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Author Topic: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?  (Read 14305 times)

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Offline paulsemp

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anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« on: January 30, 2015, 08:50:46 pm »
anyone that knows me knows how poor my arrows are. So I decided that I need to exclusively make arrows for a while. One thing I can't stand is grinding feathers. So I did a test run and stripped enough for one arrow. I was very impressed with my results. they glued on quite well and are rigid as a feather that's been ground. Any of you guys out there strip feathers also and if so what are the pluses and minuses to doing it aside from the mess grinding?
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Offline Danzn Bar

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2015, 08:55:41 pm »
Paul,
I've seen your arrow building and its not that bad.....but, as far as feathers, all I've got is grinding experience.  I'll be very interested in this post too.
DBar
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Offline Outbackbob48

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2015, 09:31:43 pm »
Paul, I strip my feathers as well, the only disadvantage that I see is you can't use a chopper. I have a Young's burner so no diadvantage to me, Way faster than grinding, for me it's the only way to go ;D Bob
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Offline paulsemp

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2015, 09:33:17 pm »
thanks Bob that's reassuring. no chopper here all I gots a pair of scissors ;)
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Offline Outbackbob48

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2015, 09:35:47 pm »
Paul, even better no stink :o,  Bob
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2015, 09:57:10 pm »
Put on some Whitesnake, spin the disco ball, and get away from my pole....I'm a hardcore stripper!

People have claimed that without some of the feather shaft attached, the fletch is too "soft".  Ok, sure...until you glue it down to an arrow shaft.  Now the fletch has the stiffness of the whole wooden shaft underneath it! 

Oh yeah, make it rain!
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Offline PrimitiveTim

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2015, 12:36:13 am »
Yeah, I don't grind 'em.  I make two fletches.  There's a video out there somewhere with how I do it.
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2015, 01:38:08 am »
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Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

Offline chamookman

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2015, 04:36:57 am »
I don't seem to get a lot of Wild Wings, but when I do, I strip 'Em and trim them by hand. Most of My arrows I let Truflight do the work and use a chopper - I've always been a fan of the 5 1/2" high back Shield cuts. Bob
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"May the Gods give Us the strength to draw the string to the cheek, the arrow to the barb and loose the flying shaft, so long as life may last." Saxon Pope - 1923.

Offline tipi stuff

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2015, 08:46:44 am »
I strip a lot of mine. In my experience, it is faster than splitting and grinding, and they go onto the arrow shaft easily (they are easy to adjust). The down side is, they don't last quite as long. Borrowing a phrase; "Your results may vary."  Curtis
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Offline Knoll

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2015, 11:41:04 am »
This is interesting!  Thanks, Paul, for starting the post and same to all that chimed in.
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Offline Tree_Ninja

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2015, 12:49:15 pm »
This looks soooo much easier than grinding. I had no idea.
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Offline DC

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2015, 12:53:23 pm »
I've tried stripping but I seemed to ruin more feathers than I save. I've heard that wild feathers are better for stripping than farm raised. Can anyone confirm this? Jackcrafty suggested soaking them first. I haven't tried that yet.
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2015, 01:00:57 pm »
I dunno, I think farm-raised feathers are easier to strip.  But if you have good hand-eye coordination, you can manage almost any type of large feather.  Small feathers always give me trouble, though.
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Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

Offline tipi stuff

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  • Curtis Carter
Re: anyone strip feathers instead of grinding?
« Reply #14 on: January 31, 2015, 01:09:20 pm »
Just to add to my previous comment, I took a photo of one of the stripped feathers I've used for fletching. This is the only problem I've ever had with them; they just don't hold up to as much abuse. Having said that, I will continue to use this method, along with the grinding, because the stripping is so much easier and faster for me to do.  Curtis
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