Guard hairs and dubbin

[ducksterman]

Finally got around to tying the Allchuck caddis...FOTW...first one not bad ...2nd a disaster..
How do you separate the guard hair {for wings} from the underfur {for dubbing}?

Seemed rather cumbersome and also easy to waste some.

By your question I am guessing that you are taking the fur/hair directly off of the skin. If that is incorrect, ignore the rest of this.

Grab a bunch of hair/fur between your left thumb and forefinger. Squeeze tight. Cut the bunch as close to the skin as you can. Put scissors down and tightly grab the butt section of what you've cut with your right thumb and forefinger. The tips of the bunch should now be in your left and the rest in your right fingers. Release the left fingers and realign them so that they are grabbing just the tips of the hair. Hold tight. Ease up a little with your right fingers and slowly pull the hair out with your left fingers. If you want even less guard hairs, just move your right fingers closer to the base of the fur, grab the hairs that stick out and remove them the same way. This will leave you with a soft underfur dubbing.

Depending on how large a bunch you cut, you may have enough hair for a wing or you may have to cut 2 or more bunches. The fur that remains in your right fingers is

Hope this helps.

Allan