Strip or Grind

[nclonghunter]

Many of the recent primitive bows and arrows covered in PA appear to show the feathers as split and ground in some fashion. They do not appear to be pulled from the quill. I see more feather base than what would be present if stripped or pulled from the quill. So, I wonder if cutting and or grinding is the correct primitive method. What's your thoughts on this?

[nugget]

I strip all mine.

[JW_Halverson]

I strip them all, but some days I am better at it than others and some days I end up grinding the excess from those that didn't strip worth a darn.

[stringstretcher]

I have done both, but grind the most.  I do strip them if I intend to wrap the feathers down on the shaft and also when wrapping the ends of each feather.  But most of my arrows, the feathers are glued on for just casual shooting.  The stripped ones are usually in my hunting quiver. Andnothing makes a better flu flu than a stripped feather wrapped around an arrow shaft.

[Pat B]

I prefer to split and grind for standard 3 fletch. Primitive enough for me. For Eastern Woodland style two fletch I strip half off the whole feather but use scissors to cut them or use my feather burner. I can and have made arrows totally abo but for everyday use I prefer to add a bit of technology. I also use whole smaller wing feathers in a tangential style fletching.

[Outbackbob48]

I strip mine , my dust of choice to sniff is silca especially obsidian dust Bob

[gutpile]

I strip mine only...wrap with sinew and they are on for good...only a white man would try to rebuild a turkey feather......LOL...gut

[Ryano]

Strip and grind        Oh your talking about feathers.....lol.
  I do some of both. For truely primitive arrows I strip for sure.

[Pappy]

  and put on a loin cloth Ryan.   I grind most of mine,not as flimsy and easier for me to deal with. To cold to strip. Never to cold to grind.
   Pappy

[BearG]

PG-13 guys LOL

[iowabow]

Can someone post some pictures of how to strip a feather and what it looks like on an arrow for me. thank you for the help.

[hillbilly61]

PG-13 guys LOL

 According to todays ratings, that might make the PG rate

[Sparrow]

I like to cut them with a obsidian micro-blade and sand them to get the perfect thickness. Uugg !  '  Frank

[Hillbilly]

I do both, but I prefer to split and grind them usually, for the reasons Pappy mentioned. I don't think that there is any "correct primitive method-" peoples who live by primitive archery had and have many different ways of doing things.

[sailordad]

i like to,no make that i ENJOY STRIPPING 
but i do find that if i dont get a clean strip then i have to grind them anyhow