My version of Leisenring's wax is nearly the same except I don't use lard. I imagine that this was the most available choice for him. Once, on my way back from the NJ fly tying show I made a rest stop in PA. For a mindless munch I bought a bag of chips. They tasted a bit different so l looked at the...

I don't know if Hank was referring to me but I do make several waxes including one very similar to the one Leisenring made.

A video version.

Several years ago I grew a natural dye garden. It even attracted a pair of praying mantis which kept the garden bug free. I wouldn't grow any plant that can be readily gathered from wild.

Renzetti makes a ruby tip midge bobbin that isn't terribly expensive. Ken Newton makes a very nice midge bobbin but it is more expensive. Most of the others that are available have already been mentioned previously.

A fellow fly tyer dyer lent me a copy of Burnett's book on dyeing. I hate to say it but it really is a huge disappointment. Most if not almost all of the so called dyes in the book are actually stains. The book is also disorganized and the methods cumbersome. I can't see any evidence that he even co...

To say I'm serious about natural dyes would be an understatement. At one time I harvested black oak bark from logs. I probably sold about 300 pounds of it. I have most every common natural dye and some unusual ones too.

In his book on dyeing; A K Best warns that any accidents can incur the fiercest wrath. Turmeric will more or less permanently stain anything including countertops.

Harry Darby wrote that the American woodcock wing has some good substitute feathers for landrail.

http://digitalcollections.pugetsound.ed ... 4383/rec/2

Another excellent color resource is from Halford.

https://archive.org/details/moderndevelopmen00half