One of the readers that wishes to remain anonymous sent in the following:

"For Golden Pheasant crest feathers that come off the cape twisted, to the degree that they are unusable for toppings and tails, they can be straightened by first soaking the feather in water, then laying the topping on a porous board in the desired shape. Cover the topping with a thin piece of cardboard with a weight on top, such as a book. When dry store loosely in plastic boxes."

Eric Taverner suggests, in Tying Flies for Salmon . . .

"Soak the toppings in warm water, or in your mouth; the latter is better. Then stick the toppings on ... tubes or jars, selecting the sizes appropriate to feather and the curve it is desired to set in. Be sure that the feather is clinging to the glass and in the same plane as the circumference of the surface and that all the fibres are close together. Leave them fall off, which they will do only when they are properly dry. Before tying down a topping, nick the stem close to the lowest fibres by holding it with a pair of pliers and bending the fibres back; it can then be easily and securely fastened."

And from John Pike...

"You may desire to have the barbs of the topping you use open and showing on the sides of the fly you have tied. A very few toppings naturally occur this way, but most likely you will have to create this effect. Set the curve in the topping by the manner suggested by Taverner, slightly smaller than desired for the pattern being tied. When dry, place the topping on a thin piece of closed-cell foam that has been securely cemented to a balsa wood sheet. Beginning at the base of the feather, pin the topping to the board using insect pins and/or thin pieces of porous paper in the same manner as spreading insect wings for mounting. The best paper to use is that used in conjunction with women's hair rollers. Using pins and paper pieces, open the are of the topping, spreading the barbs, to the shape you desire. With the topping securely pinned to the board steam the topping for a few moments to set the new shape you have created, then set aside to dry briefly. Store the formed toppings loose, in a covered box.