I’ve been wanting to try tying a Polly Rosborough pattern, called the Blonde Burlap. It requires burlap which has been bleached to a lighter shade of brown, almost white. In his book he suggests Hydrogen Peroxide, tried this and it did nothing? In Gary Borgers book, Naturals he suggests using Clairoxide and I can’t find this? Any ideas on the best way to bleach fur and hackle?
Tim
Hydrogen Peroxide and household ammonia mix should get you going. Use in well ventilated area.
Cheers,
Hans W
Go to Sally Beauty Supply and get a tub of Clarol Whitner and a half gallon of 20 volume hydrogen Peroxide. Mix the Whitner powder 1 scoop to H2O2 1 cup. Wash feathers with Dawn and then into the mix. A pheasant rump patch will take about 20 min. A fox squerral skin will come out orange to ginger. None will come out perfectly white. Your burlap shouldn’t take no more than 20 or 30 minutes.
For what it is worth, drug store Hydrogen Peroxide is only about 3% strength. Some claim it works but I have never had the patience to wait hours for it. I have better things to do like fishing.
Good luck with your project.
fishbum
PS
Check out the wild rave hair dye while you are at Sally’s. Whole not colorfast they will last long enough for your average steelhead fly.
Most fabric stores will carry burlap fabric in a very wide assortment of colors. Why not avoid the cost and hassle of the bleaching proccess.
http://hancockfabricstore.stores.yahoo.net/burlapfabric.html
Wouldn’t a bleach like Clorox do the job of bleaching material?
Second the idea of buying it already the right color though. A half yard of the fabric would most likely be a lifetime supply for you and several other fly tiers.
Jeff
I’m sorta in jeffnles1’s camp.
Burlap isn’t animal hair or fiber it’s made of jute & plant fiber and more of a fabric so I’d go with Clorox if you can’t find the color you are after at a fabric store.
BTW - I do know that JoAnn fabrics will sell you as little yard goods as you want.
Hi Tim,
I use a mixture of 50% household ammonia and 50% household hydrogen peroxide when wanting to bleach fly tying materials. This mixture will bleach fur and feathers. It will not take them to a pure white, but will bleach to a nice extent for fly tying.
It is also realatively non-damaging to fur and feathers, in that it does not normally destroy the material. There is a danger to the fly tying material with bleaching agents that are too strong, as they can damage the material that is being bleached. Leaving the material in the 50/50 mixture for many hours, however, normally does not damage it, but does bleach it.
The 50/50 mixture bleaches very slowly. Often I leave materials in the bleach 2 hours minimum. I have left “hard to bleach” materials in the mixture up to 24 hours.
I don’t know if it will bleach the burlap. Be sure to give it plenty of time if you try it. If you decide to try the mix, be sure to use household ammonia that does not contain a perfume or some other scent.
Some advantages of this mix, besides that it does not normally damage materials, include: 1. the materials are readily available and relatively inexpensive, 2. the material works slowly enough that you can stop it at in intermediate stage if you like the results of a partial bleaching, and 3. it is less hazardous than stronger bleaches.
A warning is in order, however. Even though less dangerous than some of the stronger bleaches, it is still strong enough to injure a person. It should be handled with caution, knowing that it is caustic and it is an oxidizer (bleach.) Read the warnings on the labels of the hydrogen peroxide and the ammonia.
Regards,
Gandolf
Gandolf, your exactly right about the harsher products destroying materials. The Clorox that I used on the burlap worked well with the burlap but when I tried it on some hackle it destroyed it. Live and learn. So, I’ll try the hydrogen peroxide and ammonia on the hackle. Thanks to everyone for their input.
Tim