I'm not real big on feather inlays, done maybe a half doz of them over the years but not enough to really get into the crazy inlays some guys can do. Anyway have a customer that wanted a simple yet matching inlay on a steelhead switch rod I'm building for him so just did this inlay and got the first coat of finish over it last night. Nothing too fancy but just used a red hackle feather to match the rest of the rod, then a couple grizzly smaller ones spayed out at the base, then a 3 leaf clover of Jungle cock over the base.

Looks good to me Stevie.

Nice job , Steve, but watch out for Whirnot! That red feather may be his!

John

I like it, Steve. I'm a big fan of subtle, and sometimes I like just a simple single feather accent on a rod.

Or maybe it's because I have no imagination whatsoever...

Steve,
I've only done a few feather inlays myself, and usually they're simple like yours. The only comment I'd offer is that I've been doing mine over a thread base that has had one coat of epoxy applied. For some reason it bothers me to see the texture/features of the blank directly under the inlay.

Jeff

excellent! That is the kind of stuff I like, Just small features Nice Job!

Good point Jeff, I actually thought after I did it maybe I should have done it over a black base.

I think it looks good, Steve. That long red feather sure is dramatic.
I wonder if the black on the JC nails would have been lost on a black thread base. Maybe a grey/charcoal base, blending in with the blank, would worked well, too. Even without a thread base, I think your inlay adds a nice touch to the rod.

Jeff -- Why put down a coat of epoxy on the thread base before the inlay? I suppose if you're using CP to fix the feathers but didn't want to CP the thread you'd need to do that. Any other reason? I've only used Permagloss my few inlay attempts, so I just put the feathers directly onto the thread - no cp involved.

Jeff -- Why put down a coat of epoxy on the thread base before the inlay? I suppose if you're using CP to fix the feathers but didn't want to CP the thread you'd need to do that. Any other reason? I've only used Permagloss my few inlay attempts, so I just put the feathers directly onto the thread - no cp involved.
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skyfireblaze,
You hit the nail on the head. I intentionally don't use CP on my thread wraps, and do use a CP/Alcohol mix to affix my feathers. The alcohol does introduce a contaminant on the surface of the first layer of epoxy, so I have to watch for formation of the occasional fisheye when I apply finish over the inlay.

Jeff