I guess you are right. If he can get both out of a breed or will breed 2 lines, that would add some nice options to the tying.
You mentioned a 'spanish saddle'. I thought that the spanish birds were 'plucked'. Therefore the feathers came in small quantities only. We have still some shops here, which sell 12 feathers in one little zip-bag.
Rene
DonO wrote:
Rene, Some new photos are on the way, showing a long hackle and a spade feather flared out, and a better angle photo of the spade patch on the saddle. Let me know what you think.
I'd like to see Tom go both ways. One direction would be to get speckled small hackles out of the long feathers, therefore a saddle would yeild speckled tailing and hackle, and wings if you are inclined that way. Also, if he left a strain like it is, the whole saddle is great for tailing, and the hackles could also be used for streamers and flatwing flies.
DonO
----- Original Message ----- From: "Rene Zillmann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 7:32 AM
Subject: Re: [VFB] Coq D'Leon
Don, Bob, Deb, Allan, ..capes.
thanks for your enlightening comments on this topic.
Deb pointed out in an offline email, that there is a difference between
the words 'viable' and 'available'. With this background info I
understand a bit more of Don's first post on this topic.
Anyway....
Don's reply is so full of information, that I do not worry about my lack
in vocabulary. And it rises some more questions. I got a nice pic of a
CdL saddle from Don. What I see is a saddle which has over all shorter
barbs than mine. I'm wondering, what is Tom's intention in this breed?
Feather with long barbs, designed for tailings, 'barb' wings. maybe
streamer etc. Or is the goal to get a speckled, small hackle for dries?
I myself like them for tailing.
Apparently the market goes into the saddle hackle. Feathers suited to
hackle 6 to 12 flies per feather. But on this saddles (and obviously in
the 100 packs <G>) are no spade feathers any more. Metz sells 'tailing
packs' for this reason, Rooster feathers with long, stiff barbs.
And the 100 packs have only few tips for wings - therefore the winger
