Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: Don Case on February 17, 2014, 04:33:25 pm

Title: Stripping feathers
Post by: Don Case on February 17, 2014, 04:33:25 pm
I've seen some pull the vane off the shaft and others split and sand the shaft. Is one better than the other or is it different strokes for different folks?
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Scottski on February 17, 2014, 05:43:17 pm
I have done both and striping them to me leaves them a lil flimsie. That my opinion anyway. I like cutting them down the middle and sanding them down better.
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Mohawk13 on February 17, 2014, 05:55:07 pm
The ones I buy are stripped...The ones I make are cut and sanded..They both seem to work fine, you just have to treat them a little different when fletching an arrow...I can tell by feel if it is a good fletch or not...Character of the feather..ie stiffness, condition...all that good stuff..
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Pat B on February 17, 2014, 06:20:46 pm
I prefer to grind feathers rather than strip them. Like Scottski, stripped feathers seem a bit flimsy.
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Fred Arnold on February 17, 2014, 07:12:09 pm
I actually prefer a stripped turkey#1  primary over a split and ground. I have tried to duplicate that trying to strip goose feathers but have had no luck. The goose feathers don't want to separate intact from the quill.
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: osage outlaw on February 17, 2014, 08:05:12 pm
I prefer to grind feathers rather than strip them. Like Scottski, stripped feathers seem a bit flimsy.


Same here.  I cut them and hit them on a belt sander for a few seconds.
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: lostarrow on February 17, 2014, 09:28:55 pm
 Depends on the application. I prefer to use stripped on shoot shafts that I'm going to bind up the whole feather with thread or such and no glue.They sit flatter on an irregular shaft.
    On the other hand the split and sanded work better if you are gluing on a machined shaft. JMHO. Try them both and see what works better in your situation. ;)
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: JW_Halverson on February 17, 2014, 11:21:23 pm
I've seen some pull the vane off the shaft and others split and sand the shaft. Is one better than the other or is it different strokes for different folks?

Well, of course they seem flimsy. Once they are glued to the arrow shaft, they are as sturdy as the arrow shaft makes them!

I find the stripping to be faster by several orders of magnitude.  PLUS, the front of the quill is flush to the shaft and little transition from shaft to fletch, much less chance for the feather to get peeled off the shaft.  But it takes a little more practice than cutting and grinding.
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Scottski on February 17, 2014, 11:25:06 pm
Maybe I need to try more stripping.
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Fred Arnold on February 17, 2014, 11:47:21 pm
Scottski :laugh:I try not to strip in public but at home it is my preferable method.
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: JW_Halverson on February 18, 2014, 12:10:13 am
Uh-oh!  I thought this was a family friendly forum!   >:D
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Fred Arnold on February 18, 2014, 02:02:56 am
 :laugh:JW/ Please note: No pictures ;D
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Buck67 on February 18, 2014, 07:53:21 pm
Turkey feathers strip easily if they have been soaked.  They may or may not strip cleanly if dry.  I have done it both ways and prefer the stripping method over the sanding method.  You may have to trim off excess feather base if it is a big feather, but I use scissors and it is easy enough.  I have fastened the fletching on with hot hide glue or fletching tape with equal success.

Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: lostarrow on February 18, 2014, 10:42:13 pm
:laugh:JW/ Please note: No pictures ;D

 Thanks ,Fred! from all of us :o ;D
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: lostarrow on February 18, 2014, 10:43:06 pm
Some strip , some grind, some do both.....................I don't judge :)
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: JW_Halverson on February 19, 2014, 11:51:12 am
$1.67 has a point.  If feathers are older and "well cured", they are a pain to strip.  They will tear out and short-strip enough to make the most seasoned stripper wanna go home.  I use steam on mine.  Just like steaming fletching on an arrow shaft to renew it.  Just slowly run that feather thru the stream of steam from a teakettle on the stove and VOILA!

Hot, steamy stripping!
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Pappy on February 19, 2014, 12:14:02 pm
 ;) ;D ;D I have done both and usually like to grind them,just easier to get in the clamp. Both work fine,just a personal preference for me. Takes a little longer to grind ,but it takes me a little longer to fletch if I strip them so works out about the same. ;) :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Don Case on February 19, 2014, 01:02:35 pm
Thanks for the replies--and mental images ::)
Don
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Dan K on February 19, 2014, 01:05:17 pm
Depends on the application. I prefer to use stripped on shoot shafts that I'm going to bind up the whole feather with thread or such and no glue.They sit flatter on an irregular shaft.
    On the other hand the split and sanded work better if you are gluing on a machined shaft. JMHO. Try them both and see what works better in your situation. ;)

+1
Also, stripped is much faster once you get the hang of it. You can prep a whole set of fletches in 15 min. You don't have to smooth the front end of the fletch either, just wrap and seal.
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: bow101 on February 23, 2014, 09:05:02 pm
Can you then fletch a feather either way straight , left or right after its stripped..?
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Mohawk13 on February 23, 2014, 09:06:51 pm
I fletch mine straight either way, but you can add helical also...
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Aaron H on March 04, 2014, 01:36:06 pm
I'm a stripper!  although I have dabbled in grinding as well.  ;D
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Roy on March 09, 2014, 07:17:01 pm
Tried stripping them, it is easy, but I prefer feathers with the quill sanded down. Here is a video of Trapper Rob stripping a feather. You don't wanna see him stripping.. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY0AuoeRDhM
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: Outbackbob48 on March 09, 2014, 08:46:44 pm
Strip, Just seems quicker any easier for me. To each his own ::) Bob
Title: Re: Stripping feathers
Post by: dmenzies1950 on March 17, 2014, 07:04:43 pm
I'm lazy, I strip mine.         Dale