Hey Mark! I have the very same problem with moose mane. Sometimes, after I've already stacked the hair and have the bunch in my hand, I'll try to carefully pull out the broken fibers with a fine pair of tweezers. I'm sure there is a better way! I hope others will have some tips on this because I really like how the moose mane looks and floats. One of my favorite small creek flies is the Royal Wulff with a moose mane tail. Sometimes after I tie the moose in I'll put a little golden pheasant tippet on top of it for a little extra color with the hope that it takes the focus off the broken moose fibers. Wishing you and safe and low-key fire season this year!

David

I've not heard of using moose mane as tailing, what patterns are you using it on and why such long hair for tails? I don't keep with the latest thing in fly tying, but always thought of moose mane as body material.

The mane I have is 4-5" long and rather on the soft side, used it to wrap a quill like body light and dark on mosquitoes. Body hair is a different depending on what part of the body it comes from, some deer is better than some other deer.

I usually use moose body hair for tails on mayflies. I haven't had the types of problems you are describing, but I only use 3-5 hairs at a time. The tips themselves seem to fairly flexible.

I like the thought of using moose main as a quill body. do you still have to soak them?

No, but I did paint the body with head lacquer, look at the video that Odonata found. I used less tail hackle and head lacquer/nail polish rather than the UV coating he uses.
Sorry can't do pictures and it has been a while since I used those, the light and dark mane can be used the same way in a midge body, a quick segmented body for what ever.
A couple pretty good articles on hair selection and usage: https://midcurrent.com/flies/fly-tying-hair-selection/
http://globalflyfisher.com/tie-better/s ... -deer-hair
Charlie Craven said

On evening hair, I just use my palm and fingers, I never could get used to the stacker cups (and many other gadgets) My suggestion is to grasp the tips of the moose mane and pull out only the undamaged (after cutting from the hide) the fine tipped undamaged hairs should be longer than the broken hairs, then use the stacker. I expect there are more damaged pieces than good pieces in most mane samples. because the mane is on the top of the neck it is exposed to a lot more damage than other body hair.

hi Hellmtflies, The Hippy Stomper, per the inventor Andrew Grillos, calls for moose body hair, a much better choice, imo. Hock might be an even better choice. The mane I have seen is almost always somewhat damaged and mostly blunt. Did you mean moose mane or moose body hair?
http://www.andrewgrillosflyfishing.com/ ... ie-stomper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4rilByk4hU
You should note that in the video and in the photo both, the tail hair is not evened on the tips, it presents an uneven semi tapered finished tail.
I don't have any moose body and if I were tying that fly would likely substitute tail hair from mink or wood chuck or elk hair, I really don't believe that on that large foam bug the fish will notice the tail.