Learned a long time ago that the skin off of the facing edge of a good size feather from a duck, goose, turkey or similar bird makes an excellent ‘quill type’ body. Has anyone else used this material? A good way to get it is to soak the feather for a short time. Put a small notch with a razor at the top of the feather skin. Grasp the lower piece of the feather skin and peel down. You may have to remove some inner pulp.
Who’s used this material?
I use to use it for a pattern called the Breadcrust. Ruffed grouse was the feather of choice, and the Pith (Pulp) had to be removed from it as well. Now I just palmer Grizzly hen hackle on the fly, clip it short, and get the same results from the fish.
have been using them for aq long time, about the late 50 a older fly tyer show me how. nice way to get off color bodys, grouse tails I spit down the middle you get two color a light and a nice reddest brown. at the time I had lots of condor quills, so didn’t have to do that much. I do like the breadcrust with the grouse quills. when I had the fly shop and had classes I showed that and how to weave. one day cutting some grouse quills using a razor blade I cut my hand luck was the hospital was two blocks away— 6 stitches— flyman 3