Post
by Hans Weilenmann » Sun Nov 22, 2009 3:35 pm
Ray,
I will remember to snap pix when doing some more, but probably quite easy to follow this.
Attach thread/silk near eye and run touching turns to quarter shank.
Take hen hackle, pull barbs perpendicular except for very tip. Strip lower section to have bare stem.
Trap tip of hackle, butt pointing out over the bend of the hook, and run touching turns of tread to center of shank, cinching down the hackle. Trim away any exposed hackle tip.
Pull hackle perpendicular to shank and wrap a few more touching turns of thread towards bend and back to hackle. These wraps of thread form a very short body section.
Hackle and thread are now in same location. Clip on pliers trapping both thread and bare hackle stem, running parallel. Start twisting to form a 'brush'.
Wrap the hackle brush towards the eye of the hook, stroking back the barbs with each turn. I try to size it such that by the time I reach the eye of the hook, there is only bare stem left.
Disengage hackle pliers, tie down hackle stem, and make a neat head.
Done.
Additional options are to incorporate other materials, such as applying dubbing to the thread and then make the dubbing/hackle brush. Or include peacock herl, orstrich herl, or whatever else tickles your fancy.
As to your other question - one can of course wrap just hackle towards bend, and spiral thread back to eye, but the result is not quite the same in look & feel.
Tying is all about having choices, and selecting the one which serves the purpose for a specific pattern.
Cheers,
Hans W
