Metz - A guide to Feathers

Metz Cock Necks

Cock hackles are generally used for tying dry flies and if you are looking to tie flies in a range of sizes then you should be buying a cock neck. 

Generally a neck will have a large range of feathers that allow one to tie up smaller sized flies in 20s through to larger size 8 and 6s. The neck can be divided into sections. Smallest feathers found at the top of the cape and as you work your way down the feathers get larger. A cock neck will also have useful longer hackles for lures, pike flies and larger saltwater patterns.

Metz cock necks come in 3 grades. A grade 1 neck is the most expensive but provides more feathers than the lower grades and so they offer great value for money for commercial tyers and enthusiastic amateurs who tie a high number of flies each year.  The grade 2 is less expensive and subsequently has fewer feathers and the grade 3 is the choice for many tyers who just want to tie a few dozen flies in different sizes.  The grade 3 are also available in half necks and so if you are not tying too many these give you the chance to maybe but 2 different colours for around the same price as one full neck. 

Metz Cock Saddles

Saddles have much longer feathers which tend to be in the larger sizes and so if you are tying lots of dries in sizes 10 & 12 then a saddle can offer good value for money. The main attraction of a saddle feather is that you can tie 4 or 5 flies from one feather.  Metz saddles are available in grades 1 and 2 with the grade 1 providing more feathers that are longer in length.

Microbarb Saddles

These saddles provide long, thin feathers that have very little taper and give you lots of feathers to tie dries in sizes 12,14 and up to a small 18 and 20.  You will also be able to tie up to around 10 flies from one feather.  

Metz Magnum Cock Necks and Saddles

Metz now offer magnum necks and saddles which are still from the cock bird but have much wider, more webby feathers that are perfect for tying larger flies for salmon, pike and saltwater flies.

As with the regular cock hackles the necks have shorter feathers in many different sizes and so are perfect for salmon flies in sizes from 4 to 10.  These are also available is dyed colours that are popular in many salmon patterns.

The saddles are used for large pike and saltwater streamer patterns and for the tails in deceiver type patterns.

Metz Hen Necks

Hen necks are used mainly for tying wet hackled flies such as spiders.  The feathers are wider and softer so lend themselves perfectly for soft swept-back hackles.  They are much shorter in length than a cock feather but this is ok as wet hackled flies work better with fewer wraps producing a more sparsely tied pattern.

Metz Hen Saddles

As with the cock bird the saddle feathers are wider and are perfect for some of the new age tube flies and soft hackle salmon flies.  The feathers can also be used as the side feathers in lure patterns such as Mrs Simpson.

Summary