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Kimono Silk Thread
Re-spooled exclusively by Magpie
Magpie Materials is very excited to announce the rollout of a very distinguished new product. This is the beginning of a new era in the use of silk in our fishy craft. In keeping with the Magpie ethic of high-quality materials for the discerning fly tyer, we have worked out a deal with Superior Threads to re-spool their fine KIMONO SILK THREAD on fly tying sized spools. That’s right. While Kimono is nothing new to the fly tyer, never before has it been offered on appropriately-sized spools. You’ll no longer be limited to purchasing a special, larger bobbin or re-spooling on your own.
We all know about Pearsall’s as the historic fly tying thread, and commonly associate it with North Country Spiders and Flymphs. But spending $30 on a spool of quality but discontinued silk is a thing of the past. Kimono is the finest, thinnest silk thread available to our craft, and Magpie is very excited to offer it for sale as the exclusive fly tying distributor of Superior Threads’ Kimono Silk Thread. It’ll very soon be added to MagpieMaterials.com and expect updates as we go. I expect lots of interest.
I won’t take pre-orders, but I would welcome contact from anyone intersted and I’ll start a list. Shoot me a message.
Spools will be 155 yards for $4.95. With the help of Carl Sanders and his excellent comparative chart of Kimono/Pearsalls colors, I have started with those colors pictured plus several other great Kimono colors. Thanks for your interest, and please stay tuned as we work on the rollout!
Riseform Hackle
Unique Genetics to Grace the Steel
Magpie Materials is very proud to have sourced the next great thing in the world of rooster hackle. Riseform Hackle is a unique genetic line that features nice gingers, ginger dun, barred gingers, C-C-Cree, browns, grizzly and grizz variant, and we will be seeing more blue duns. Every pelt purchased will receive a complimentary spool of my primo Magpie Materials polyester thread.
The eastern and western dry fly tyer alike will be pleased with the qualities of these pelts. Capes exhibit a lower barb count and stiff, shiny, straight barbs. Stems are supple and wrap right. Feather length is generally adequate for at least two flies; just right for a cape. Many of the capes have good quality big feathers, up to size 8, and down to 20 or 22. Many of the capes have a good amount of great SPADE feathers on the sides. One thing to consider about color here is that there is often a great dun shade underneath the drapes. I will highlight this in the product photos in the website. The Catskill fly tyer will be pleased with this offering. I have also requested these pelts be cleaned with the shoulder attached, so that you receive a generous portion of complimentary wet fly hackle.
Then we have the saddles. “Bonkers” is the most appropriate adjective. The western dry fly tyer will be pleased with the high barb count, very stiff, shiny, straight barbs. You can heavily hackle a dry fly with these feathers with 3-4 wraps, depending on pattern. Very nice, supple stems and many of the grade 1 and grade 2 saddles are 20” or better. I had that primo chickabou left on the sides of the pelt, so you will have some nice bugger material at no extra cost.
Colors are great, as you can see in the pictures below. I’ve graded each of these myself and chosen a price point that will not exclude anyone. Great dry fly hackle should not be inaccessible to any fly tyer due to price. Riseform Hackle and Magpie Materials presents a new chapter in the world of rooster hackle.
Order Processing
Please be patient! This is a one-person show, with my wife helping out with some labelling. I wear many hats in the Magpie: dye master, procurement, shipping & receiving, product development, marketing & sales, finance, pro-staff, and the shop boy. It’s a labor of love, and I am definitely earning it as most of the products are developed from scratch, by me. That said, I fill orders about twice per week, sometimes just once per week. In an age with instant gratification, online payments, and drive-thru coffee windows, we expect quick turn-around from online shops. However, in addition to building a fly tying materials business, I also work a 50-hours-per-week day job, I’m finishing up a part-time graduate degree, and I also need a little couch time. If you get ants in your pants rather than your tippet, please reach out to me to inquire about your order. I also provide tracking on all domestic orders, and that is updated through this system.
Flat Thread Matters
Magpie Materials polyester thread may be the next best thread in the fly tying world. I vetted it extensively prior to deciding to market it. As a proficient fly tyer, I can say that this thread is as good as the threads offered by the big companies, and overall is better than many of them. I know; bold statement. But, give it a try. I think you’ll agree. It is thin and flat- when you want it to be. A mere counterclockwise spin of the bobbin for a right-handed tyer provides flatness when you want it. Clockwise spin and you tighten it up, such as when securing a clump of deer hair. It has just enough stretch. For its size, it’s stronger than poly and nylon threads of equivalent weight. It’s more abrasion resistant than many other leading threads. Got rough fingers? This thread will be a little sturdier. I offer it in 72 Denier and 110 Denier only and will offer in 16 rich colors. Every single spool is spooled in-house. I source the thread, spools, and labels and put in the work to offer this high-quality product; it lives up to the Magpie name.
