Slight Hiccoup

Going over the rules of the 2011 Sheep-to-shawl, it was noticed that combs were not an approved method for aligning the wool for spinning.  Crap.
This leaves us with the choice of handcards or flicking.  I wasn't quite sure what were the advantages of either or why my new beloved combs were not allowed.  Over the past two weeks I've been getting a bit of practice plus a class up at the Trading Post in Pendleton giving me a better understanding about the three methods for aligning fibers. 
Combs are really great for long staple fibers - a by long I mean 2.5 to 3 inches in length.  When you comb all of the short fibers get winnowed out.  Those short fibers are now waste (you could use them in other places, like stuffing toys or hexapuffs or card them for other spinning but they no longer have any place within the yarn you are currently trying to make).
Carding aligns a lot of fibers rather quickly and with very little waste.  However a good set of card can be pricey and can quickly tire you out.  They take a good amount of coordination that I just wasn't able to make happen in a single afternoon.  I'm not saying that the use of cards in out of the question, only that I have a new found respect for handcarders.
At the Trading Post class I tried flicking fiber. 
The first time I heard the term flicking, I was creating a mental image of rapidly snapping wool in the air and wondering how this would clean and align fiber staples.  What I discovered is that flicking is a method using a wire brush and using plucking strokes, you tease the fiber into individual filaments.  While you can buy special brushes designed especially for flicking, you can create equal results with a ten-dollar dog slicker brush from your local pet supply store.  I was able to apply the technique very quickly and able to replicate the technique once I got home from the class (something I couldn't say about carding).  I was satisfied with how quickly I could work through chunks of the practice fleece (okay, okay so some of the samples worked better than others - I'm going to get to that, I promise).  And there is very little in the way of waste fiber.
My vote for right now is geared toward flicking for 2012.