Darbee hackle...

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (catskilljohn) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:31:50 GMT

Bob,

Thanks for the reply...you sound like a guy I would like to meet someday.
I met Frank Kuttner for the first time this past summer...one of the friendliest guys up there. As someone put it "he tyes the most perfect flies, each one a little jewel" and I saw it for myself, its absolutely true. He showed me around his place and I left there with a #14 Katterman and a signed card, and practically floated home. Been back a few times, and when I am lucky to catch...

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (bob2935) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:02:44 GMT

Hi Elsie gave me my first tying lesson when I was 12. I know I have some Darbee necks that are in mint condition, I would take pictures of if you are interested. The Darbee experience as a boy remains my favorite memory. Elsie was so nice to me. She taught me how to tie a Light Cahill. Catching the tail end of the Golden Years in the Catskills in the mid seventy's made a big impression. The only shops left that still that mom and Pop feel for me is Frank Kuttner's shop on the way to...

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (wsbailey) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 11:13:59 GMT

I asked Charlie about speckled capes at Somerset several years ago. He told me that he tends to dye such capes because tyers today won't buy them. They want the color in the fly recipe they are tying without variation. You really can't blame the guy for putting economics first.

Bill

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (bswild) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:07:35 GMT

Andy Miner was a lawyer from St. Paul, Minnesota, and belonged to a club called The St. Paul Fly Tyers. He raised chickens hatched from eggs he got from Harry Darbee. Those eventually became the Hebert/Miner necks. Bucky Metz got his eggs from Miner and started Metz Hackle with them. I used to belong to the St. Paul Fly Tyers, and a lot of the old guys were still tying with Andy's hackle.

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (catskilljohn) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:11:58 GMT

Last night, I called a friend, Frank Audino and asked him about Darbee's hackle. He said first off "does it have newspaper print on the skin side"? Apparently, all his capes were set to dry on newspapers, and the ink stained the skin to the point you could actually make out words. He then told me that Harry's capes were quite large, huge actually, and that he also had a certain way he cut the cape from the bird, a signature cut so to speak, as did all hackle...

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (mer) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:44:14 GMT

I couldn't find anything in the Darbee book about how they packaged the hackle. I took a quick measure on a few of the saddles that I have, all were marked #2, they were all pretty solid 12's, with a few 14s. The bigger feathers work well for streamers.

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (creakycane) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:35:25 GMT

With Collins, I'd skip the saddles and go for the grade 3 necks - plenty of size 12 - 20 hackle. The saddles are a bit ragged and webby.
I think the Collins colors are better than the Hebert Miner, generally, but many of the H-M's are quite nice.

No markings or special wrappings on Darbee necks that I know of.

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (mer) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:41:24 GMT

I'll have to check; I think 14 may be about as small as you'll get, but not too many.

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (mvbrooks) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:30:22 GMT

Thanks Mike, all - I will start looking for some Collins hackle. Does he have smallish saddles? I tie a lot of #14 and small flies.

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (CTcanelover) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:17:11 GMT

www.catskillflies.com and ebay seller pacer0036 both distribute Collins hackle. I have purchased Collins stock from pacer but he separates the saddles from the necks. The saddles are great for larger Catskill dries and I have acquired them for as little as $7.00 a piece. His rusty dun makes a mean looking Hendrickson fly. I've seen Joe Fox carry the Whiting Hebert-Miner prograde in the past at Dette flies and EBay seller jimsflyco...

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (DrLogik) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:51:37 GMT

This is one of the better write-ups I have found on the Web about the history of hackle. A lot of good lineage info here also:
http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/sshackle/

I own a few Collins hackle necks also. Quality is first-rate and you get the saddle with the neck! His necks make flies "look" more buggy.

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (mer) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:45:46 GMT

Charlie sells mostly from his house and the shows, I think there may be only one or two places that sell them. As for Whiting, I like the Hebert-Miner capes much better. I have a copy of the Darbee book and I don't recall any pictures or discussions about the packaging of the hackle. But I'll check later this evening.

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (CTcanelover) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:28:53 GMT

...after reading the thread I realize we strayed from CJ's original point. I was wondering if anyone who has a copy of Catskill Flytier by Harry Darbee and Mac Francis could tell us if there's anything in the book to answer CJ's original question....I'll give 1 to 5 odds creaky's got it in his library.

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (CTcanelover) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:47:13 GMT

I'd like to chime in on this...a quick visit to the Whiting site will reveal that the Darbee ancestry lives on through their Hebert-Miner line of hackle. This is from their site:

"The Traditionalist's choice! Our Hebert-Miner line of fly tying feathers is best known for gorgeous natural colors such as creams, duns & browns with brassy overtones and natural sheen. This is the perfect selection for Catskill and traditional pattern fly tiers....

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (creakycane) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 09:21:38 GMT

Mer beat me to it, the Collins capes seem to be to have that character and sparkle that some of the genetic necks seem to lack - they have hackle quality, yes - but often lack sheen, speckling, larger hackles, spades and overall character. Collins capes are quite nice for Catskill flies where just getting the right shade of ginger or right flecking in the dun hackle is of interest - the quality is also very good, even in the 3's.

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (mer) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:46:40 GMT

Mike, have you had a chance to look at some of the stuff from Charlie Collins? Comparing his stuff to some of the others, it seems to be "better" in some subtle way (at least to me), perhaps that soul you're talking about. I have what he calls a barred ginger that if you look at it in the sunlight it just beautiful. He's in NY state somewhere, I think his flock may have connections with some of the old time Catskill tyers (either Darbee or Dette). He often has a booth at one...

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (mvbrooks) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:45:07 GMT

I own one. It's a dark dun neck. I received mine in a plain "mailer" envelope, no package, many years ago. It's still in nearly mint condition. Compared to todays hackle, it is quite soft. The barbs are very thin and rather "whispy" and the size range from #14 and up. The color is the thing about these, though. Calling it dark dun is a lousy description. It's dark, nearly black in places, but has rust and darker yet dun speckling throughout. Modern genetic...

Re: Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (oneculm) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:06:46 GMT

The one I had was given to me over the desk. I came back a week later to get some eggs to start my own flock That never happened. dave

Darbee hackle...

feeds@yuku.com (catskilljohn) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:56:55 GMT

Maybe someone on here is fortunate enough to have or once had a cape sold by Harry Darbee, and could tell me how it was packaged? Did he have a backing card with his shop logo, or was it in a plastic bag, or did he just hand it over the counter, etc? Thanks, CJ