Spinning deer hair

[jimmy22sept]

How are you supposed to spin deer hair

 

[live2fish]

Here are some sites that explain how to spin deer hair. First three are videos, the last is text.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9UxjnRFfiE

http://www.hatches.tv/play.php?vid=173

http://www.flyandfloatfishing.com/fly_tying_videos.htm

http://home.kpn.nl/brui2057/deerspin.htm

 

[Padraic]

Definitely watch the videos.

If they don't stress these couple tips, allow me.

* Clean the underfur out of the hairs. The underfur is soft and will keep the hairs from spinning. They also soak up water.

* Use a strong thread.

* Spin the thread under moderate tension first. Distribute the hair around the hook shank. Then bear down as hard as the thread will allow while tying it in. Practice breaking the thread a few times before you start so you know what it can handle. (Tye under the highest tension you can for everything. Your flies will look better and be more durable)

* When bearing down with the thread, do not hold the bobbin at an angle, you'll pop the thread against the tube of the bobbin. If you have to hold the bobbin at angle, try to use your finger to make the bend, it's softer and won't pop the thread as easily.

 

[tomgamber]

here is another good site with videos you can follow along with.
http://www.theanglersnet.com/Fly-Tying-Videos/Archives.asp?section=6&sort=flytying&CurPage=3

 

[GreenWeenie]

One of the other secrets is making sure you don't try and spin too large a bunch at one time. Maximum size should be about the diameter of a pencil. Monocord thread is also desireable. Also, don't try and spin it all on the first wrap. Secure the bunch loosely with one or two wraps of thread and then start to tighten and don't be afraid to help spread the hair around the shank with your fingers if needed. When wrapping the thread make sure you wrap over the previous turn of thread.

Finally, make sure you are using the correct type of deer hair for the style of fly you want to tie.

 

[bam]

I've found a spinning deer hair in a dubbing loop works great. Just make sure you pull everything back after each turn and make close wraps around the hook shank if you want a dense body or head.

 

[afishinado]

GreenWeenie wrote:
...make sure you are using the correct type of deer hair for the style of fly you want to tie.

LOL. When I first started to tie and tried the spinning deer hair technique, I thought it was impossible!.......until I got the proper hair to spin.

If you start with the proper materials, the instructions and tips written above will work just fine with a little practice.

BTW, the correct type of hair for spinning is hollow and flairs when compressed by the thread. I have a bunch of hair swatches and mark the ones suitable for spinning.

 

[jayL]

My rule of thumb is that if it feels oily or slightly clammy to the touch, it won't spin well. If it feels dry, it will.

Not always true, but it works well enough to get by.

 

[flytyingfred]

I just got a very good video called tying terrestrials by A K Best. He does a very good illistration of spinning deer hair on his grasshopper pattern. I have a few of his dvds and they are imo very good teaching tools. Fred

 

[osprey]

You have to spin on the bare metal not over thread , that was my main hang up , it wont spin over the thread , the "collar" can be over thread but not the spun part.