kangaroo meets Clark dubbing block

[fly_fischa]

It's embarrassing to realise my first attempt at spinning some fur onto peasals silk using Will's gorgeous clark block happened back in March 2015! Takes procrastination to new heights, we've all got to be good at something
Decided to lash one of the spun bodies to an iron this morning and to brush the dust off my fav skin a Golden Plover
Maybe I should have taken this one a bit further away/with less detail
http://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... t=kangaroo

[tie2fish]

After reviewing your previous post about spinning the bodies, Karsten, I remember now how sparse they were. This translates very well to a lovely color-coming-through affair when wrapped on a hook, and the 'roo fur really complements the plover hackle. Nicely done!

[fly_fischa]

Thanks Bill,
I guess better late than never, I'm glad I finally wrapped one of these dubbing brushes on a hook. It does create a nice sparse effect with the solid silk colour underneath. I can see the appeal of having a card at hand and ready to tie quite a few flies without taking much time. Seems like a lot of time prepping though and a fair bit of waste too. I'm in the undecided camp at the moment as in most of my tying I try to involve economy of both tying process and also materials used/waste where possible. I like to delve into the history of our craft and appreciate how things were done, so I'm glad to give this process a decent go but I don't think it will become a staple in my tying unless I find a reason other than sentimentality and history. It'd be interesting to hear your ideas behind the method and how it fits into your tying. Thanks for the kind words mate, it's been good to hear from you K

[letumgo]

Okay, now I'm convinced! Kangaroo makes a lovely dubbed body in a fly. Nice to see you back at the vise.

[fly_fischa]

Thanks Ray,
I've been tying mate, just not the kinda flies that get posted here, let's say they have a propensity to float
I decided it was time to tie a soft hackle as it's been a long time and remembered those brushes from ages ago. It was a fun exercise and the roo does look pretty cool

[letumgo]

Were you tying Catskills dries again? Are you getting ready for another trip, or just the season ahead?

[fly_fischa]

Catskills, para dries and the like mainly for fun, some to giveaway and others for a client. The season kickstarted a few weeks back, unfortunately I badly sprained my right ankle so my season won't start for another 2-3 weeks. I'm at the pointy end of our first home renovation so probably won't get much fishing time at best. K

[letumgo]

Sorry to hear about the sprained ankle. I've sprained my ankle badly a couple time, once while fishing. Not fun!

Good luck with the reno. Don't over do it with the bum ankle.

Any chance we could convince you to post the dries over in the Fishing Cabin section? You know...purely for science...

[fly_fischa]

Sure, it may be a bit content heavy considering it's been a while since I dropped in I'll put up a post tonight mate, for science sake

[gingerdun]

Hi Karstren,
Gorgeous fly. And a fine photograph. That undercolor and translucency will look alive underwater.

Your questions about the pros and cons of spinning bodies in advance and storing them on cards (whether you do it on the knee or the Clark block) are a never-ending debate.

You say it is wasteful? I haven't heart that particular argument very much. It doesn't waste any dubbing, and shouldn't waste much thread either if you are careful when cutting it from the spool. It helps if the notched cards are not too wide.

The pre-spun body was Leisenring's trademark method—which is surely the only reason anybody practices it today. He touted their durability.

But I have another theory about why he liked to tie his bodies in advance. He worked as a precision tool-maker in a factory for steam locomotives, so he was familiar with the concept of interchangeable parts, and its advantages. I'm sure that after a noisy week at the Bethlehem Steel Mill, it must have been sweet relief to sit silently in the window light at home, making spare parts out of silk and fur. Then he stored them on notched, celluloid cards that he "cut from the old-fashioned automobile curtains which can be found in automobile graveyards." Once you go to the trouble of preparing the dubbing, it makes sense to go ahead, then and there, to tie a few dozen bodies while the materials are out on the tying bench during off-season. It cuts down on the prep time if he needs that color body during the season to match a hatch—especially if he was traveling (as he did for many summers), and didn't have access to his fully-equipped tying bench.

Rube Cross, who was a commercial tier, complained that Leisenring's pre-spun body was too slow. However, I think the main reason that he declined its use is that his trade was in dry flies, and the spun body primarily made sense for wets.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts—and your gorgeous flies.

Lance