Please help me id this material

[kosel80]

I just won a large estate auction on e-bay full of great older material ,and in th lot I found this strange looking hackle. It feels very stiff and coarse ,maybe even a little bit brittle.Can anyone tell me what it is and what is its use from the picture? thanks!

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f276/eastern_Wa_sunshine_03/P1010853-2.jpg

[Philster]

Emu... At least that what it looks like. Generally wrapped as a fat chenille like body. Like ostrich herl. If it's brittle, you may want to take some steps to condition it before wrapping...

[Philster]

Like this...

[Hal Eckert]

Yep, EMU been using that for years, olive, tan, insect green, for feelers on nymphs, like these Michigan style spring wiggler hex nymphs, great all around pattern, salmon, steelhead, trout, bass, carp, give it a try simple to tie.

:beer2:


http://www.uppermidwestflyfishing.com/photos/data/500/medium/Michigan_Hex_Wiggler_Nymphs_2048x1536.JPG

[kodiaksalmon]

Looks like Emu to me as well. Hell, I've got a boatload of it that I ain't used for years, but I reckon it's got tons of potential.

[traditionalist]

It´s Emu, and it has been eaten to some extent by bugs. Before you add any stuff like this to your collection, wash it carefully in warm soapy water. Rinse thoroughly under running water and allow to dry.

Place in the deep freeze for a week. Thaw out for a week in a warm place, and then back in the freezer for a week. This "cycle" is to prevent any eggs which might have withstood the first freezing cycle and thenhatch when it is warm again, from developing.

Usually, a thorough washing will remove the majority of bugs, eggs, and other detritus.

You should also use mothballs, either Paradichlorbenzene, or Napthalene in your storage boxes to prevent bug ingress.

These chemicals will only kill bugs if the boxes are airtight, as they need to reach a certain vapour pressure in order to be effective. Rubber maid freezer boxes and similar are required. Wooden and other boxes are no use.

If the boxes are not airtight, the chemicals only deter bugs, and the smell is then of course quite strong.

[kosel80]

thanks for the information ! i will have to see what i can whip up with it!

[GR8LAKES FLYER]

Traditionalist ,

Some excellent info on treating bug infestation .
However , I do not think this particular batch of feathers has a bug problem . I thought the same thing when I encountered emu for the first time . The fibres are very brittle has Philster previously mentioned , it just looks as if some feathers were damaged due to shipping and handling .

Philster ,

I really like that Spade !!! I'm going to tie a few up right away for this upcoming spring season !! Thanks for sharing !!


Mike

[Philster]

Glad I could share it, but to remove any confusion I didn't tie that... Ryan Petz-whatever from Kaufmann's did. No offense to him, I just don't remember the rest of his last name. There's an h, and an o, but I don't remember.

[kosel80]

Either way its going into the freezer just in case.Nothing worse than loosing my whole collection over it.

[traditionalist]

Traditionalist ,

Some excellent info on treating bug infestation .
However , I do not think this particular batch of feathers has a bug problem . I thought the same thing when I encountered emu for the first time . The fibres are very brittle has Philster previously mentioned , it just looks as if some feathers were damaged due to shipping and handling .


Mike

That is possible, but looking at the fibres on some of the feathers suggests bugs to me. I have a few plumes of this stuff, and although it is brittle, it does not normally break like that, or in such positions.

I have a whole lot of feathers with bug damage, ( Carefully collected, with bugs and all) because I did a little research on various bugs. It may only be transport, or light ( as in daylight) damage, but it is better to be safe than sorry, I have seen some magnificent feather collections ruined.

Very old feathers can become very brittle indeed, especially if they have been exposed to light. If this is a severe problem, a treatment with a good quality hair conditioner will usually restore them to at least a usable condition.

[Hal Eckert]

They look just the several packages I have here in fly tying bench, I mean mess, right now. :p

:thumb:

LS