I had the pleasure of examining a fully-mounted bull bullalo years ago. The hair/fur characteristics changed, like most fur-bearing animals, from nose to tail. Even the mane, which looks at first glance to be the same front to back, actually changed from front to back, top to bottom, and from chest to neck to shoulders to legs. If I could have had samples from, say 20 different select areas, I would have been a happy camper. That not being the case, I moved on (mount would have looked strange- buff with the mange). A couple of years ago I received some buff mane samples, and if memory serves me right, they are from the side by the neck. The underfur is so dense that a flea would get stuck, and the guard hairs must be 6-7" long. Does anyone remember if they gave me that? Also, the season that the buff was harvested would make a big difference- freshly molted or dense winter coat. These guys survive 50-60 deg. below zero with 80mph winds up in the park area- must be a warm coat.
Working with buffalo mane is like working with polar bear. Same thing goes about body area for the sample patch. I separate the extra-long fine guard hairs into a medicine bottle, then the mid-length. These can make tails, woven abdomens, roped tails, hair wings, streamers, etc. THe very thick underfur is water-proof to a point, but the tanning process removes most of the natural oils. This underfur can be blended or used right off the hide, and is excellent for my rope-dub method, and off-the-hide gives a perfect taper and color-graduation when rope-dubbing. Hairs for the tail, tight tapered underfur roped for the abdomen, hairs for the wing-case, loose fuzzy underfur roped thorax, legs made of wing hairs tied back, mono eyes, a couple of hairs for antenna, and done (a one-material fly). Needs lead wrap in the abdomen and a small bead at the eye. Tank-test for balance with leader- should drift level and retrieve level, hence the lead under the abdomen. Polar bear: What's different is the make-up of the hair (not fur in my book). THe hairs in a lower body-patch are of all lengths from guards to tiny micro-hairs. THe short hairs are so dense they form a mat, and then the tiny hairs pack it in. To tie, it's best to have a number of medicine bottles for different lengths for different flies. Nip off a tuff, pull out the longest guards while pinching the base, and set bottom-1st into a bottlle. Then do the next length. Depending on the patch and the lengths I get, I tie different flies. Hair is very much like synthetic fibers, but use half as much. The dubbing is very tough to apply, and tougher to get any shape. The rope-dub works, but it takes some practice. I don't own a micro-scope, but I don't think the hairs are hollow, as they won't flare at all. I believe they are more like fiber-optic cables, transmitting light (heat) to the dark hide below, which absorbs the heat. PB skin is dark gray on the upper side and tan on the belly. There have been all kinds of scientific studies on the properties of a PB hair. I think they have all missed the point about heat transference. THe PB hair acts like a mat in absorbing light, not just one follicle at a time. I use a small tuft of PB on my dry flies and they look like they have a light strapped to the top as they float down the river. FYI, old and discolored (pale yellow) PB has lost its light-collecting qualities and texture. Too much espresso this morning, Buggs. DonO ----- Original Message ----- From: Mark Romero To: virtual fly box Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 11:01 PM Subject: [VFB] Re: Fur\Hair swap updates we now need 5 more people One would think so......................got no idea what this guys sendin' per say.......but i think it's body.............he was sayin' somethin' bout how he uses the two different things....."underfur" and "gaurd hairs".........must be body hair..........i think he has a taxidermi friend...........guy lives in Texas...........good tyer............has flies on my site...........Ivan somebody. Easy to spot...........his Avatar is a Ninja lookin dude with a sword, lmao. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: [VFB] Re: Fur\Hair swap updates we now need 5 more people Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:54:59 -0600 MArk, Makes a big difference whether it's body or mane. Don ----- Original Message ----- From: Mark Romero To: virtual fly box Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 10:47 PM Subject: [VFB] Re: Fur\Hair swap updates we now need 5 more people WOW! way cool.....................i dunno what it is..........but that's bout the half dozenth time buffalo has been commin' up in conversation lately.........and i gotta package of buffalo commin' in the mail from a member of my site..........weird. can't wait to see your stoneflies Don. > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: [VFB] Re: Fur\Hair swap updates we now need 5 more people > Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:04:08 -0600 > > > I'll tie buffalo stoneflies. > DonO > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: "vfb-mail" <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 9:46 PM > Subject: [VFB] Fur\Hair swap updates we now need 5 more people > > > > ok so we have a fur\hair swap we need 15 tiers all together, i am looking > for any kind and size fly that you can emagine, it can be for show it can be > for fresh water salt water or just something you come up with lol. So the > sing up dates are from now to november 1st if we have a bigger call for it > then will see what we can do or hold two swaps lol the due date is Jan 1st > 2010 pls send 2 dollars with the flies and return envelop [ if the shipping > cost you more to send than 2 dollars remember to include more ] so the > reason for the swap is i am off work for a month and need something to do so > lets have some fun and keep me busy lol.. ok so far we have > > 1: Patrick Harnish= Mayan Warrior > 2: Jim Phillips > 3: Jerry McKaughan= Ozarkslick > 4: Rene Zillman > 5: Iain Short > 6: Mark Romero > 7: Dail Graham > 8: Chuck Alexander= Fur Bugger > 9: Peter Gramp > 10:Don Orders > 11: > 12: > 13: > 14: > 15: > > > so lets have some fun, i will move this off list when were full or nov 1st > which ever comes first any questions either email me at > [email protected] or call me 541-637-6082 i live in oregon so > accomadate for time diffrances lol if no answere leave msg ok and thank you > all. This is my second swap ever so bare with me ok will do my best and hope > i can give you all a great swap. > > ok i for got to send my address with the last update so here it is lol > > Patrick Harnish Sr. > 963 N.E. Laurance st. > Myrtle Creek Or. > 97457 > > > > </HTML<BR --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VFB Mail" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vfb-mail?hl=en VFB Mail is sponsored by Line's End Inc at http://www.linesend.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
