Icelandic Horse/Arctic Runner Hair

[ScottP]

Anyone have any experience with the stuff? A friend asked me about it and I've never used it; looks like it would be great for hairwing streamers, although it certainly isn't cheap. Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Scott

[Ray Kunz]

If a material is exotic and expensive but considered only as a substitute for something with which we are presently using my question is. "Why bother?" Is there an "snob aspect" to it ?
I'm still looking for some pubic hair from an African Polar Bear.

[herefishy]

I've seen these horses, maybe you could find someone who has one and comb him?

[ScottP]

If a material is exotic and expensive but considered only as a substitute for something with which we are presently using my question is. "Why bother?" Is there an "snob aspect" to it ?

Ray,

The guy ties full-dress salmon flies; "exoctic and expensive" are par for the course. Maybe, strike that, probably isn't necessary, but in the right hands many of those flies transcend craft and approach art, so I can understand how they justify the extra expense.

Regards,
Scott

[John Rhoades]

Scott -

I see there is a guy from Iceland selling this horse hair on Ebay. I like the details that he gives in the description for this hair. Some of his past auctions have been rather pricey, but not all have sold real high in the past.

John

[Ray Kunz]

I hear you guys re the artfully crafted flies. I missed that aspect.
My tying skill limits me to "fishing flies". I have fun anyway.

[Buddy Sanders]

Scott,

I've used it little.

It's just a bit stiffer than Icelandic Sheep Hair, and seems to hold it's shape in the water better. While it seems 'pricey', in many ways it's like good hackle. It goes a really long ways. 'Sparse' is the way to use this stuff to get the best advantage from it. I got several 'packages' to 'test' (I didn't pay for them), I think they were around 1/4 ounce each. (Wasn't marked). Lets just say I think I could tie several hundreds of streamers from what I have, maybe as many as a thousand. If what I had cost around $100, it would be a decent price considering how many flies it will tie.

All that being said, It's not 'different' or 'better' enough for me to buy more, although I doubt I'll ever use all I have. The sheep hair works just as well as far as the fish are concerned.

One of those 'nice to have but not essential' materials for me.

Buddy

[FK]

Last year at the Somerset, NJ Fly Tying Symposium,,,,, I spoke to a gentleman from Iceland who was at a fly tying table.

When I questioned him on Artic Runner he gave me a piece and stated the Icelandic Ponies were a food source. They were harvested and consumed like our cattle in the states.

Regards,
FK