Don't Drink The Kool Aid

This post will go over a quick and easy way to dye different natural furs and feathers using kool aid and vinegar.

As I understand it the reason kool aid works so well to dye feathers fur and hair is due to the fact that the coloring used is a weak acid dye. By adding some vinegar to the dye bath we can set the color into the material so it does not wash out as we fish it, or bleed onto our fingers as we are tying. Starting off with white feather and furs is the easiest as it is often hard to get consistent results when dying over a colored material.


Materials Needed:
-Kool Aid (Make sure it is the mix WITHOUT SUGAR)
-Metal Mixing Bowl
-Tongs or Spoon
-Microwave
-Vinegar
-Material to dye
-Understanding Spouse/Wife



Step 1:
Assemble all your materials in a safe place and put down plastic bags, news paper, or a section of wood to protect counter tops. A better idea is to do this outside or in a garage, one spill on the carpet, counter or floor will bring out the wrath of your significant other.

Measure two cups of  hot tap water into your mixing bowl.

Step 2:

Add two packets of kool aid into the hot water and add 2-3 caps of vinegar and mix well. After mixing transfer to a microwave safe bowl or dish. You could skip the mixing bowl step I just find using the bowl allows me to mix and dissolve the kool aid better.

Step 3:

Place your container in the microwave and set the time for 1:45. Allow the mixture to heat up and carefully remove from the microwave and set on a safe surface. Add your materials to the dye bath, in this case I am using natural colored rhea feathers.

Step 4: Allow the materials to soak and check periodically for the intensity of the color. The longer you leave the materials in the bath the more color will take to the feather or fur. Always remember that the color you see while the materials are wet will always be a few shades lighter once dry. When you have reached a color you are happy with take the material out and wash it with hot water followed by cold until you no longer see any dye leeching from the material. Place the materials on some paper towel in front of a fan or near a window with a breeze to dry out.

Once dry fluff the feathers or fur up and check to see if the color is satisfactory. In this batch I did two feathers in orange and two in purple opting for a long bath time to get bright orange and dark purple respectively.

Above are the feathers after drying. The orange is a very bright very heavy dye job as is the purple, making the picture look almost black. In person as you move the feather around the tones of purple come through. You can dye any natural feather or fur with kool aid using this method and by adjusting soak times, amount of kool aid used and heat of the dye bath achieve different results. Below is some red fox dyed with kool aid in a few different colors. As you can see a lot of variation can be had by adjusting different variables.

Warning: I would always suggest trying smaller batches of materials at first instead of trying to dye a $100 saddle right out of the gates. By starting with smaller batches or on less expensive materials you can get a feel for dying and know the limitations and expectations of using this method. Some materials will dye better then others and keep in mind that sometimes things do not work out as you want. For example I have a beautiful snow white arctic fox pelt that I purchased to dye for steelhead flies. The skin on this pelt is paper thin and I find if I dye using a hot water bath the skin wants to rip apart and almost dissolve on me. This has caused me to use cooler baths and longer dye times to avoid this, so keep in mind smaller batches are better to see how materials react to the process and how colors take with the specific material.

Also do not be afraid to branch out to salt fixative dyes and proper acid dyes for dying materials once you are more comfortable with the process. Kool aid is just a cheap easy way to get your feet wet and see if this is something you would like to pursue further. Below is a picture of some other rhea feathers I dyed using salt fixative fabric dyes, while not as bright and vibrant as acid dyes they still get the job done.

More Bang For Your Buck

The idea for this post came after a few friends of mine asked how the hell I consistently seem to fall into amazing deals and prices for all sorts of different fly tying materials. I have listed here some tips, pointers and advice for getting more bang out of your fly tying buck. As we all know materials can get pricey and add up really quick, hopefully this post will help everyone get more out of a dollar and get into some good deals.

Buy In Bulk - Instead of buying small individual patches of fur at $3-7 for 1X1" squares spend the extra money and purchase a whole pelt. Check ebay for pelts but keep in mind the legalities of shipping furs across boarders. Buying pelts from within your own country is usually the best bet. Another gold mine is antique stores that often have old fox/mink etc coats for dirt cheap. There is a difference between garment furs and tanned or preserved pelts but if you can grab a garment for a few dollars you really cannot go wrong. Over the last two years I have picked up all sorts of pelts, from red fox, coyote and opossum to skunk, mink and arctic fox and have more fur then I could ever use within a life time. I often gift patches to friends, those new to the sport and people I meet who are as fanatical about tying as myself. If I purchased the square footage of fur from a fly shop that resides in my collection I would have spent thousands of dollars, so far my pelt collect has cost me only a few hundred dollars.

