Crest Test

by Royce Stearns

No... this is not a Toothpaste advertisement.

As a beginner, I'm still fiddling with concepts that have been shared with me, ideas of my own, and the education process of the media we call feathers. This test was to determine what affect humidity has on a "wet" shaped Golden Pheasant crest/topping feather.

The "wet" shaping technique is used to create a beautifully cascading topping feather or tail. The feather is soaked for a period of time and than shaped on a flat surface and allowed to dry.

Even the most standard looking crest can be made into a stunning cascade with the "wet" shape technique ... but will it stay that way? If the fly is framed for display, will time and humidity changes turn the beautiful cascade into an ugly duckling?

This experiment involved three tests on two crests. Both crests were manipulated using the wet technique. The crest feathers were plucked from the same head. All were soaked/washed in woolite for 24 hours, rinsed and then manipulated on an acrylic plate to shape them and allowed to dry. After drying, one crest was allowed to sit for 6 hours while the temperature of the environment was changed from 62 degrees to 80 degrees and then to 65 degrees. One crest was placed in a container above water and the room temperature was changed from 62 degrees to 80 degrees and back to 65 degrees over 6 hours. Finally a crest was held in a high humidity (cool steam vapor, NO heat) environment for 3 minutes and then allowed to return to the surrounding humidity.

The environment was humid (it's a steady downpour here in the Pacific Northwest) to start with and electric heat was used to raise the temperature in the room so very little of the moisture was removed. Neither of the crests were adjusted or manipulated during the tests.

Pictorial

From the Crest, ready for "Wet" shaping


Not the most beautiful but shaped none the less


After sitting in a container with indirect moisture for 6 hours it's starting to return to it's original shape


It even goes back to the original twist in the stem


"Wet" shaped tied on a hook and ready for testing.


Left in a room for 6 hours with a temperature change of 62 to 80 to 65 degrees. Although not as dramatic you can see that it has started to return to it's original shape.


Dramatic change ... this held in high humidity at about 85 to 90 degrees for only 3 minutes.