tying tiny quill type bodies.

[Ron Mason]

I wouldn't use bleach I would use peroxide. Bleach will destroy it.

------------------
Ron M

[millerwb]

Peroxide (like you get at the drug store) will work well. What you get at the drug store works slow, but that can be a good thing sometimes.

[blanphar]

Unless your going to do a lot of hair and or feathers I believe you would be better off just buying a patch of bleached hair. Elk hair from a mature Bull is very light from the flank area. If you can find this hair versus the bleached it's a much more durable hair as bleaching tends to make the hair brittle. If your going to do it right its one smelly process. It envolves using ammonia, 40% peroxide not the drug store stuff and Clairol Basic Pro. White a beauty salon product. Make sure you have good ventilation and a very tolerant wife. Email me if you want a more precise step by step go through.

[blanphar]

I need to read more closely. I neglected to notice the word "hock". I don't know what your tying but a hair I've used a lot over the years is the throat hair off a white tail BUCK. The white under the chin goes farther down the neck on the bucks than it does on the does. I've thought about writing an article about the use of this hair. I use it for wings on light colored caddis and many small Wulff patterns. It makes a nice overwing for stimulators for visability. I've never seen it offered by any of the wholesalers that I've used in the past. when the animals are dressed out this hair usually disappears with the head.

[millerwb]

I have had good results with the 3% peroxide that you get at the drug store. Mix it in equal proportion with household ammonia. As I said, the process is slower than using the professional stuff but it will work. If I were just doing a few small pieces, as I have to prep them to be dyed, then this seems most sensable to me. I think you should try and do it yourself. It is fun to work with tying materials and adjust them to suit your needs. If you are concerned, just do 1/2 of the patch of hair.

hi,
I was just wondering if you could just use proxide and not the amionia ( i think i spelled theose two words correct.)

reards ,
fisher

-----<><---<><----<><---'<><-----

[millerwb]

I have never tried just the peroxide alone. Give it a try. Let us know how it works.

i think i will try some moose hair as a lot of the salmon patterns in newfoundland call for white moose hair.

regards,
fisher