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FlyBitten
07-08-2006, 01:38 PM
AN instruction to pretreat a feather with flexament is in a recipe for a fly I am interesged in tieing. How is this properly accomplished?

Brush it on?

Dip it in flexament?

Apply with paper towel?

My unknowing guess is that it probably doesn't matter, as long as I get the feather properly coated.

Advice from the knowing is appreciated.

Thanks

PaulC
07-08-2006, 04:00 PM
Hey Flybitten,
I've just brushed it on in the past side by side letting it cure inbetween.
If I need to bulk it up a bit, I've even used a bit of softex.
Hope that helps!
-Paul

Darian
07-08-2006, 04:00 PM
It seems to me that what you use to pretreat a feather with any fixative is dictated by the size of the feather and what you hope to accomplish. For example, Dave Whitlock's hopper pattern calls for a section of light oak turkey feather overwing. 8) 8) Assumming that you want to tie more than one fly, the best way to accomplish this is to spray the whole feather with a clear coat of something like KRYLON. 8)

On the other hand, if you're preparing individual, small feathers like Church Windows, you could apply the fixative with a brush or a needle bodkin. 8) 8)

Of course Im not an expert but it seems to me that "dipping" a feather would seem to apply an excessive amount of fixative and make the feather too stiff. :( :(

FlyBitten
07-10-2006, 09:41 AM
The bodkin did the trick just right! Not too much or too little.

Thanks

Bill Kiene semi-retired
07-10-2006, 10:24 AM
Years ago we used a spray fixative that is used on chalk or charcoal drawings that comes in a spray can at an art supply store.

I know that 'Dave's Flexament' is a very powerful, flexible cement that was not available "way back when".

Jgoding
07-10-2006, 12:25 PM
I have Dave's videos for tying the sheep series and his hopper series. In the video he using a spray fixative called.... ummmm... tuff coat I think to fix the turkey quills for the wing. I've never used flexament to this day but I do have some and need to try it out I guess. I was never a fan for pre-treating feathers.... but I remember my dad kept thinned head cement in nail polish type jar w/the brush and it was nifty for applying a coat to wings etc...

Jeff