how do you do it

[horses50]

Just tied my first quilled fly,bit of a faf getting the peacock ready i know people say you can do it with an eraser but after the fourth or fifth attempt and a bit of bad language i resorted to the bleach,worked a treat.I was tying on a size 14 and i want to know how some of you tie on smaller than that?It took me 2 hours to tie 3 flies, paying minimum wage that equates to something like £4 a fly lol.

[dabhoy]

Practice practice and yet more practice
Funnily enough I have been playing with quills myself today.

[horses50]

Its like tying with a human hair [head].That eraser way of getting the fibres of i can manage to get one side off but not the other hence the bleach.

[christy27]

Once it is secured near the bend I grab it with rotary hackle pliers, wind on nice and steady taking much care not to touch the hook point on the way past. A worthwhile cheat is a thin coat of superglue, or varnish of some kind, before I start winding, on the hook shank. Good idea to wait for a minute until it gets just a little tacky.

Well that's how I used to do it. Now I have a rotary vice so it's easier-same principles apply though. Hth.

Chris.

[flytier07]

Veets expensive, but quicker and less mess!

[christy27]

Oh forgot to add...I've only recently had some success removing those damned fibres off the quill. Same as, a rubber/eraser, but I spotted a write up in a mag...put the rubber on the desk, put the quill on top and trap quite firmly with the tip (last 2-3 mm) of a bodkin. Draw through, turn over and more of the same. If tiny bits hang on draw through damp fingers crossing over finger nail. With practise it works.

Chris.

[dabhoy]

Lucian on here sells stripped quills if it makes it easier.

[lvlacleod]

Originally Posted by horses50

Its like tying with a human hair [head].That eraser way of getting the fibres of i can manage to get one side off but not the other hence the bleach.

Once you have one side off, turn the quill over. I found the really hard erasers work best but I still have to turn quill over a few times just to make sure I get every single fibre.

[bill1]

I've never really had a problem. I just pull the quill through my thumb nail and pad of my forefinger. Takes a few pulls and is a bit fiddly but it works for me. Perhaps the fact that I chew my nails helps

[mancfly]

The plastic type erasers are best, (Stabilo, amber coloured if still available), rather than the rubber type. An ink eraser works very well if they are still available.

Bleach is excellent though, stripped in seconds!
Wetting the quills with saliva, or soaking in water before use makes them more supple and less likely to snap. Tie the quill in by the thick end too!
Obvious to some, but maybe not to others; use the broad, dark edge marked quills from the eye section of the peacock feather.