I tried a search and found some of the info I wanted, but I still have a few questions though.
I have my own turkey wing feathers and saw the clip on how to peel them. Now these things seem a bit flimsier than my storebought feathers. Will this be an issue? Will they stiffen up once I trim them to shape?
I know left wing = left helical/offset & the same for right. Is one direction any better than the other?
Feathers will be used for a recurve & a long bow both shooting off the shelf.
Fellow pittsburgher...
I just fletched my first natural turkey feathers last night. Stripped them per Ferret's website and simply cut to shape with scissors using a store bought as my template. Seemed to work just fine without all this burning/grinding/sanding business. I used only the primary feathers (longer and skinnier) so far. I think the secondary's are flimsier/softer but I think they will be just fine too. They seem flimsey when full length but should come out nice for you when trimmed. My finished product seems approximately as stiff as the artificial ones and I think they look great. However I can't see if they fly as good as they look until this rain lets up :)
Neither helical direction matters (except in the case of single bevel BHs). As long as you have the right jig for the job.
Which wing you use doesn't matter so long as all the feathers on an arrow are of the same wing side. Some people find better finger or rest clearance with one wing or the other.
If you've stripped your feathers the quill isn't as thick or as stiff as a ground feather. That's why they feel so flimsy to you. They'll still work fine. Although I don't normally use fletching tape, I have found it to be easier to use on stripped feathers than glue.
Guy