Paintbrush microfibbets.

[gfen]

I've seen this before, but never tried it. The guy who teaches tying at the LL Bean in Saucon had brought one in to try it, and I've since tried it myself.

In a nutshell, microfibbets appear to be nothing more than nylon brush bristles. However, if you look at most paintbrushes, they're not really suitable.

The key is to goto the arts & crafts store and buy fine arts paintbrushes. Look for the white nylon ones, and then look closer to ensure the ends taper to a fine point rather than just being bluntly cut off.

Of course, the bulk of the paintbrushes you see will be very expensive. The cheapest one that Michael's carries appears to be $14 for the equivilent of about 10 packets of microfibbets, which breaks down to be just a few pennies cheaper and they're not coloured the right way, being just white.

However, the AC Moore store sells a cheap set of broad brushes (Loews-Cornell, in a cardboard backed blister pack near the other fine art brushes) that are perfect for this application. For $5, I have what's probably the equvilent of 50 packets of microfibbets, with the same fine, tapered and smooth feel of a real one.

The difference is, of course, these are plain white.

There's an answer for that, $1.70 per Sharpie and you can have any colour of the rainbow. Last night I whipped up some sulphurs and just used a yellow Sharpie to make my paint brush bristles yellow.

These might not be dead-on replacements for microfibbets when you're tying your best impressionistic flies, but its good enough for me. They definaty look better than a cluster of elk hair or my awful attempts at using spade hackle. They flare quite nicely over a thread or dubbing ball.

The brushes in questionat **** Blick.

 

[MKern]

I know people do this, but I prefer microfibbets.

I like the colors they come in and in one package there's a lifetime supply.

I'd rather buy pre-colored packages for $1.70 than have to color my own with a marker that is $1.70. (even though the marker has multiple uses)

Not knocking the paint brushes though or anyone who uses them.

 

[govtmule]

I agree Gfen, bought a variey pack at AC moore and have some for small spinners/tricos and some that apply to big march browns

 

[gfen]

I'm planning to use them in lieu of hackle and fur tailing.

Doing two or four in a split is one thing, but taking a bundle of 12 or more and fanning them out would eat those $2 packs up fast. That's the advantage, to me, of $5 generic mega pack.

Easier to use than spade hackle, and floats better.

 

[sight_nymph_17109]

gfen,
How are the ends on the fibers? I've seen many paint brushes that are freyed to leave a smoother coat of paint. I'd worry that they would be more apt to take on water. I don't tie much anymore but agree w/ mkern. I've had the same 3 packs for about 8 yrs now. They come in a bunch of colors but I just use an amber/brown or dun color for EVERYTHING. Fly size, drift and body shape are more important to the fish than the color of the tails. I put them on to help the fly ride correctly since most of my stuff is a Catskill or thorax type of pattern. I use 2 on each side of larger flies and 1 on each side of smaller flies. Unless you are going to tie by the 100's of dozens, I don't think you'll ever use that many.

 

[littlelehigh]

MKern wrote:
I know people do this, but I prefer microfibbets.

I like the colors they come in and in one package there's a lifetime supply.

I'd rather buy pre-colored packages for $1.70 than have to color my own with a marker that is $1.70. (even though the marker has multiple uses)

Not knocking the paint brushes though or anyone who uses them.

I think gfen enjoys the pursuit of finding cheap alternatives and I really admire him for that. It take real patience and time.


I may look for these brushes in like 10 years when my microfibbets run out. Never caught a fish on a fly using microfibbets why the hell do I even own ANY?


Good find and thanks for posting.

 

[MKern]

Corey,
Remember that it's not the fly it's the presentation.

And if makes you feel and better, I've caught hundreds of fish that have microfibbets.


gfen,
How does the sharpie work on them? Sharpie doesn't really take on the microfibbets I have. Usually after a few cast the color washes off. I'm thinking that the fibbets or bristles would repel color similar to being able to wash out a paint brush.

I may get some of the larger ones for bigger mayflies.

 

[gfen]

I'll grab a picture of these when I get home.

Actually....

 

[gfen]

Full size image link

Size 14 (parachute) and 16 (comparadun) hooks, one of these two had the tailing held under the faucet and then was rubbed briskly between two fingers for a minute, the other is unused.

Again, I'm using them in lieu of spade hackle or fur, and I do need to work on splitting the tails better (the parachute I forgot to put a ball under, the comparadun has a small thread ball under it).

They're very yellow because I just picked up a bright yellow sharpie, rather than trying to find a more creamier coloured marker. I probably should have looked in the "art pens" a bit further, though.

Without this, they'd be bone white, a perfect base.

I also briefly thought about using the other ends of the microfibbets for the wing post, but decided to use a more traditional antron post.

Again, notice that the ends of them taper down to nothing, these are not the cheap cut (uneven, lumpy and less stiff) bristles of a paint store brush.

Look at the nylon brushes in an actual artists' store, even if you can't find these cheapy brushes, you'll get an idea of what I'm talking about. They are virtually indistingushable, other than colour, from a fly shop microfibbet. I do believe this is because they are the exact same thing.

Remember, what we do doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. We're such a minority of people who buy such infrequent amounts of product that we rely on cast-offs from other, more profitable, products. Real antron is carpet fibers, f'instance. It wasn't made for fly fishing, it was adapted.

I'm willing to bet that 99% of the things we use are available elsewhere, its just a matter of finding them. For the things that aren't, ie genetic hackle, look at the costs involved versus an india hen back.

 

[sight_nymph_17109]

LL,
Never caught one on them? We'll need to fix that.