Stuff you don't like buying online?

[Shoemoo]

There's no denying jig tying stuff is cheaper when you order online, but I've found some stuff it's better to buy in person.

Scissors - I tie with my scissors on my hand. I don't like setting them down, so they have to be the right size and balance correctly. I was lucky and found a set that fit me pertectly with my first online order, but I wanted some micro tip scissors for trimming tiny jigs. I now have two pairs I don't like but weren't worth the cost of sending them back for a refund. Not buying again unless I can try them out first.

Fur on hide patches. - Sometimes you get a nice full patch with dense fur, other times it looks like the supplier used animals that were molting. If you're really unlucky, the patch looks look like the animal had mange.

Calf tails - I like bushy, solid color calf tails with long hair that's not too kinky. It seems whenever I order my kip online, on some of them half the hair isn't usable because it's either too short or part of the tail is brown instead of the color I ordered. I hate that.

What are your tools/materiaals you'd rather buy in person?

 

[Jig Man]

I woud just as soon buy it all in person, but where I live that isn't possible unless I want to wait and go to Austin, 200 miles one way. So far Robert hasn't let me down on anything I have purchased from him. Really the only thing fishing I refuse to by on-line is rods. That wont happen with me, I want to get the feel of it and make sure there are no imperfections. Just the way I am! Oh yea I wont buy anything from Cabelas on line again... Shipping was a killer on my one and only purchase.

 

[StumpHunter]

Marabou.... just hard to get good marabou feathers anymore.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Natural Mallard flank feathers. I like going to Cabela's and pick the bags with the largest feathers I can find. You can cut down larger feathers but not much you can do with the smaller one's. I want as many feathers that will work with a #4 hook as I can get. Larger than that is a bonus.

 

[quivira kid]

Anything feather or hair... but I don't have a choice on some stuff. The first thing that really pops into my head are my partridge skins. Things like that, there is so much variation that hand picking is the way to go.

 

[Fatman]

x2 with stump and jungle jim. Luckily on the mallard flank I get alot through swap box's on my fly fishing boards and several other friends have sent me gallon size bags of it.

 

[Pup]

If you want to buy material from a bolt offered by a fabric store, visit the store and you'll have greater choice on the amount of material purchased (i.e. by the inch or foot). Otherwise, you'll likely be required to purchase a minimum of a yard if ordering it online.

Craft fur is a good example.

 

[redman]

Most hair and feathers are a crap shoot at best. I have had good luck with the two suppliers that I use. As far as the mallard and gadwall flanks been able to trade enough crappie jigs to keep me in them for a long while. The dyed duck flank are cheap enough I don't worry about it. When it comes down to it Wapsi products are very uniform as far as Color so try to buy from suppliers that carry from them.

Redman

 

[AtticaFish]

I have gotten online orders that i set aside and made mental notes to 'never order from them again' for darn near every aspect of this hobby..... feathers, fur, flash, synthetics, blank heads, hooks, etc.

Worst purchases have been with fur in the past. Kiptail, bucktail, and rabbit you never can tell what you are going to get. Some even looks good in the store and once you get home and start to tie with it, turns out you bought something that was not cured or tanned or dyed correctly.

I've also gotten orders of blank jig heads where 25 out of 100 hooks were either open eye, bent or even put in the mold upside down or with 2 hooks. Hooks not right in jigs does kind of drive me nuts since you know someone had to look at each one and they choose NOT to fix it. I only get blanks from a few individuals that i know will send quality work.

In general, i sure wish more companies would take the time to accurately photograph the different colors of materials since that is one of THE main selling points when it comes down to us obsessed tackle makers. ..........or maybe that is their game plan since they know we will have to buy one of each just so we know what color it is? Dem sons a bee's. :dodgy:

 

[smalljaw]

I will never buy Wapsi brand stuff again, at least online. The last time I got bloodquill marabou the quills were rotted to the point the marabou smelled really bad and was just falling apart and when I contacted them they did nothing. The Wapsi ultra thread that I have used ever since I tied my first jig has become junk, it now seperates in my fingers and the 3lb breaking strength is a joke, I have 140 denier sample spools that are stronger than the 210 I use so for me to buy any of that brand I'll first have to have it in hand.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

smalljaw, totally agree with you on the ultra thread and switched to the Danville for the 140 now,although I still like and buy the ultra 70.I like to view the marabou I buy as well,did get some bad bulk marabou once and it was a whole pound of black. Still using it but throw half away. Only paid $7 for the whole pound though.

 

[redman]

Smalljaw not to brag but I buy enough bou to fill a Gallon zip lock bag in just one Color. I have never had a bad batch from Wapsi. And the Color is always very uniform. Think it may have set too long and had been stored badly at your supplier. Tom has always put out darn good feathers. Now hair is a another thing. I don't know about the thread as there is only two brands that I use. It is hard to beat Danville as they have been at it so long they get it right all the time. My other source has quit making my favorite of theirs. It comes in 1 oz. Spools and I have 5 I will probably never run out of it. Yes I know my wife call me a jig tying material Hoarded. Lols

Redman

 

[Fatman]

Would love to go right to the Danville factory and get it direct but I'm not a dealer or needing a couple of skeins at a time in one color!!!

 

[redman]

Doug when I tied commercially I bought direct. Every thing by the box and skein. Think that the minimum order was $75 and that was 25 years ago. Still have a couple of boxes of tinsel left. I am still tying off three skeins of special chenille that they made with a tinsel core for panfish. Have never seen it offered any where it came in three colors black, white,and yellow.

Redman

 

[Fatman]

Don't we all wish!!!!!!!!LOL Never did get a reply back from them on making up that teal chenille, may try emailing them again.

 

[Shoemoo]

Doug when I tied commercially I bought direct. Every thing by the box and skein. Think that the minimum order was $75 and that was 25 years ago. Still have a couple of boxes of tinsel left. I am still tying off three skeins of special chenille that they made with a tinsel core for panfish. Have never seen it offered any where it came in three colors black, white,and yellow.

Redman

Is this stuff solid color with silver tinsel wrapped around the central thread? If so, I've seen it at Sportsman's Warehouse under the Troutsmen Enterprises brand. They call it sparkle chenille. It comes in a bunch of different colors. Don't remember all of them, but I know black, white and red for sure since I have some. It comes inthree yard packages and it's pretty cheap. I can take a pic if you like.

 

[redman]

Shoemoo Sounds like the stuff I have. Pick up some and use it to make woolie. They are great to use on Bream (bluegills) I tie them with a single strand of Flrange floss tail chenille body and palmer of the same color with a collar of the flo orange floss. Glad to know that they still make the stuff and that is still available. With the amount that I have I will never run out. Thank you for the info.

Redman

 

[Jighead76]

Agree with feathers and tails. I still take my chances online but the few times I got bad stuff I was really disappointed. Nothing worse than checking mail for new materials and getting.. Little tiny mallard flank feathers, huge corse buck tail, kip tail that wouldn't work on a 1/100 jig or marabou that is all fluff or stuck together. I prefer going in but sometimes it's worth the chance for the prices.

 

[Fatman]

Jighead these guys have nice mallard flank feathers but you have to buy stuff by the pound!!! and that's alot of feathers!!!!
http://www.swalefandson.com/duckfeathers.html