care of thy feathers

[bpbyrne]

ok - here's a question I cant find an answer to, at least not easily.

I had some folks make up feathered arrows for me here in ATX, and I have found them a lot easier to shoot.  What kind of TLC should these receive to prolong the life of the feathers?  For example, I find that sometimes my rather approximate aim leads to the feathers striking another arrow/edge of the target/passing aircraft - anything one can/should do to help keep the feathers aligned ?

Brian

[Stumpkiller]

Don't store them pressed up against other arrows, walls, etc.

If they start to get sad looking you can perk them up by LIGHTLY steaming them over a teakettle or pot of boiling water (don't cook them).

But, they is feathers, and even birds molt when they get ratty.  Learn to fletch them anew and they'll last 'till you break the shaft.

[horsehairhunter]

Brian-Like Charlie said, you can care for them- but you will, sooner or later, have to replace them.  It's actually easy-probably one of the first things I learned when I ditched the compound bow.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Yep, agreed on the first two posts.

All feathers will eventually wear ragged on the edges where it passes the cut out on the arrow shelf. There's just no way around it, and like Charlie said......that's why turkeys are always growing new ones and shedding the old ones.

Treat them nicely though and they will last at least one good season depending on how much shooting you do.

[bpbyrne]

It had not occurred to me that they were a consumable replacement part - good to know. I thought I was expected to make them last the life of the arrow. Thanks guys.

[iaduckhntr]

Byrne~~~  ifn ya shoot as bad as me them feathers will outlast the shafe they're on & maybe another one !!!  LOL ;^)

[bpbyrne]

Indeed - my first day at the range this week I managed to slip an arrow into the tiny gap *between* the two target panels somehow.  I ended up with about an inch of it left sticking out, and rather unhappy feathers on that one.

Talk about an un-repeatable shot!

[Stumpkiller]

Originally posted by bpbyrne:
It had not occurred to me that they were a consumable replacement part - good to know. I thought I was expected to make them last the life of the arrow. Thanks guys.

Depends on the rest and other factors.  I have some that have gone 20 years and hundreds upon hundreds of shots and still have some life.  Others . . . one used bow I had came with a rest that ate feathers like potato chips.  I get pretty good life with a run on riser and shelf.

 

 

[mahantango]

If the arrows are properly spined the feather contact should be minimal. Mine usually last years - lose em or break em before they wear out.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Mahantango hit it. I was gonna say a properly tuned bow should not eat feathers and if it's tuned right a few ratty feathers ain't gonn hurt flight that much.

 I tune bow bare shaft then get my broadheads fine tuned then I wsoak my feathers and get it tuned a little better.
 
 My feathers look great and the ones I stump with that are a little beat up fly just fine.

 Steam does help them pop back up if'n they get smashed a little.

 Stiks