Partridge is one of those fly tying staples that you will learn to never want to be without, but it can also be hard to handle as a beginner tyer. Take a look at the new tutorial at the link here: How to Wrap a Soft Hackle! Its full of tips and tricks on how to master this awesome material.
Close up of my favorite material
Using your fingers, brush the waste ends vertical..
Grab the feather base in one hand.
Before you wrap it forward (and by forward remember I mean away from you) you’ll want to hold those fibers in your fingers
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The•Quilted•Tyer 
Good stuff.
Question: how do you tackle the problem of tying very small soft hackles if you don’t have a feather with short enough hackle?
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You mean let’s say you were going to tie a fly in a size 14 but the feather you have is better suited for a 10?
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Thanks for the reply.
Yes. Although, for me, it’s usually that I want to tie an 18 but my smallest feathers are suitable for 14 or 16.
I’ve experimented with spinning soft hackles. They almost look right when I do that. Almost.
Any other solutions?
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I’ve done that as well where I’ve taken the hackle cut it off and spun it around the hook, have you tried were you tie the feather in almost like an envelope around the hook and then pull it back in reverse? To shorten the barbs? Sounds crazy hahha but If you’d like What I can do is do a step-by-step for you in a size 18, using feathers for a 14 or 16 to demonstrate that.
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Sure, that’d be great. I think i know what you mean, but seeing it would really help.
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No problem just give me a day or two and I’ll have it up! Hopefully it will be able to help with your question, if not we go back to the drawing board hahha
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Hi Domenick, I was just editing some posts and checking comments I may have missed; and just realized I’m not sure if I had sent you the link to “Too much hackle and not enough hook”! I did a 2 part series and wanted to send you the link.
https://thequiltedtyer.wordpress.com/2017/01/16/on-the-vise-qa-too-much-hackle-not-enough-hook-techniques-to-shorten-those-soft-hackle-fibers/
https://thequiltedtyer.wordpress.com/2017/01/23/on-the-vise-qa-part-2-too-much-hackle-not-enough-hook-more-techniques-for-utilizing-oversized-soft-hackle/
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