# Feather blank making with exotic feathers



## Woodguy95 (Feb 1, 2016)

Ok so hello everyone. I need to ask you guys some questions. I've been trying to make feathers blanks for a bit now. The thing is that I haven't found the right way to do it so that the feathers stays on the tube whitout having to use a thread in the middle of the feathers or whitout it appearing in the blank.

Also my uncle is a taxidermist and is specialized in birds (I'm kind of lucky) so he has access to rare birds. Do you think it's a good idea to step out of the good old pheasant blanks and to go a bit more exotic or it doesn't make a difference. The blanks would be more expensive to make...

Thanks in advance for your answers,
Simon


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## socdad (Feb 1, 2016)

I do not know if this would apply to our friends up north but most 'exotic bird' feathers are illegal to possess ... Take a look at 
Guide to legal and illegal feathers in the USA - Featherfolio
Hope this helps.


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## Woodguy95 (Feb 1, 2016)

I do not think it applies since they would come from a taxidermist. And if necessary it would of been treated to conform with Canadian laws. However I am not sure as wheter or not I would be able to sell it to us custommers for exemple.


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## JohnU (Feb 1, 2016)

It wouldn't matter if they come from a taxidermist or not.  My dad is a taxidermist, and the laws are the same, restricting the use of any wild bird feathers for the sale of blanks.  You can make them but if your going to sell them, make sure you have permits showing they were domestic raised birds. Federal laws are federal laws.   You can do anything with domestic birds.  They just get pretty expensive.  I chose pheasants because they are the most available and have a wide range of feathers.  Ducks and quail are fun but hard to come by and the feathers are very small.  Looking forward to seeing your work.  Hang in there !  John


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## EdGallop41 (Feb 21, 2016)

My other main hobby for the past 55 years has been fly tying, so I have a lot of feathers, some very rare. You can find a lot of exotic feathers that full dress salmon fly tiers use at many websites. Some not too expensive feathers would be the small colorful ringneck and other pheasants, golden pheasants, guinea feathers, and spend a little more for Jungle Fowl (nails, aka eyes). I have planned to make feathered pen blanks for my many fly tying friends. I have made many blanks with dyes but need to learn how to use solids. I have used black widow spiders in paper weights and a bottle stopper but feathers on pens are much more difficult. I'll get there though. Don't use song birds but I do not know of other bird feathers (other than bald eagles and other raptures) to be concerned with. If you can buy or hunt them then you can use them. All my molds are square. I'd like to make or get some round for feathers that I can cast around tubes.


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