Author Topic: Dubbing blends (Read 1102 times)

Josh Almond · « **on:** September 28, 2009, 10:57:15 PM »

What are you guys using to make your own blends with?

I follow the K.I.S.S. idea on mine simply so I can remember how to make more. Generally I run 80% hares mask with 20% synthetic for a touch of flash. However lately I have been looking to get more creative any tips, ideas or advice?

Dejon Hamann · « **Reply #1 on:** September 28, 2009, 11:10:05 PM »

This might not be the advice you are looking for

But KevinCompton ties comp. winning flies all the time that have these fracking complicated dubbing blends that he will NEVER tell me about!!!! Very frustrating. They just don't look like any average stuff. I'm sure they are multi material blends. Are they better than simple shiat? Not sure. I'm sure thinking about it though.

Josh Almond · « **Reply #2 on:** September 28, 2009, 11:17:31 PM »

Dejon,

Kevins cased caddis bomb is what got me thinking about asking you guys. I understand that many blends are highly guarded secrets. But I would definately love to get more depth, and multiple shades out of my dubbing.

Its funny...I think as far as matching our flies to the natural nymphs and duns you cannot make a better body than a biot body. Biots of tons of other benefits over dubbed bodies, such as faster sink rate, multiple shades in the body without excessive work on our part and easy to make small flies with. However, dubbed flies dominate my boxes and give me more confidence in a pattern. I guess its tough to beat that added movement sometimes?

Nick Naclerio · « **Reply #3 on:** September 28, 2009, 11:23:20 PM »

You should check out the Kaufmann SLF blends. Right out of the package they have lots of colors in them that add in my opinion just enough flash without looking unnatural. I've had very good luck with these dubbings.

Josh Almond · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2009, 11:29:19 PM »

I tried some of his blends and disliked them for some reason...apparently it wasn't too bad or else i'd remember

I'll pick some up this week and try it out again, thanks for the idea!

Nick Naclerio · « **Reply #5 on:** September 29, 2009, 12:01:59 AM »

Depending on what your planning on doing the fibers can be really long. I personally like this since if I want the fibers shorter I can just take a pinch and chop them up or if I want them long for say touch dubbing for a collar they are perfect. Also they have red and blue fibers mixed in for flash and at first I was unsure about how well they'd work but the fish love it. The colors I use most are black stone, brown stone and tan stone.

I also use Spirit River dubbing alot. Their hares ear blends are awsome right out of the package just enough flash but still very natural looking. From them I use dalz hare's ear in natural hare's ear, olive hare's ear and black hare's ear.

Jason Hearle · « **Reply #6 on:** September 29, 2009, 01:27:23 AM »

I am a huge fan of the ice dub from Hareline. I have mixed it a little bit, and if you are trying to get just a bit of flash, some of the blends may be way too over the top directly out of the package. There is a good color selection, though, and for what it sounds like you guys are trying to do, a little could go a long way. I'd say go 20% ice dub and then your regular dub. Should give you that little bit of flash and keep the fly looking natural enough. The peacock color variations are an excellent substitute for actual peacock and work great on tiny little flies where you want the peacock look. I am particularly fond of the uv colors.

Mark Hanes · « **Reply #7 on:** September 29, 2009, 07:58:23 AM »

Redquill,

I totally agree I love the UV colors they really seems to add a little extra life to Hares ears. This is just another thing that makes Fly tying fun you can experiment and there are no rules.

What are you guys using as a blender?

Kevin Compton · « **Reply #8 on:** September 29, 2009, 10:07:09 AM »

Generally, I follow the 80-90% natural and 10-20% synthetic proportions.

Various UV mylars work pretty well for my patterns, such as Ice Dub UVs, Chopped Flashabou UVs, and Angel Hair (esp. the Steelhead Ice color). One example is the Brush Hog below. The blend is 80% hare's mask guard hairs and 20% chopped Pearl Blue (really purplish) Spirit River UV Blend. I also use chopped Pearly White UV Flashabou which has a blue-purplish cast. There's something about those UVs.

I also blend chopped CDC fibers (stripped off the stems) and often add them to the mix. CDC, as a sub-surface material, has great marabou-like action in the water without building up a lot of bulk in the thorax.

I usually use only the guard hairs of hare's mask, red & gray squirrel, and pine squirrel. The problem is that without the underfur these guard hairs can be difficult to spin onto the tying thread. So I add a little clear Antron, maybe a little muskrat underfur -- something that holds the mix together and makes it easier to spin onto the thread or to load a dubbing loop.

I do use a lot of Siman Synthetic Peacock Dubbing blends. Unlike Arizona Peacock or the Spirit River stuff, the Siman dubbings have a spectrum of colors within each color and the fibers themselves vary in texture/shape -- and the colors are unique.

Dejon......maybe we cover our own tracks by mixing up our own blends...As a tier, if the thing works, you may be the only source for that fly.....

Kalvin Kaloz · « **Reply #9 on:** September 29, 2009, 06:24:25 PM »

Hey Kev,

First off thanks for sharing your insights and methodology!

