[John Reid]

I used to tie flies when I was younger and I recall getting a really sore throat every time I was in contact with the materials.  I thought i would get back into it again now i have got back into fishing but as soon as I got the materials out within 15 mins I felt my throat closing over.  I have been trying to eliminate over the past few weeks what is causing me the problem but i think think it is the feathers......

Does anyone else have this problem? and

Does anyone on the forum tie flies to order?

[Sandy Nelson]

John

Become an expert in Synthetics or try antihistemene (well it's spelt something like that )

I'd experiment to see if its dyed feathers or naturals, could be the dye thats the problem, or the preservatives?
you never can tell.
But being a synthetic expert is not a bad thing and then you could swap with others
I would hate for someone to give on tying, its so rewarding.

Sandy

[Iain Goolager]

Hi John,

I passed your concern / query onto my cousin who is head of allergic research at Dunstable University. He phoned last night after consulting his team and concluded that YOU ARE A GIRL.

Hope this is of no use to you

Iain

[Rob Brownfield]

When you say your "throat closing up" do you mean its hard for you to breath?

If so, you may have a form of Asthma brought on by a reaction to any number of things in the feathers. With me it used to be the dust mites that invariably live in the feathers. I grew out of the asthma though but Napthalen (the stuff I use to moths in my materials) seems to have a similer effect on me now..only just started to happen.

[John Reid]

Sandy - I will try some form of anti -hystamine to see if it helps and if not will consider synthetics before having to part with pictures of the queen.  It will also pass the dark winter nights and allow me to sneak off to my man room!

Iain - I thought you were being awful considerate there in the first paragraph but thankfully you redeemed yourself with the punchline............ 

Rob - I don't loss breath but the throat closes like a really sore throat does and I find it difficult to swallow.  I agree that it could be the mothballs.

I may just invest in a gas mask but I think I will suffer heaps of abuse if I resort to these tactics.   

[Peter McCallum]

Don't know if it is of any use but were you using deer hair?

I had an horrendous reaction one day when tying with a well used patch. my eyes were watering - could have fished in them, - and my skin went bright red like it was an anaphylactic shock.

At first I thought it was very fine mink dubbing that caused it but the same thing happened a couple of years later with another, different piece of deer hair. think it must be the very fine flakes coming off the hair as it dries and ages.

Peter

[John Reid]

Peter

I have not tried the deer hair yet as i have been introducing different materials bit by bit and I never got far in when it happened.  It was with a standard natural hen cape that it happened.  I have farmer friends so I am going to get a natural cape from them and treat it myself to see if that helps as there will be no mothballs in it.

[Peter McCallum]

Could be some sort of drying agent I suppose, otherwise its synthetics for you.

[John Reid]

I am going to try a dust mask this weekend.  I will update progress.

Hopefully this will confirm I am not a girl......

[John Reid]

I think it was the old feathers and deer hair as I have got rid of all of them and now am not having any bother.  Just need to practice now as i am making some horrible beasties.

[Iain Goolager]

I think it was the old feathers and deer hair as I have got rid of all of them and now am not having any bother.

stop spending so much cash on fancy reels and you won't have to use Road kill to increase your tying inventory 

Iain

[Iain Goolager]

I am going to try a dust mask this weekend

Also...............swimming goggles is a good way of preventing foreign matter entering your optical orbs

[Peter McCallum]

Can I take it we're still talking fly tying here???????

[Matt Henderson]

stop spending so much cash on fancy reels and you won't have to use Road kill to increase your tying inventory 

Iain

Ahem Pot Kettle Black!  We've all seen that wading jacket! 

[Iain Goolager]

Can I take it we're still talking fly tying here

I would say so Peter.................

It seems John reaction was brought on by certain 'old feathers and deer hair' so my 'road kill' was an alludation to natural materials that aren't stored or treated correctly - something which could easily occur if someone were to, for example increase their inventory from a poor source or indeed road kill.

He also mentioned tying with the use of a face mask which linked my thoughts to a story (from a reliable source) that I heard about someone who used to wear swimming goggles whilst trimming a certain material due to the fine cut fibres becoming airborne and irritating the eyes (optical orbs).

further information can only be divulged via pm to protect the identity of the person involved.

Haven't you got marking to do?

Iain