Material Strip Cutting Tool for the 'Chip Bag' Fly Pattern Family

There is a world of great materials out there that make some awesome Trash Flies. That material lies in some obvious places and sometimes some not so obvious places. I have found gems of recyclable material in all sorts of places. The problem with a lot of found treasures is that the shape of the material not conducive to a hook. Sheets of Mylar and Mylar ( Balloon and chip bags) like material becomes tedious to cut down to narrow enough to make small flies like size 18 or 20's.

This sort of made some major batch ties of good Trash Fly Patterns is tough to get into. All the scissor work wasn't efficient or terribly satisfying.

Awhile back I came across a really cool video while researching Zonker strips. A Zonker strip is a narrow strip of rabbit skin or some similar pelt. If you harvest your own or buy pelts intact this strip, cutting process takes a turn to the tedious as well as not giving a good final product. The Video I refer to is below.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxWSpL22RuA

 It is a really great tutorial. I recommend you watch it.

That video got me to thinking about my own material forming issues. Here's how I adapted the idea to Mylar and Mylar like materials.

My version of the tool that is shown in the video. Only difference is my spacer may be thinner.

Cool Ranch Doritos bag cut into strips. The logo side of chip bags have some really 'buggy' colors. The inside is usually silver. Silver is great for some patterns and always a great flash strip in a wing case.

Check some previous articles for examples of flies tied with chip bag materials. Your feedback is always appreciated.

Please remember razor blades are extremely sharp. I would suggest you be careful and safe. 

Dedicated to my son. I love you.