I've used lipstick or footpowder,
anything else to use that's not
so messy?

I've read here that some guys will use masking tape, as it will show contact streaks after a few shots, also, do a search on here and pow wow and you will get many more great ideas.

Someone may have a better way but I would shoot them for a day and then check the vane's for marks. If you have contact it should show.

Feathers show wear after some time.  I have used white electrical tape on the strike plate, shelf and shelf edge to show contact.  It takes a while to see the feather, but shaft rubs show very quickly.  Medium dark color feathers show color after a while on the tape.  I have found that medium blue and red show fairly well.  Real bright colors not so fast.

What I do is make sure I am getting good shaft clearance.  After that I just watch for flight and turn the nock until I see what provided the best flight.  Then I know I have good clearance.

I have found that the quill in the corner of the shelf to be the biggest deflector in arrow clearance.I also rotate the nock so the leading part of the quill goes thru the corner.I trim the shelf so the only part of the arrow ,the shaft and no part of the feather come in contact with the shelf material.I also trim plate in the same manner so there is a channel for the feather to travel thru. I rotate the arrow so the cock feather is up in the 12;00 position.I shoot rw feathers. The leading quill of the 12:00 feather is in line with the string or just a little towards the off side of the shelf.


 

You can use kids water cleanup paint on the strike plate(just a little) and it will rub off or streak,And it will come off with just water and a wash cloth.

I use shelf wear as an indicator of arrow spine, not feather clearance.
In reality, your arrow should not be riding on the shelf when you release the arrow.
Wear on the back side of the bow is to weak of a spine, wear on belly side indicates to stiff of an arrow.
Jim