Questions, questions, questions .....

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

WOW... great discussion, packed full of interesting information.... Looks kinda like what
Matura Mayfly said about "horses and courses" applies. Dependant on what one is looking
for the style (type), of dubbing method would vary, or as Old Hat mentioned, a mix and match
approach is sometimes needed or desired.
I think (?), that I was attempting to ask what everyone's prefered (most often used), style of
dubbing method was and why they prefered it.
Sometimes I think that I'll ask a question just to see what it is that I truly want to ask.....
Let's not stop here..... this conversation has some legs ..... please help keep'em walking
along this path...

Thank you ALL for your contributions.

hank

[Soft-hackle]

Hi everyone,
I suppose I should add some to this post and based on the post already here, I've noticed a few things that should be pointed out. I use the Leisenring brush making technique with a slight variation. I use a piece of mat board with slits cut in the center of either end to hold the tying thread taunt. I prefer this technique to all others, but do use others, like twisting fine fur on the tying thread. As noted by chase creek, I think this makes a tighter body, and I use it for abdomens, mostly, when I want a tighter body section.

The Leisenring method, in my opinion, affords me with more control of the distribution of the fur and its orientation to the thread. I also believe that using the silk probably adds to the translucency of the fly body when it shows through the dubbing. I do not think synthetics do this. I also like the fact that I can use finer synthetic threads for tying, but use the silk for creating the body, as I did with my recent Purple Charger. When creating the body, I roll the brush on my pant-leg, usually in one direction, to help keep the thread twisted and, Jim Slattery once pointed out, to use the friction created by doing so. You will note Leisenring's original pant-leg technique tells you to roll the brush on your pant--leg. Jim S. feels, and so do I, it adds something to it not achieved by creating a brush on the fly or using a split thread. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, however, Leisenring's technique has been used by me for many years with great success. It may be a confidence thing.

I think these other techniques produce beautiful, fish-able flies, however the results I get with creating dubbing brushes by the Leisenring technique has been a mainstay of my tying repertoire that is undeniably successful for many reasons.

Mark

[Jim Slattery]

Can I have a AMEN!

[letumgo]

Amen brother...