Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Flying Dutchman on April 05, 2011, 12:30:00 PM

Title: Second life of fletching; the DUTCH treat....
Post by: Flying Dutchman on April 05, 2011, 12:30:00 PM
WOODEN SHAFTS ONLY!

Every now and then it happens; you break an arrow or two. Here is a remedy how to re-use the fletching: check if the feathers still look allright. If they are out of shape, you can steam them up.  For this you can use any good old watercattle. Wait till a fair amount of steam is getting out the opened cattle and then gently rotate the shaft with the feathers in the hot steam. Once in the hot steam, they will "pop" back in their original shape.

Then cut the shaft an inch or so under the fletching and put it in the micro-wave. Half or one minute will do. Get it out and remove the fletching. Whatch your fingers; the shaft can be HOT! The removal should go easy, because the micro-wave melted the glue. If not, it was not long enough in, put it back and try again. You can even remove the nock in this way!

At a closer inspection you will notice glue and even glue-wires on the back of the fletching. Just put them in a fletching-clamp, the same way as you do when fletching. Take a piece of sandpaper (medium grind), and gently grind the glue away from the back. Now it is ready to start it's second life!

I usually put all the fletches I did this way in a special plastic bag. When I start with a new serie, they are ready to use!

ATTENTION: sadly this does noet work with wraps: the fletching will stich to the plastic whatever you do...
Title: Re: Second life of fletching; the DUTCH treat....
Post by: Pon on April 05, 2011, 12:45:00 PM
woodies and carbons alike?

I will try this when I get home sadly I have a lot of material to work with   :banghead:
Title: Re: Second life of fletching; the DUTCH treat....
Post by: Swamp Yankee on April 05, 2011, 12:47:00 PM
You might not want to try this with aluminum or aluminum/carbon shafts!
Title: Re: Second life of fletching; the DUTCH treat....
Post by: Flying Dutchman on April 05, 2011, 12:56:00 PM
That's right, wooden shafts only! Thanx guys, I updated my first thread!
Title: Re: Second life of fletching; the DUTCH treat....
Post by: huntmaster80 on April 05, 2011, 03:48:00 PM
you dont think this will work with carbons?
Title: Re: Second life of fletching; the DUTCH treat....
Post by: Flying Dutchman on April 05, 2011, 03:53:00 PM
I don't have any idea, but I don't know if if it is safe to put carbon in a micro-wave?
Title: Re: Second life of fletching; the DUTCH treat....
Post by: The Whittler on April 05, 2011, 09:44:00 PM
I think putting carbons in the microwave is a bad idea. The heat will soften the carbon and it will give off a smell or even worst a gas that might not be good to inhale.