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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Rob DiStefano on June 16, 2008, 08:39:00 AM

Title: Late Spring - feather moulting time ...
Post by: Rob DiStefano on June 16, 2008, 08:39:00 AM

.... mmmmm, some nice Canada goose feathers I picked up during a morning's walk around the pond behind my house - just waiting to be turned into arrow fletchings ...

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/goose.jpg)

Title: Re: Late Spring - feather moulting time ...
Post by: bbassi on June 16, 2008, 10:35:00 AM

love them goose feathers. othing better in the rain.  :)

Title: Re: Late Spring - feather moulting time ...
Post by: Rob DiStefano on June 16, 2008, 11:10:00 AM

Cut off the quill tip.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f2-1.jpg)

Use a sharp Xacto or single edge razor blade to cut down the quill line and separate the feather.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f3-1.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f4-1.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f5-1.jpg)

Clamp feather ...
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f6.jpg)

... and sand the quill base smooth.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f7.jpg)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f8.jpg)

Title: Re: Late Spring - feather moulting time ...
Post by: Rob DiStefano on June 16, 2008, 11:13:00 AM

Smooth bottom!
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f9.jpg)

Trim off any quill side excess.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f10.jpg)

The finished fletch.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f11.jpg)

Ready to chop and fletch or fletch and burn!
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/f12.jpg)

Title: Re: Late Spring - feather moulting time ...
Post by: Bmac on June 16, 2008, 11:45:00 AM

Thanks for the "How to"!  We shoot dozens of geese each fall.  I guess I need to start saving some feathers.

Title: Re: Late Spring - feather moulting time ...
Post by: Jason Jelinek on June 16, 2008, 12:48:00 PM

I like stripping them instead of grinding.  It's easy to do.  They are harder to fletch, but with a little practice and fletch tape it works pretty well.

Thanks for the heads up!
Jason

Title: Re: Late Spring - feather moulting time ...
Post by: Killdeer on June 16, 2008, 06:52:00 PM

I spent a summer stalking dryponds here in urbanized Virginia, ended up with a gazillion feathers! I just couldn't stop...free fletches all over the ground! And more the next day!

Killdeer  :bigsmyl:

Title: Re: Late Spring - feather moulting time ...
Post by: frassettor on June 16, 2008, 07:04:00 PM

Quote

Originally posted by Killdeer:
 I just couldn't stop...free fletches all over the ground! And more the next day!

Killdeer   :bigsmyl:  

:archer:   Thats great

Title: Re: Late Spring - feather moulting time ...
Post by: pucci on June 16, 2008, 07:28:00 PM

Thank you, Rob. I was looking for this kind of information.