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Bleaching materials?

Moderator: Viking Lars

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Mangrove Cuckoo
Posts: 1071
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:51 am
Answers: 0

Bleaching materials?

#1

Post by Mangrove Cuckoo »

Has anyone tried bleaching fly tying material?

I would like to try to bleach squirrel tail. I have an unlimited supply thanks to my unselfish yard cats, so I can experiment.

I like the way the material works on some flies but would like to lighten the color... hopefully without damaging the feel. I know where some white squirrels live but it is a state park and I probably would get busted if I tried to harvest a few!

I am guessing peroxide will lighten it up substantially.

Anyone have any suggestions?
With appreciation and apologies to Ray Charles…

“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
Viking Lars
Posts: 703
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:45 am
Answers: 0

Bleaching materials?

#2

Post by Viking Lars »

I have bleached squirreltail successfully in the past. But it's difficult - the hair very easily goes brittle. I tried different chemicals (even peroxide, I think), but ended up using hair dresser's bleach. My goal, mind you, was to bleach the hair completely to get a solid, clear colour after dyeing.

If you have enough, experiment away, but keep the good ones until you get an acceptable result.

Lars
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