I noticed that there are now decals which resemble jungle cock feathers available. Having decorated rods with both decals and feather inlays, I can say categorically that decals are easier. And I wasn't attempting to align jungle cock feathers, either. Has anyone tried these decals? And, if so, is the effect achieved noticibly different from the real feathers? Just curious as I am now into my "rod building" season of the year.:) Thanks!
Tight lines,
Hunter

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!

Hey Hunter. . . I bought some of those fake feathers 4 years ago. They look so bad I've not had the courage to use them. I guess I'd rather use an imperfect looking feather than one that doesn't look authentic.,

"Life is too short to fish with UGLY rods!"

A decal will always look like a decal. Flat, no depth much like a photo of a tree will always look like a photo and not like a tree. Realistic depiction but obviously, not the real thing

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Go with the feather. I've seen these decals for a number of uses in fly-tying and crafts and they will not do the job on a rod. They'll look like racing stripes on a model car.

Do you bird hunt? 'Cause if so, you can get some absolutely beautiful feathers and tips from ducks, pheasants, chukar, qauil, and grouse.

Uncle Rus
Calico Creek Rods.

Hey Mike -

"A photo of a tree will always look like a photo and not like a tree". Does that goes with If a tree falls in a forest with no one to hear it, then does it make a sound? - LOL

A few years ago I use those fake jungle cock on a Salmon fly and caught a fake Salmon - LOL

Hunter,

The decals look like crap as compaired to the real feather. Go with the real think. A little more work but the results are worth it.

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.

Thanks, everyone. Guess I'm going to go with real feathers. I've used guinea soft hackles in the past, and they produce an interesting effect. And while I like the jungle cock inlays I have seen, I'm not sure those in my flytying collection will suffice. I think they may be too big. At any rate, I am trying to decide if I can come up with a rod decorating application for peacock herl. Lots of irisdescent colors for a bland graphite blank I would think.
Tight lines,
Hunter

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!

Peacock feathers lose those colors to a great extent.

I just finished reading Russ Gooding's "Executing Feather Inlays". He recommends using an "acrylic" CP. What brands and where can I obtain such a beast? The two CP's I have are both water based.

U40's Color Lock is an acrylic base and it does work well for feather inlays.

Jim Gamble Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Peacock feathers lose those colors to a great
> extent.

Do you mean to say that the colors deteriorate over time, or that the irisdescent quality is lost when finish is placed over them? Thanks.
Tight lines,
Hunter

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!