Calf Tail vs. Antron

[nhancock]

Since I have been using Antron (both dubbing and yarn) it seems I have stopped using calf tail. It seems to me Antron is easier to work with and comes in many more colors. What are your thaughts? In what situations or for what patterns do you still prefer calf tail?

[MOKE]

nhancock.......
I personally use antron for winging material for parachute posts or humpy wings etc. exclusively anymore, and have for years (decades ? )
I like it much better!

Peace
MOKE

[roundrocks jim]

I like to use the light color hair from a deer face for parachute flies It seems to compress and hold better.

[Cary]

If you can get good, crinkly calf tail, its the best IMO for parachute posts. Its a pain to stack, but is worth the effort.

This stuff will float forever. Antron, while convenient, well, is just convenient. When I'm up for convenience, I buy my flies.

[carpman]

Try polypropylene or foam, they both work great for parachute posts. Not as traditional as calf, but much easier to tie with, and with floatation benefits.........

[Ouzel]

One of the nice things about progress (technology) is the different applications it can be put to; i.e. a product developed for the textile industry also having uses/benefits in the fly tying craft.

Eastman 910 glue developed for applicatioon in the steel die industry is now sold as Superglue.

Thomas Edison was right in saying "necessity is the mother of invention". Look how many talented tyers are haunting "craft" stores.

Calftail is what some person found and used in tying applications, Antron replaces it in some applications.

And generally for the better.

I like it.

[MOKE]

I stand corrected after reading carpmans post....
Its polypropylene that I use for winging material.

MOKE

[dan moulton]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one that jumped the fence from calf tail to antron or foam or yarn.

[flyty]

I'm surprised no one mentioned using white turkey flats as posts. They're a brilliant white and there's no need to stack anything. I can see a white turkey flat post much easier than a white antron post, and they look a lot nicer. A.K. Best suggests to forget about calf tail and use white turkey flats instead, and once I tried it, I was done with calf tail forever.

[Caddfly]

When tying flies to go on plaques or impress somebody, I'll use calf tail. It looks better, in my opinion, than poly. When I tie up my own flies, I go for speed, and poly is a lot quicker than calf. I find they float the same, poly is cheaper too. Whatever fits your fancy I suppose.