Great advice Dave. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I for one will attempt
to dye some Partridge & grouse feathers but will experiment on the cheaper
white hackle first. Someone told me you have to add a cap of vinegar once
you have your dye mixed is this correct for today's dyes?
"Davyfly-wet fly" wrote in message
ups.com...
Like has been said, there is a great deal know how to dye material.
Believe me l know, l owned at one time one of the largest dubbing
material companies in the world, SLF. as well as a ton of other fly
tying material l used to prep and dye for the world market.

Material must be prepared first, and that will vary depending on its
source and either fur of feather. You must have clean fibre without any
residue of natural oil or contaminant. And in some cases you can only
do that with chemicals and acids of various types, some of which you
will not be able to obtain over the counter.

Just because a dye shade says green, the rusultant shade you will get
is dependant on many things. The base color of the material. What kind
of material. The volume of water to dye ware content, the kind of
fixing agent you use , is the dye exhausted before you remove the
material.

There are many types of due out there and all are suited one way or the
other for the material you are going to dye.
I used for years the Veniards range as they were to all intense and
purposes the standard range of colors that fly tying material was dyed
.
Some of those subtle shades like olives in light, med dark, golden etc,
you will have to mix your self from dye ware.
It is a trial and error game. So do not go ahead with costly materials
until you have figured out the basics to strt with.
Also the best way is to use material that is white, such as streamer
hackles. You will learn then how to alter shades easier than you will
using dark biased material, which does not significantly change when
wet, unless you are using fluorescent based dye ware.
Remember always that what you see wet is one thing, dry is another, so
determined for the material you are using, as for dry fly hackle or say
hare fur !!!

You are, as suggested best to obtain a publication, as there is way
more to it than meets the eye.

Davy Wotton