cleaning carbon

Butch Speer · August 05, 2013, 02:50:00 PM

Was going to fletch some GT carbons. Decided to wipe them with some acetone. Just wiped the first foot & here's what I came up with.

Had no idea they would be this dirty. Guess I learned a lesson!

LookMomNoSights · August 05, 2013, 02:51:00 PM

Yup....gotta wipe em down first!

August 05, 2013, 02:54:00 PM

If you touched the labels at all, the acetone will start to dissolve them. I use acetone to remove the labels from all my GT arrows because I don't like the way they look after shooting them a bunch (the labels get all scratched up).

Some of what you are seeing could just be carbon dust from when the shafts were cut to length at the factory too.

You need to clean any shaft before trying to apply fletching, if you don't want to have some feathers falling off every now and then.

Bisch

M60gunner · August 05, 2013, 03:47:00 PM

IMHO after working with four different brands of carbons the wipe down is necessary for bare shaft fletching. I usually cap wrap my carbons but my son did not want the wraps. So I did the wipe down and got the same results as above.
Now I wonder if this could be part of the Fletch-tite not working issue that some folks have experienced?

August 05, 2013, 04:04:00 PM

I always clean my carbon shafts. I always use fletchtite glue and have been for years and glue my feathers on the bare shafts. I never have fletching come off my arrows!

Bisch

DesertDude · August 05, 2013, 04:35:00 PM

Same as Bisch........

Green · August 05, 2013, 05:45:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Bisch:
I always clean my carbon shafts. I always use fletchtite glue and have been for years and glue my feathers on the bare shafts. I never have fletching come off my arrows!

Bisch

Hey Jerry....what glue do you use on your wood arra's?

August 05, 2013, 07:27:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Green:

QuoteOriginally posted by Bisch:
I always clean my carbon shafts. I always use fletchtite glue and have been for years and glue my feathers on the bare shafts. I never have fletching come off my arrows!

Bisch
Hey Jerry....what glue do you use on your wood arra's? [/b]

If I was to ever fletch a wood arrow again, it would definitely be with Duco!

Bisch

STICKBENDER98 · August 05, 2013, 07:37:00 PM

I get the same result using bohning thinner before I dip my shafts, if not using a colored cap dip I'll use a clear dip after cleaning with fletch tite platinum, with good results, no problems with feathers falling off.

twistedlim · August 05, 2013, 09:14:00 PM

Acetone or methanol especially when gluing inserts.

Butch Speer · August 06, 2013, 07:57:00 AM

I appreciate the responses. I'm sure it was just carbon dust from the manufacturer. I was just a little surprised by the amount. Been using fletch tape for ages & the only time I've ever had trouble with feathers coming off was when I didn't wipe the shafts.

T Mowery · August 06, 2013, 10:11:00 AM

I use powdered Ajax to scrub my shafts,and have never had a problem with adhesion using any fletching material.

Hummer3T · August 06, 2013, 03:58:00 PM

I wipe down with rubbing alcohol. works good.