Jackdaw and Jade (Tutorial)

[Soft-hackle]

Very nice Ray. The colors are great-great tying job and a good tutorial as well.

Mark

[hankaye]

Ray, Howdy;

As usual, this is going into the files. You do an EXCELLENT job with the pictorial lessons.
makin' it easy (er), for me to understand.
Lookin' forward to your next tutorial.
Thanks again,
hank

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Ray,

Thanks for taking the time and work to explain that hackling method. I'm sure others, besides myself benefited.

REE

[willowhead]

Great tye.....happnin' tutorial.....where can i get a Jackdaw skin??????????????????? When i trim my hackle (tip) like that, i've never made the little diamond shape.....i just do a rectangle, with very closely cropped fibers leaving tiny little stubs for the thread to "Grab." i gotta try this diamond shaped idea.
Actually i highly doubt it makes any difference at all. The Diamond shape is prolly best for the short distance your usually working with on small hooks. My rectangle is bout twice as long as that diamond you have there, most of the time. But that's not a problem when working on the size hooks i usualy do, and givin' the number of turns i like to use for the style i have, i have to allow more space than you do. But i will try that Diamon shape thing on a small fishin' fly asap.

[letumgo]

Mark - The diamond shape helps keep the fibers to a minimum in the tye in area. Your first wrap of thread should fall in the notch of the "V". Then wrap forward over the little diamond. The thread wraps will compress the fibers forward, but the ends will be covered by thread wraps. I found that trimming them in a simple triangle could sometimes leave fibers sticking out at the front of the head. The extra snips, to form the diamond, give me better results.

[willowhead]

i do the exact same thing with the rectangle.....the tye in point is the very same little notch at the top of where the hackle fibers stop and the rectangle begins, then wrap forward over the rectangle. We're doing the exact same thing.....the only difference is the shape of our little stub. You had a triangle that evolved to a diamond. i've got a rectangle.
i'll try the triangle next time i do collars on small hooks.
One other thing i sometime do.....which had a lot to do with WHY i use a rectangle.....IF, i know for sure i will fish with the fly. i'll tye the feather in upside down, with the rachis out over the eye, making my turns (tye-in point) beginning at about the middle of the rectangle and wraping forward. Then, i'll pull the feather back over the little rectangle (leaving it in position for wraping), and wrap backwards, then forward again, double locking the feather in, for added durability. Btw, not a good idea to try this with 6/0 thread. Unless your workin' on a good sized hook, or you don't give a damn bout bulkieness.....but it works well.....fly will last all day.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

The local convenience store just reported that their entire stock of coffee stirrers was ripped off by a crazed bunch of fly tiers. As they left the store they were shouting that Ray Tucker made them do it. Police are looking for this Ray Tucker. I'm waiting for a reward offer.

REE

[letumgo]

[willowhead]

WHO? never heard of 'em.