One metallic turquoise wire and one of a metallic cherry red. Very thin , about a 6.0 tying thread. Got from inside of a bust pair of tiny earphones like those dished out as throwaways on aircraft. Not a good photo, artificial lamp used, but two wee spiders with a bit of mole dubbing behind the hackle and the wires used as a rib.[attachimg=1]
Should have said, size 16 spiders so the photo is zoomed up a bit.
bang on, Vaughan! never bought a spool of wire in my puff for that very reason (plus I don't tie many "trad" patterns as you might have noticed :lol:) always a nice surprise when you discover a coloured one, too. those spiders are absolute fish magnets :8)
I like to use really fine wire when I'm palmering, it stops you from catching too many hackle fibres, the 'fly tying' stuff (even fine stuff) that's available is too thick for me so I've got some copper wire on a wee drum that i usually use, it's coming to an end so might take your tip and see, also would maplins or similar sell wire like this?
Ps spiders looking good, is it a hen hackle?
Hen hackle?? Yes indeed - the very one of the soft black that you dyed for me :D.
Black hen, at the smallest bottom end and one side stripped off so not very much left on the hackle stem to go on the fly.
Ha ha I forgot about that! :roll:
I thought the fibres looked quite thick so thought it might be something more substantial like grouse, glad you're getting use out of them :D
The fine copper wire and "silver" wire I have was just got from stripping out electrical wires from old lamps and things like that. Doesn't matter if each strand is only a yard long, you get loads of strands and one strand does for two dozen flies or more.
Good tip that :D :D I will be having a word with a few neighbours.
There are going to be some tape lengths lying about and the sheep will be folded over the neeps soon..