What's the best way to strip beat up feathers from a crown dipped wood shaft, preferably without stripping the finish and paint? Razor and fine sandpaper?

It's a matter of being careful,I use a retractable thin blade knife (the yellow one we use to open boxes) and sand paper.Good luck  

I have'nt found a good way and still have them look very good. The finish is very thin and the fletch glue bites right into the finish, so your gonna dig the paint a little getting all of the quill off the shaft.

I use a single edge razor blade and cut it as close as you can, then a file for the remainder. If your lucky you can get the new feathers to set in the old foot print or real close.

I've considered useing clear cap wraps under the fletching just for this reason.

Good luck, its gonna take some time.

Eric

I never found any really good way untill I started using Bohning fletch tape. I have used it over gasket lacquer and wipe-on Minwax polyuretane and it has worked flawlessly. I still put a drop of Duco cement at the front and rear of each fletch and if you need to replace one I have found that the backside of a knife blade or my thumbnail will pop off the Duco and the tape peels right off.