Dyeing Bucktail
 

Okay, so how do you dye bucktail. Bucktail does not like to absorb water or dye for that matter. I tried black ritz dye in water, letting it soak for a couple of days and it only turned the bucktail dirty gray. Do you need to add an emulsifier or heat up the dye solution or both. Or is there another method?

Did you de-grease the bucktail prior to dyeing? If you don't de-grease, the oils will act to repel the dye solution & you won't get as much penetration.

i have never done it before but i'd put some money on heating up the dye solution. rit is pretty strong stuff.

What do you use to degrease the bucktail before dyeing?

You need to wash it. You can use dawn dishwashing liquid. You have to heat the rit dye on the stove to just before a simmer and add some white vinegar. Black is the hardest color to do. I dye alot of my own stuff but never black, just cant ever seem to get it deep enough.

whats the vinegar do...? like dying eggs?

Im no chemist but its used as whats called a "setting agent". I guess the acid somehow sets the dye.

I was unsuccessful also
 

A few years ago I dyed a tail black with Rit. I heated up the dye solution as per instructions. I did not know about the vinager or the degreasing though I usually wash my bucktails with soap. My result was black enough, but the dye came off and blacken my hands when handling it. I have not tried since.

hair coloring

Get A.K.Best's book: "Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly-Tying Materials". Lots of good info and gives you the whole process.

Wash in woolite. Let dry. Make you solution of rit dye, heat to just before a boil. Add white vinagar and soak the tails or bucktails a few hours.... Let dry and your ready to go....

As long as we're on the topic.....
 

Has anyone ever tried sugar-free Kool Aid to dye bucktails? Read about that a while back, not even sure if it was serious. Anyone?