I was looking through a fly tying book from the 70s and in the picture showing the “badger” feather the feather was white with a black centre stripe and black tips as well. In all sorts of books the proper Coch-a-bondu (sp?) hackle is a brown with black centre strip (along the stem) and black tips (so the centre and edges of the feather are black).
I’ve never seen feathers like either of these for sale, and the books all point out that the Coch-a-bondu is as rare as hen’s teeth, but I’ve never seen the black-tipped badger either. All the feathers referred to as badger are just white with black centres. Does anyone breed these anymore, or are these just rare birds?
Brown with a black center (along the quill) is also known as Furnace and seems to be quite common in the fly shops which are local to me. I think that it is also called Greenwell, in the UK, but I may be quite wrong about that.
I just checked in John Veniard’s ‘Fly Dressers Guide’ 1966 1968 1970.
Badger - Black centre with white outer fibres, sometimes with black tips.
Furnace - Black centre with red outer fibres.
Coch-Y-Bondhu - As Furnace but with the edges of the fibres tipped with black.
Greenwell - Black centre with ginger outer fibres.
As Veniards is a very long established tying supply firm and John Veniard was an excellent fly dresser, I think I’ll take his word. :lol:
Although I will admit, I often have trouble with red, ginger and brown.
Thanks, Donald. I was unsure about the Greenwell. I have seen various descriptions of it on-line. Your reference is impeccable and I shall not consider myself no longer unsure.
Do you ever use a pattern called the Cruncher. I’m going to try that one out as soon as I can get to it.
The ‘Cruncher’ is I think, a stillwater pattern which has been very popular over here for a few years.
If I remember correctly, it is a Flymph with either cockeral or hen hackle and a variety of bodies and colours.
Thanks everyone. I can get furnace easily enough, and badger without the black tips. Have seen some capes which would fit tipless Greenwells although I thought Greenwells was suppose to be ginger furnace with black tips too (ginger Coch-y-bondu I guess), but I will bow to Donald’s research on that without shame. It’s just I’ve never seen for sale any of the black centre and black-tipped hackles and was wondering if they were still for sale by anyone?
Coch-Y-Bondhu is rare Jeff, and so is Greenwell.
The best bet is with Conranch, his Furnace has some feathers with black tips.
I don’t think anybody really tries to breed Coch-Y-Bondhu now-a-days.
Not too long ago I needed some Badger and furnace hackle. There seemed to be plenty for sale from the importers, but much of it no good. Supplier reputation seemed to work reliably. Orvis and a couple of the faol sponsers had some really good ones. I really like to tie conventional streamers using White or golden badger.I do not need tiny feathers for the patterns I encounter. I ignore the black tip.
When it comes to badgers, furnaces, coch-a-bondhu, and greenwills (golden badger with no black tips) breeders are lasy about looking close at the hackle to give it a real color grade. All of these colors are very easy to get despite what people say and it is just a matter of knowing where to look.
Coch-a-bondhu can me found on hackle many breeders grade as furnace, Metz can be worse sometimes calling them brown.
Greenwills are often just marker as Golden Badger or even just badger.
Badgers are a huge toss up I do not know of any breeders who say if the feathers have black tips or not. Most are very unclear on shades. I look as badgers being silver, cream, or golden. Then each one can have or not have black tips. This makes for 6 different colors that can all be marked as only 1 or 2 colors.
I tie alot of very old classic dry flies and most were very selective on they type of badger. If you can handle your material before you buy chances are you will be able to fine the shade you need from any shop with a real stock of hackle. If not find a shop that knows what to look for and that you can trust to select the right shade.
I have gotten to the point where I am regrading what color hackle I receive from suppliers just so I can quickly find the right product for customers.
