I am working on re-fletching a load of arrows I purchased with plastic vanes installed on them. I tried using a razor knife, but the remains of the plastic vanes are difficult to remove, and ai don't want to destroy the finish on these aluminum arrows.

Can I use a solvent of some type? Scrape then soak, then scrape again? Any suggestions what you can remove plastic vane glue with that won't harm the aluminum or finish?

THANKS!

use a cheap vegitable peeler

I always use a pocket knife.  Just scrape the glue off.  I have never ruined the shaft finish.

You won't destroy the finish on aluminum. I use a sharp single edge razor blade all the time. The finish is like anodized and is permanent remove the glue residue with lacquer thinner or alcohol. Pup

I've always done it on carbon shafts I was applying wraps too, so I scraped with a razor knife til only a small bit is left then sanded smooth.  then clean with denatured alcohol.

I use and highly recommend the Zip Strip made by Duravane.  This is a tool designed for the job and does it extremely well w/o damaging alum or carbon shafts.  It also peels old or damaged wraps fast & easy.

They run around $30 from Cabelas, but are worth every nickel...

I cut the majority off with a knife then used a dremel to clean the rest off. Worked pretty good...

Mike

I guess it's the glue I am concerned with. It is not the same as feather fletching glue, or so I thought.

strip with a razor knife and soak in acetone.

use a square edge,  tip it up a little bit, let just the edge ride on the shaft. some of my butter knifes are square on the back, lite pressure, quick motions, then a paper towel and acetone, till they squeak,, ready to go...

Try using a cigarette lighter to soften up the rest of the vane,it will make the rest of the vane as soft as butter and easy to scrape the reminder.

I soaked them in Brownell's Acraglass solvent/thinner which is nasty stuff, for about 45 minutes. That didn't even make the slightest bit of a dent in the remaining glue wisps. Annoying! I think these plastic vanes use a "super glue" type of glue, which requires a different type of solvent. I went ahead and cut them down, added nocks and inserts, and I'll try sanding them a bit with some fine steel wool tonite. Tomorrow I'll hit them with some acetone/Gun Scrubber and see if that gets the remaining fine,filmy strips off. Should that not do it, I'll hand scrape.

Dang!  

I scrape off the vanes with a utility knife.  After the vanes are off, scrape very lightly to remove the remaining residue.  Then I wipe the shaft down with acetone.  Ready to fletch after that.

i did and i'm fletching now..........wonder if the minute traces of leftover glue makes a diff? Hell my fletching is sloppy enough starting fresh, so i guess that's my answer!

Soak in a tall container of MEK or acetone.  They'll be falling off the shaft in 5 minutes.  Just do it outside and don't do it on carbon arrows.

sharp case pocket knife works...heat em up lightly will work then hit em with my knife...no big deal...

I like to use the bohning archery vane and feather stripper.  Inexpensive and replaceable blades.  I find the curved blade better on my psyche than a pocket knife.  Pocket knife still works fine though.  Then use acetone like was said earlier.

I finished up and the arrows look good. not perfect but oh well. I'll ask the turkeys what they think next ........I set to picking some broadheads for these and we literally have boxes full. Every kind I have ever heard of or seen. I dont have the slightest idea what grain weights they all are though and theres no scale either!

What to do?

I am kinda new to all this, but I have had great luck with this method--- I clamp the arrow in bench vise, using two wooden vee blocks, Clamp close the the old fletching. Next take a two foot section of fishing monofiament (ten pound test or better) warp an end in each hand. Rest the string on the shaft, pull it tight to the shaft and using a 'shoe shine' movement, pull the fishing line through the bottom of the plastic vane-- cutting only the glue line. When things go right, I can even reuse the plastic vane!! Shaft doesn't get scratched either (soft fishing line in the 'cutter'). Try it sometime !!!