Zonker Strips or X-Cross Cut?

[1siena]

I am tying some egg sucking bunny leaches and some flesh flies....is there a difference between zonker strips and X Cut rabbit strips?
Thanks

[Undertow]

I've found that x cut strips are easier to wrap on the shank for bunny leeches. But the zonker strips make the better tails. I don't use the either, I use the magnum strips mainly because I dub the fur on all my leeches and etc.

Undertow

[Chromedoggy]

The main difference is the way the hair lays on the strip. Most zonkers the hair lies the direction of the strip lenghtwise, a crosscut lies widthwise.
If you are wrapping a strip on the hookshank, you can easily get the hair to lay back with a crosscut. Clear as mud?
I have stopped using crosscuts because I don't think they work enough better than a standard zonker to stock both.

[Brown duck]

Yeah, zonker strips are cut with the grain of the skin, crosscut strips are cut against the grain. That is, the hair on the zonker strip will lay along the same line as the cut. Zonker strips usually give more of a "swimmy" action, crosscut strips give more bulk (and are usually recommended for wrapping around the hook).

The leech pattern will probably do best with the zonker strips, the flesh flies will probably work out best with the crosscut strips, though, if you're not too picky, you could use either cut for either fly (I doubt the fish understand these highly technical terms we fly-tiers use!). In fact, I only use zonker strips (though I don't tie too many bulky patterns) - I just don't like buying both.

[1siena]

Thanks! I'll probably just stick with the zonker strips.

[Fox]

If you are tying a pattern in which you are wrapping the rabbit strip around the shank of the hook you want the cross cut. If the strip is going to lay parallel to the shank you want the zonker strip. If you think you may do both, then go with the zonker strip, it'll work for both much better than the cross cut.
Fox

[ESOX]

If you tie a crosscut strip on so the hair lays from back to front the hair really puffs out every time you strip. Makes for an interesting variation.

[Jackster1]

the hair really puffs out every time you strip. Makes for an interesting variation.

Interesting comment too! I think I just threw up in my mouth! :D