Cutting-trimming-stripping-grinding feathers

[stuckinthemud]

I've only made about a dozen arrows and I typically use goose primary or secondary feathers gathered in the summer molt.  I cut along the quill with a sharp blade, tidy up the cut, cut to length, glue on, bind and finally shape with scissors.  What should I be doing differently?

[Hawkdancer]

Sounds like the drill!  Are you tapering the front of the quill?  Are your arrows flying true?  Good luck!
Hawkdancer

[stuckinthemud]

Thank you, that's a relief, just found out I shouldn't use left and right side of the same feather, which may have been why one or two of my arrows have been wayward as occasionally I have gotten three flights from one feather.  I also used to shape the feathers very wide but have recently started cutting them on a narrow taper to a maximum width of 10mm.