We all started our fly fishing by buying a rod and reel, then we decided to tie our own flies and build our own rods. That is what fly fishing is all about. To get fully implicated in our sport. Then why not dye our own feathers and hairs. Many of your hunting friends asks you if you would like to have the bucktails or feathers they have aquired during they hunting trips. Take them and dye them. The trouble is worth the price. A good bucktail is worth about $3.00 - $5.00. You can dye them for just pennies. One ounce of dye at $5.00 will dye many tails and feathers and you also have the satisfaction of doing it yourself and get the tint that you want.

DYES FOR HAIRS AND FEATHERS:

DIRECTION: Veniard dyes are about the best you can get on the market today. I personaly use the Nylosan's acid dyes from Clariant (Sandoz) from Montreal. They are a wholesale distributor. If you know anyone at any good dyehouses or a salesman inside Clariant please use these dyes, they are great. I only use the three basic colours; yellow, red and blue. With these I can make about any shades that I need. Some funny colours like Chartreuse will need and fluo yellow and a turquoise, that you have to mix prior to dying, but that's another story.

Each colour do not dye at the same speed, so dont be to impatient when you dye you stuff, the results will be the one you desire.

First of all you must clean your material. Hairs and feathers have natural oils and dirt that must be removed before dying.
Soak you material in water in which you've added laundry detergent and a tbls of formaldeyde to remove all insect life from it. Always wear gloves when dealing with formaldehyde. Rinse in clear water a few times to remove all residue.

Only use the water necessary in your dye bath. Just a few cm above the material. Always mesure the water you use, you will see why futher on.
Disolve in water of 160f/70c, (see conversion calculator ) the dye that you have chosen. Be careful not to dye animal skin at a too high temperature as they will tear apart if the water is to hot. Feathers will take a higher temperature but the 160f/70c is a good temperature to use in your dying process.

When your bath is at the recommended temperature, add one tbls of a weting agent (dish soap). This will assure that you have a complete penetration of your dye.

Next add the dyes you have selected. Mesure all quantities and keep records of them as you might want to use the same combination again. If you use the kitchen stove to do this, please be very careful not to spill any dies as it will stain the appliances.

The time needed or dying is quite long, about two hours for ordinary light colours, 2 1/2 hours for darker and 3 hours for black. Always keep your pot covered so not to loose to much water by evaporation.

In the last 1/2 hours of dying, add 10% of acetic acid (vinegar) by volume to your water which will make your dye fast. Meaning that the dye will attach itself to the material and will never come out. If you do not add the acetic acid, the dye will come off after a couple of swims.

When you are satisfied with the results, rinse in clear water. The colour will always be darker when wet. Dry you material. I place all my material to be dried in a cotton bag tightly tied and use the clothes dryer at high temperature for about 10 minutes or until the material is dry. I always insert an anti-static sheet to the dryer. All you material will come out in their original form and very soft!

Never throw away you dye bath until you are satisfied with the colour.
You might need it again. Note: Before you dispense with your dye bath, add some javel to it to bleach all the dyestuff. Then throw away the clear water.