Other items such as brass and tungsten beads, dumb bell eyes and hooks can also save you money when purchased in bulk. You may not have a need for 1000 dry fly hooks, but by splitting that order with a friend or two you all can save money and get stocked up and ready to tye.

Do Your Homework - Before making any big ticket purchases be it gear or expensive fly tying materials be sure to do your research. Shop around, get prices from a few shops locally, a few shops nearby, and even shops that sell online. Many times I have been able to purchase the exact same goods for $30-50 cheaper by doing a bit of research. A plus to this is you start to network and have the chance to find a company or shop that will treat you well and take care of you. I order frequently from a Canadian company outside of Ontario that will hand pick materials for me to what size or type of fly I am tying. They offer me free shipping and will give me a money back guarantee if I find that any of the materials or items are not up to my standards or wants. This connection would not have been discovered if it was not for networking and doing my homework.

E-Bay - Buying fly tying materials on ebay can be really hit and miss but there are many good deals to be had if you are able to wade through the nonsense. For example some items such as krystal flash are usually purchased in bulk by fly shops or material companies from places like China for dirt cheap. With a little searching you can often find 15-20 hanks of krystal flash in assorted colors for $10-15 with free or cheap shipping on ebay. Consider the cost of the same materials at most fly shops and you can see the savings. That being said the color selection is a bit limited but it is a great way to pad your flash collection. For things along the lines of dry fly hackle specifically be sure to know what you are buying, look at the sellers ratings, ask questions etc. Hooks are another thing that can be hit and miss, some people re-package cheap flimsy hooks and sell them at a dirty cheap price, ebay can be a mixed bag.

I have scored all sorts of great deals on materials from ebay and have yet to be ripped off or cheated, but buyer beware and if you are thinking of ordering expensive items that need to be high quality it may be a good idea to purchase it locally and support the fly shops and see and know exactly what you are buying.

Safe Bets: Krystal flash, synthetic fibers, dubbing, 3d eyes, fly boxes, dumbbell eyes, beads, thread

Iffy Territory: Dry fly capes and saddles, Exotic Feathers, Furs*, Large amounts of materials, Hooks


*Fur is an iffy territory when it comes to crossing boarders. Getting caught importing or exporting furs from between Canada and the U.S for example without proper paperwork can get you in big trouble, even if its for common pelts such as fox or coyote. Be aware of the laws before accidentally breaking them, just because someone will ship you an item does not mean it is necessarily legal to posses.

Purchase With Friends - The buying power from going in on items with a few friends is priceless. Many times I have purchased large quantities of materials or hooks to get discounts and then shared the costs associated with the order and shipping with friends. This works well for pelts and furs as well, a Red fox pelt for example can be had for $40-75 depending upon quality and your location. Cut the pelt into three sections trying to share the areas with longer choicer fur and you have more then enough fur for the recreational tyer at a cost of $12-20 or so dollars each.

Be A Loyal Customer - Often times when buying gear, rods, reels, materials, hooks, etc from the same fly shop or fishing store the owner starts to lick their lips when they see you walk in the store. After a while of purchasing goods do not be afraid to start asking for deals, you will find lots of stores will be willing to wave the tax, throw in freebies, or otherwise treat you well to keep you coming back as a loyal customer.

Wait For Deals - I order through many companies locally and online and often times they will run promotions, deals or sales. When a deal comes along that allows you to replenish stock in hooks, beads, or other items at a fraction of the price it is not a bad idea to take advantage of the situation. Getting a few friends involved as mentioned earlier can help cushion the cost of larger orders as well. For example I know of a company that offers quality hooks at a reasonable price, but a few times a year they have 50% off sales on all hooks and they go from $3-4 per pack of 25 down to $1 and change. When this happens it is common for me to look through my stash of hooks and order in a few thousands to fill in the blanks or restock the styles that I use a lot.

Keep An Eye Out - Always be sure to keep an eye out for auctions, estate sales, yard sales and classified adds either in papers or online. Usually when people are selling large amounts of fly tying materials or supplies through these avenues they are either trying to get rid of the things and will price them at a steal, or may not necessarily know what they are worth and will often times be giving it away. When I first got into fly fishing and tying I purchased a box stuffed with stuff from a gentleman leaving the sport. He charged me $200 for everything, rod and reel, materials, vises, tools, magazines, dvds, vests, nets, fly fishing toys and trinkets and the list goes on. After setting aside everything I wanted to keep and selling the rest I made back $400 cash and still had all sorts of goodies for myself. This is a great way to get things cheaply, and even generate money for that next rod/reel or other big ticket item purchase.


These are just a few quick tips to get you started. I would be interested to hear if any of you guys following this blog have your own tips, tricks or advice for making your fly tying dollar stretch further.

Cheers!