Chuck, I checked my sent box and the message I sent to you about biots was still in it.
"Chuck, Although the term 'biot' in not originally correct, in flytying it has been adopted to mean the tough, leading-edge barbs from the flight feathers of goose, duck, turkeys, and other large, legal flighted birds. Most common are goose biots. These are tough and durable, and change shape(contour) and length continually down the length of the feather. There are many uses such as antennae, legs, tails, and wrapped abdomens, based on the bird, the shape, and the length. These barbs have no velcro effect (like the barbs on the back sides of the wings) but are stacked one on top of the other and laid down flat. They stay in place because of stiffness and there is a slight concaveness down the length, lessening towards the tip. The lead edge flight feather (#1) has the best and toughest barbs, for obvious reasons. Then they reduce in quality (as biots) as you move back through the flight feathers. There are no two identical feathers on wild birds, just two mirror image matches from left to right. Size, shape, color, configuration- all change constantly down the length of the bird and out on to the wings. Every section of every feather has qualities that make it suitable for specific flies. If you have more specific questions on feathers, just ask." DonO ----- Original Message ----- From: Chuck Alexander To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 12:32 AM Subject: [VFB] Denier and Biot Folks: I know somebody talked about biot the other day, but I can't remember exactly, Isn't it a long feather that has had the feathers cut off the short side??? or the quill has been split down the middle???.. Also, I keep seeing 70 denier 140 denier thread. Is "denier" just the different thicknesses?? The books I checked out at the library leave a lot to be desired, and the bigger library I'm gonna join was closed for the 4th, so I couldn't go there, ... Geez, there is a lot of "terminology" or Fly Tiers "lingo" to learn huh??? LOL.. I LOVE it though...Just that, as I look through sites like linesend.com and others that little "starter kit" I'm getting with that starter tying kit from cabelas ain't gonna be much in the bigger scheme of things.. Strter kits for ANY hobby or craft never are huh???? Also, didn't somebody mention lines end having grab bags that would be a lot cheaper on me than, say the $90 Whiting Hackles from Cabelas and others and trying to scrape that up???? I'm talking to ALL my friends who raise chickens, quail, turkeys, peacocks, Llamas, etc to send me some hair, feather et c.. BTW, I got that Llama .. She said it was "corse Llama" but it is a bunch of "dubbing (Fleece) with a few mixedcorse black hairs mixedin.. it that the normal way it comes??? She also raises Sheep, and is gonna sendme some wool, and I'm goin back over and give my daughter's goat another"trim" It's hot don't ya know, so the goat loves it I'm sure LOLOL...Thanks in advance,Didn't mean to write ya'll a BOOK LOL... Chuck
