Trouble splicing feathers

[snowplow]

Hey guys, I've spliced plenty of feathers before. I use the technique where you peel the quill skin and set the second color on the first full length quill. If you've done it I'm sure you know what I'm trying to say. I have always used gateway feathers. I just got 100 trueflights and am really bummed out. I cant get them to peel for nothing. The quills are ground down so far they just snap off instead of peel.

Has anyone else experienced this or are there any tricks that can help me out? I'll be getting gateways again next time! 

[Pat B]

You might try hydrating the feathers first then try again. Use a plastic bag or container you can seal with a damp paper towel inside and place the feathers in over night. I know with full size feathers if they are dry they don't strip well. By hydrating them they strip easily.

[snowplow]

Awesome I'll try that!

It seems these Trueflights have nice low ground quills which is probably better in general. But for splicing it seems like there isnt enough white pithy quill under the quill skin to allow me to peel the skin from the pith without the pith just breaking off or peeling weird lengthwise.

Thank you for the help. I'll try that.

[acolobowhunter]

Friend of mine uses the fletching tape when splicing, really makes a nice job.

[Kokopelli]

SnowDude;
Greetings from Arizona, formerly from Olympia.
I do my splices differently and have had good luck with them. Long story less long, I mark my fletching clamp where I want my splices and add the feather sections that I cut. These are uncut feathers that I later burn.
The leading edge of the first section is cut (Fiskars fine point scissors) at an angle. I then apply slight pressure to the clamp and slide it into the clamp up to my first mark. I then cut the rear of the first splice at the next mark on the clamp. This & the rest of the cuts are made straight across the base and at the same angle of the vanes. The following splices are added following the marks on the clamp. Slight pressure to open the clamp and slide the sections in, rear toward the front. Since I put a small crest under the fletching that matches the larger main crest, a couple of the splices are only about three of the vane lines in length. When I have my fletch assembled, I check to make sure that everything is nice and snug and glue it up. When I remove it from the jig, I run a thin bead of glue along each side of the length of the base.
Clear as mud, I know, but it's really pretty simple. Just time consuming when I make five splices per feather, but anything worth doing is worth over-doing !!!! 

[BAK]

Well, first I made myself a small jig, which resembles a little wooden miter box.  I slide the fletch in then use an exacto knife to cut the quills at precise 45 degree angles.   To make splices like this look good you need to make sure the pith is ground the same thickness on all.  I have just used the clamp to hold them in place while fletching, but another  technique that works well is to glue the fletch splices first with just a tiny amount of quick super glue.  It's all fun.

[snowplow]

Thanks guys that's awesome advice. I'm with ya except for the 45* cut on the quill. I dont know exactly what you mean. Is it like just so you cant see the straight cut? Like when you 45* cut a piece of base trim?

[BAK]

Yes, and it isn't exactly 45, it's the same angle as the barbs come off the quill at.

[snowplow]

Oh yeah I see what you mean! Do you put them together then grind the quills on a belt sander together as a unit?