Thorax Black Superfine and Black Prism SLF 50/50 blend
Hackle Black Hen Cape
How to tie it
Wax the Black thread and start it well back from the eye. Lay touching wraps down the shank and around the bend for a smooth base; the tinsel body will show every bump. Snip the tag.
Spiral the thread back up and tie in the Fine Black wire on the near side of the shank. Fold the tag back over itself and bind over it so the slippery thread cannot pull it free.
Tie in the Blue Holographic Tinsel near the front: hold it flat on the shank, bring the bobbin up close and drop the thread over it. Take the thread to the front and park it with a half hitch.
Brush a small drop of superglue along the shank, then wrap the tinsel in touching turns down to the bend and back to the front. Bring the thread back to meet the tinsel, tie off with three turns in front and a couple behind, and snip.
Counter-wind the rib: two or three turns right at the back behind the tinsel, then five or six evenly spaced turns forward. Three wraps behind, a couple in front, push the bobbin up against the hook and twist the wire off.
Wax the thread and dub a small thorax of the Black Superfine and Black Prism SLF 50/50 blend, just enough to make the hackle stand out from the shank rather than lie flat. Leave good space at the front for the hackle.
Pick a small Black Hen Cape feather from the base of the cape. Sweep the fibres down and measure it against the hook so the tip sits at the thread and the fibres reach as far back as you want; tie it in by the tip so the first turn puts the shorter fibres behind, propping the longer ones out. Snip the tip into a small triangle anchor, wax the thread and bind the anchor in with three or four tight wraps.
Sweep the fibres back between two fingers and wind two and a half to three turns. Weave the thread up through the hackle a couple of times, pulling the feather back as you go, then snip the stem.
Pull the hackle back, take a couple of wraps to tidy the head, re-wax the thread and whip finish twice. Pull tight and snip. No head cement.