I have a few questions for ya if you have a minute.

1. What actually is the UV designation? For instance they have Ice dubs and UV Ice dubs.

2. "you only use the guard hares" How exactly do you isolate just the guard hairs for use in the dubbing? In the past I have wanted to achieve a spikier hare’s ear so I mixed in some fox squirrel to get the effect I wanted! When I started to blend I went a got 2 hare’s mask of every base color I could find, shaved it then blended up bags. I did this with a whole fox squirrel skin as well.

- What is the purpose of adding muskrat under fur and not just using the under fur from the mask itself?

- I have had good luck using the antron as a mix(never thought of clear) as well as angora dubbing (long fibers and a lil stiffer)

GREAT Topic, thanks again!!! Will you be at nationals?

Dejon Hamann · « **Reply #10 on:** September 29, 2009, 07:42:58 PM »

I use a $20 Coffee blender I got at Target. It has a timer so it can run for a minute or 3. Very handy!!

Great topic guys. Just love the buggy/flash mix of that Hog.

Mark Hanes · « **Reply #11 on:** October 01, 2009, 09:01:57 AM »

Looks like i may have to run to Wal-Mart and get a dubbing blender!

Kevin Compton · « **Reply #12 on:** October 02, 2009, 05:14:26 AM »

K2,

I'm not certain about the UV designation. But, yeah, there are some dubbings/flashes that distinguish the UV colors from the others. The ultraviolet designation points (I think) to color that is beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum. That's probably why UVs have a 'purplish-violet' cast.

There is a fly-tying supply house in the Czech Republic that sells a popular "UV-Blend" dubbing -- rabbit fur and finely shredded UV filaments. I've seen abdomens on Czech nymphs made of it. Most original Czech nymphs had a pearl mylar tinsel rib. Just like Jan Siman's Pearl Squirrel dubbing/dubbing brushes which have chopped pearl mylar tossed in with squirrel or hare's ear fur, these UV blends can give nymph bodies some flash and are more durable than tinsel ribbing.

Re: the guard hairs. I take the natural hare's mask, squirrel, or pine squirrel skin and use my scissor points to push the fur back 'against the grain', against the way the hair naturally lies. Holding the hair back with the points, I open the scissors, let the hair fall against the near blade, and take a cut. In other words, I'm just cutting of the top (the guard hairs) of the skin -- above the underfur.

I can then add any other color of fur or chopped flash and/or Antron to the natural colored guard hairs to get whatever shade and sparkle I want. The blends are spikier and the overall color is truer to the color of the added flash or fur, such as muskrat, rabbit, or beaver. The added stuff provides color and 'spit' to the guard hairs.

Yes, I will be in State College for the Nationals.

Kalvin Kaloz · « **Reply #13 on:** October 02, 2009, 07:29:41 AM »

Kev,

Thanks for the fidelity of your answer!

ALL makes tons of sense. My thoughts on the UV were the same but figured I would ask. Trimming just the guard hairs sounds like a pain staking process, however if in the end you end up with exactly what you are looking for... Cant beat that! You have a great price on beads, I will be placing an order soon!

I will be one of the controllers, like to put a face to a name!

Thanks again!

Mark Hanes · « **Reply #14 on:** October 02, 2009, 12:40:22 PM »

I am really getting somem great ideas for dubbing blends now!

Anyone ever messed around with Prism SLF by Wapsi?

Josh Chenel · « **Reply #15 on:** October 04, 2009, 01:15:43 PM »

I eyeball everything and never measure stuff out, but mostly I'm probably 90 percent hare and 10 percent synthetic. But in some cases I've gone really crazy and added small and large portions of the following

-cotton
-dog,cat hair of all types
-flashabou
-angel hair
-crystal flash
-wicker (yes the chair on my front porch has been picked at)
-yarn
-rope
-plastic bottle parts
-cable wire
-course paper/cardboard

-I can't tell ya everything, and PS be careful with rope, I've ruined a few blenders.

Dejon Hamann · « **Reply #16 on:** October 04, 2009, 04:55:35 PM »

No shiat wicker, eh?

Mark Hanes · « **Reply #17 on:** October 14, 2009, 08:48:43 AM »

So what would wicker be used for in dubbing? I really want to see what that blend looks like.

Jackson Hoose · « **Reply #18 on:** October 30, 2009, 08:34:52 PM »

first off im super impressed with the look of your dubbing's KevinCompton. Especially the one on your website, looks like some emerger... I dont really have the time or money to be buying alot of different furs and mixing my own dubbing. ive heard alot of great things about Kauffmann slf. Ive used the Davy Whitlock SLF and its pretty fantastic. I cant seem to find any online dealers for Kauffman slf. Can anyone point me in the right direction? thanks

Nick Naclerio · « **Reply #19 on:** October 30, 2009, 08:50:38 PM »

http://www.bobmarriottsflyfishingstore.com/detail.aspx?ID=18612

Good fly shop I buy from alot.

COMPETITION PIPELINE

Author Topic: Dubbing blends (Read 1102 times)

Recent Posts

Latest Members