I recently got a regal fly tying vice and wanted to know if anyone had tried to tie a fly with their pet dog’s hair. With the amount of hair my dog sheds, might as well put some to use right? 
Anything that pulls drag, right?
Awesome vise! I’ve been tying on a Regal for many years!
Use what you have available. I don’t, my dog’s hair is too short for most tying I do, plus my wife would not be happy if I did, but have known many folks who have said they use the hair from their dog, especially shed hair for dubbing.
I see nothing wrong with making use of what you have available.
Even human hair is brought up in tying discussions, since human hair extensions can be purchased. I draw the line there, although I have bought the synthetic hair extension material (kanekelon) to tie flies. I’m not too sure I would want to have to explain to law enforcement why my flies are tied with human hair either! Call me paranoid, but in today’s world, and at my age, I try to keep myself out of potential trouble!
Interesting thought, if it catches fish use it, if it catches a lot of fish Sell It!
Interesting thought, if it catches fish use it, if it catches a lot of fish Sell It!
Don’t ask me how I posted that 2 times because I have no earthly idea
quote:Regal is a very nice vice!
Originally posted by bigjim5589Awesome vise! I’ve been tying on a Regal for many years!
Use what you have available. I don’t, my dog’s hair is too short for most tying I do, plus my wife would not be happy if I did, but have known many folks who have said they use the hair from their dog, especially shed hair for dubbing.
I see nothing wrong with making use of what you have available.
Even human hair is brought up in tying discussions, since human hair extensions can be purchased. I draw the line there, although I have bought the synthetic hair extension material (kanekelon) to tie flies. I’m not too sure I would want to have to explain to law enforcement why my flies are tied with human hair either! Call me paranoid, but in today’s world, and at my age, I try to keep myself out of potential trouble!
Kankalon braided extensions make a good substitute for EP Fibers at a considerably lower price, also very durable.
I mostly use Aunt Lydia’s heavy rug yarn to substitute for EP Fibers, even though it is no longer produced it is available on EBay. Bonnie Braid Macrame is available at larger Walmart’s and it also works good.
A good how-to use yarn for a substitute fiber:
Great information Beavertail!
I’ve found the kanekalon in hanks a few times and cheap. Have also bought the braided fibers.
Another very good source for tying materials, particularly synthetics, is Fly Tyers Dungeon. He has a great variety and his prices are less than anywhere else.
I have a couple of skeins of Aunt Lydia’s yarn that I tie with. It’s not rug yarn, but still a good material.
I’ve used various rug yarns, especially for crab patterns. Any material can have it’s uses if you tie enough variety of flies.
quote:I use 3M (beige color) scotch-brite pad material for simple crab bodies. It is hard to find at stores but can be found online. (Idea came to me compliments of Drew Chicone)
Originally posted by bigjim5589Great information Beavertail!
I’ve found the kanekalon in hanks a few times and cheap. Have also bought the braided fibers.
Another very good source for tying materials, particularly synthetics, is Fly Tyers Dungeon. He has a great variety and his prices are less than anywhere else.
I have a couple of skeins of Aunt Lydia’s yarn that I tie with. It’s not rug yarn, but still a good material.
I’ve used various rug yarns, especially for crab patterns. Any material can have it’s uses if you tie enough variety of flies.
can never be too careful!
quote:
Originally posted by bigjim5589Awesome vise! I’ve been tying on a Regal for many years!
Use what you have available. I don’t, my dog’s hair is too short for most tying I do, plus my wife would not be happy if I did, but have known many folks who have said they use the hair from their dog, especially shed hair for dubbing.
I see nothing wrong with making use of what you have available.
Even human hair is brought up in tying discussions, since human hair extensions can be purchased. I draw the line there, although I have bought the synthetic hair extension material (kanekelon) to tie flies. I’m not too sure I would want to have to explain to law enforcement why my flies are tied with human hair either! Call me paranoid, but in today’s world, and at my age, I try to keep myself out of potential trouble!
Anything that pulls drag, right?
I have a wirehaired pointer that sheds A LOT. I’ve only tied one fly with her hair since I have so much material but I did land a couple baby tarpon with it… I pretty much just tied a clouser with a little gold flash.
I dunno if scent has anything to do with it, but who knows. Her hair is coarse and beads off water really well so it operates a lot like bucktail. I might need to tie a few more…
How funny, it was strictly coincidental but I was just watching How It’s Made on tv and they featured a Regal Fly Vice being produced.
I used some of my yellow labs hair and tied some muddlers about 5 or 6 years ago caught some smallmouths with them, I seem to remember it tying similar to bucktail hair but being more buoyant. I also used some hair off my now wife’s orange tabby cat for some things it worked really well, again pretty buoyant.
My wife & I just got back from a road trip out to CA. I have a part time job driving a tractor trailer for a company in Myrtle Beach that puts on dance competitions, and we had two shows in CA. Got to spend a couple of weeks at my oldest son’s house while out there, and of course the wife was spoiling the grandsons. They have a dog with very long, and extremely fine hair. I would say that some may be close to 4" long and it would probably make a great tying material for streamer patterns, and of course as a dubbing. The dog is a nice tan color too, like a tan popular on Bonefish or Redfish patterns. They had the dogs hair cut since we left, and I wish I had thought to have them save some of the hair for me, but not too sure my daughter in law would go along with that!