Much was learned about the textile industry in the process of sourcing this thread. In that, I learned that the “ought” system the fly tying industry leans on is inconsistent and unscientific. The textile industry does not use this system and I’d be willing to bet that “ought” weight is inconsistent between fly tying thread brands. Without getting too deep into it, denier is a consistent and scientific measure of weight. Because of that, I’ll not be referring to “ought” size. I will tell you, for reference, that my 72D is perfect and thin. It is easily capable of tying a size 24 dry fly, yet you can bump it up to a size 14 Elk Hair Caddis without issue. It’s not unbreakable, but it has ample strength for light deer hair work. If you’re tying lots of deer and elk hair wings, spinning hair, and any application where more strength is needed, the 110 is right for you. But, don’t let the greater strength and size give you any misgivings. The 110 remains thin, flat, and awesome. You can easily tie sparse size 20 dries with it.
This is a product I am very proud of, put much work into sourcing, and I hope you’ll give it a try.
About Us
Why Magpie?
Comprehensive Color Selection to Match the Hatch
Comprehensive Color Selection to Match the Hatch
This effort is the result of being dissatisfied with the quality of some products offered by the big companies. It started with sourcing wild turkey biots for personal use. When the quality of the biots was realized, I began dyeing them in colors to suit my own fly fishing and tying. That led to the desire to share this vastly-improved ma
This effort is the result of being dissatisfied with the quality of some products offered by the big companies. It started with sourcing wild turkey biots for personal use. When the quality of the biots was realized, I began dyeing them in colors to suit my own fly fishing and tying. That led to the desire to share this vastly-improved material with friends and other fly tyers. The restless pursuit of high quality natural fly tying materials has become the focus of my time away from the day job, the graduate degree, and the family. I have expanded to several natural offerings, including all-natural dubbings, quality deer and caribou hair, tanned pine squirrel skins, Rhode Island Red rooster capes, and many others. We’ve also sourced our own brand of polyester thread. Time spent at the vise and the stream is critical in many of our lives; make the most of it with premium fly tying materials.
Comprehensive Color Selection to Match the Hatch
Comprehensive Color Selection to Match the Hatch
Comprehensive Color Selection to Match the Hatch
From the largest Danica to the smallest Baetis, Magpie Materials Wild Turkey Biots and Premium Beaver Dry Fly Dubbing have you covered.
Enjoy Your Time at the Vise and on the Water
Premium Wild Turkey Biots for the Discerning Fly Tyer
Premium Wild Turkey Biots for the Discerning Fly Tyer
Your time is valuable. Make the most of your time at the vise with premium materials.
Premium Wild Turkey Biots for the Discerning Fly Tyer
Premium Wild Turkey Biots for the Discerning Fly Tyer
Premium Wild Turkey Biots for the Discerning Fly Tyer
Wild Turkey Biots are an exceptionally versatile material. Tie with the ribbed side out for a greater depth of segmentation and color; tie with the smooth side out for a more subtle segmentation. Tie them concave-out for a monochromatic color for those PMDs; tie them concave-in for a more vibrant color and segmentation effect for the more
Wild Turkey Biots are an exceptionally versatile material. Tie with the ribbed side out for a greater depth of segmentation and color; tie with the smooth side out for a more subtle segmentation. Tie them concave-out for a monochromatic color for those PMDs; tie them concave-in for a more vibrant color and segmentation effect for the more patterned bugs. Easily trim them for a thinner wrap. The days of soaking prior to tying are over.
Resources & Partners
Charlie’s Fly Box
Charlie’s Fly Box
Charlie’s Fly Box
Our friend, mentor, and world-renowned master fly tyer Charlie Craven was the first to carry Magpie products in his fly shop. Charlie offers perhaps the best selection of fly tying materials and tools you’ll find anywhere, as well as the right gear for the stream. Not only does he offer the best stuff, but he teaches you how to use it in his prolific, high-quality fly tying videos on YouTube and tutorials on Charliesflybox.com. If you want to learn a thing and improve your fly tying, tune into his binge-worthy videos. Also, I’m told his shop staff offer hugs. Weirdos.
Old Hat Fly Tying
Charlie’s Fly Box
Charlie’s Fly Box
Old Hat Fly Tying is the work of our friend, Carl Sanders. It’s the most comprehensive, informative resource you’ll find regarding tying and fishing Flymphs, as well detailed explanations of thread and other fly tying staples. Mr. Sanders’s work is invaluable to the Flymph and classically-oriented fly tyer. Check it out at Oldhatflytying.com.