can you reshape wet, flattened feathers?

[J. Cook]

Done a lot of searches on here and haven't found much...have you found a way to fix wet, flattened feathers.  Shot a deer the other day - I washed the blood out with dish soap and let them dry.  How can I reshape the feathers?  Or is this a lost cause?

[kadbow]

Try steaming them, it usually brings back some shape.

[ChuckC]

Just did a couple yesterday.  Steaming actually helped enough to where I am gonna reuse them.  These were not bloodied, but simply out in an all day rain.

Good luck
ChuckC

[Hot Hap]

Use a tea kettle-Hap

[Fanto]

i wash the blood and muck off with water and if needed, shampoo or detergent, then blowdry with my wife's hair dryer.

the come up almost like new

[96ssportsp]

Originally posted by Fanto:
i wash the blood and muck off with water and if needed, shampoo or detergent, then blowdry with my wife's hair dryer.

the come up almost like new

Did the same....worked really well.

Scott.  :D

[Jerry Jeffer]

Yep, hair dryer

[Tim]

The hair dryer works great, never trice it before!  Thanks for the tip.

[Bowwild]

I've always steamed them. Thanks for the hair dryer tip!  That is much more convenient. I'll try it... I hope real soon.

[ddauler]

Yea and if you want to get in trouble with the wife stand them in the sink in bathroom and let them spin while drying with hair dryer water droplets will go all over the mirror! Ask me how I know?

[Tree Killer]

If they're wet, steam and hair drier work wonders. If they're bloody, the arrow gets retired...they did their job!

[J. Cook]

Thanks for the tip guys.  I'm going to try the hair dryer route.

I wish I could retire bloody ones -- but arrows are too darned expensive!!!!  

[Gray Buffalo]

I wish I had a bloody one to retire.

[Wetfeet]

Shaking baking soda while wet can get rid of the Blood stains. Just resteam or rinse after it sits for a while. Mild soap doesnt always work and you definitely do not want to use any type of solvent that would break down your glue or wood finish. Even  steam can in time break down cheap poly finishes like minwax. Still a little blood stain isnt the end of the world as long as it perks back after it dries.

[J. Cook]

Hair dryer worked pretty well...looks a little rough, but 100% functional!  Thanks for the tip guys.

[2nocks]

I rinse the feathers, dry with hair dryer and then steam. In that order, works great. I've waited to find arrows after the snow melt and brought the fletching back to life using this method.

[TRAP]

I try to restore a little oil after cleaning when they are dry. A drop of vegetable oil rubbed around on my thumb and index finger and then rub that into the quills. Not too much or they'll lay down worse than they did with the rain water.

I have a friend that uses a spray silicone, but it smells bad so Ive never gone that route.

Trap