Glue Removal

[cedarshaft]

I use a Zip Strip to remove old feathers from my aluminum, and carbon arrows. I also use Beyond Bond which is supposed to soften glue for easy removal. I don't think the Beyond Bond works that well and wonder how any one else does it.I try to clean the shafts well before putting on new feathers. Any suggestions????

[D Harris]

I usually use a razor knife. Just watch the angle and you should be able to strip off the glue without harming the shaft. I haven't had a problem yet.

[Smallwood]

my method for removing glue (even super glue)and/or crown dip paint from carbon or aluminum-

1. get yourself a 1" dip tube 12" long, or make one from pvc.

2.remove nocks from arrows and for carbons,plug ends with golf-Ts or dip plugz, place however many shafts will fit into the empty tube.

3. fill it with MEK (mythel ethyl ketone)it's the same exact stuff that bohning labels as their thinner.

4. leave for 10 minutes and remove from dip tube.
use an old towel and just wipe whatever paint or glue residue is left from the shaft.
 you now have a perfectly clean shaft with NO residue or oils on it that is ready to be crown dipped or refletched again!

5. repeat with the next batch of shafts, no need to use clean mek, it will do a whole dozen, then just throw out, or save it in a mason jar for next time.

***By all means, wear rubber gloves and have adequate ventilation when working with chemicals .

[Henry Hammer]

I use acetone for cleaning anything that has any residue left behind and have not had any problems yet. I have cleaned up bows with old paint on them and arrow shafts. I also use it when replacing my shelf or side plate material.

[cedarshaft]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try them and see which works best for me. That's the great thing about this site; ask any question, and you will get some good answers.

[Dave2old]

Don't forget "old faithful," GooBeGone, then follow with warm soapy water or rub alcohol. Works best by far on synthetics, but also on woods.

[leatherneck]

I use "Goof off". Along the same line as Dave. Works well.

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by Smallwood:
my method for removing glue (even super glue)and/or crown dip paint -

1. get yourself a 1" dip tube 12" long, or make one from pvc.
2.remove nocks from arrows and plug ends with golf-Ts, put however many shafts will fit into the empty tube.
3. fill it with MEK (mythel ethyl ketone)it's the same exact stuff that bohning labels as their thinner.
3. leave for 10 minutes and remove from dip tube.
use an old towel and just wipe whatever paint or glue residue is left from the shaft.
taadaa, you now have a perfectly clean shaft with NO residue or oils on it that is ready to be crown dipped again or refletched again!
4. repeat with the next batch of shafts, no need to use clean thinner, it will do a whole dozen, then just throw out.

Does this work for aluminum as well as carbon arrows? Also, will denatured alcohol work too?

[ishoot4thrills]

Okay, what about removing the dried glue from Beman MFX Classics? They have the "coating" on them that makes them look like cedar. I had a difficult time removing the dried glue from one of mine without scraping into that coating. Very tedious. And, I'm afraid to use chemicals on them for fear of removing the coating. I'm wanting to remove all the feathers on my Classics so I can put wraps on them and then refletch. Anyone have experience with these arrows and removing the dried glue without damage to the "cedar" finish?

[Smallwood]

If you try my method, just do one shaft and see how things go.
I don't think there is any danger in removing the graphics on your shafts.

[the other DWS]

Personally I'm real leery of using MEK.
 1st       Tt is a real health hazard.  penetrates the skin on contact and the fumes are just as bad.  Goes straight to the liver and is a known carcinogen.
 
Second:    Its fumes are darn near as flammable/explosive as gasoline. not something you want to use around any potential spark source

Third:   While solvents work ok on  AL arrows, you have to stop and think about using what kinds on carbons.  All a carbon arrow is is a hollow tube made up of carbonfibres BONDED TOGETHER WITH EPOXY.   ANY solvent that works on the epoxy will weaken the arrows to some extent.   HIgh flash solvents (ones that evaporate more quickly in normal atmospheric conditions) are more flammable and likely to be harmful to both the shaft and your lungs.  True they evaporate quickly so there may be less exposure to the carbon bonding epoxies.  But by dipping you are exposing both the inner and outer surface of the shaft to the solvent  Acetone and laquer thinners work slower and may require more exposure time to soften the CA and enhanced CA (superglue types) frequently used to fletch carbon shafts.

Several years ago I switched to simple wraps using inexpensive solid colors obtained cheaply from a local sign shop on all my carbons.  they can be stripped with boiling water--no harm to the arrow.  if any cleanup is required it can be done with denatured alcohol and a quick wipe with 0000 steel wool or an equivalent scotch-brite pad.

When stripping CA fletched shafts I use mechanical means as much as possible--utility knife etc and careful scraping with a final cleanup using lacquer thinner on a scotchbrite pad before applying a wrap.

[Smallwood]

DWS, that is some good info on mek, but don't think it's any MORE dangerous than acetone or laquer thinner. They are all chemicals and should be treated with due respect.
I don't however think it hurts carbon integrity any, because you are plugging the end to prevent any from entering the inside of the shaft.
Also, mek is what bohning uses in their dip and as a thinner for it.
I have been using this method for a long time now, and haven't had any problems with shaft integrity.
Wraps are an alternative for those that like them. They are fast and easy.

[the other DWS]

I had forgotten that you had mentioned plugging the end of the shafts to keep the solvent from getting inside. I think that would make a difference.
  As I recall from my days working in a paint store there is a gradation of solvents with denatured alcohol and turps at the bottom and MEK and a couple more exotic solvents and blends at the top.  The list was based on flashpoint and to some degree the amount of hazard in using it.
  We sold MEK in a container that also had some sort of oil in it as a spray system cleaner.  We sold it to the RV industry and some painters who used 2-part catalyzed epoxy paints in commercial and industrial structures.  It was uses as a flushing cleaner and also as a soak to dissolve and clean spray guns and equipment that had been not flushed out properly and had epoxy paint set up in it.  In that case, the solvent was dumped in a metal 5 gal. bucket and the equipment allowed to soak in it.  The oil would spread over the top to keep the solvent from evaporation.  Usually an overnight soak would dissolve set up chunks of epoxy in a spray gun.
 I THINK--(I'm no chemist--and my paintstore days were loooong ago) that the higher flashpoint may be related to the molecule size.  smaller size==higher flashpoint.  Smaller size also allows it to penetrate skin easier.  One reason the MEK is so hazardeous.  I know it is used widely in industrial situations, but also under tightly controlled conditions as per OSHA---supposedly.
 If you use it in a well ventilated area with a sparkproof fan or outdoors with a breeze blowing fumes away from you and you wear MEK proof gloves I'm pretty sure you'd be OK.  (long as you're not smoking LOL)
 As to shaft damage; it probably flashes off the external surface fast enough to do no more than lightly etch the graphite/epoxy shafting as long as you don't soak it too long.  It'd be interesting to take some carbon shaft cutoffs and expose them to a soak for varying amounts of time and then check the surface with a loupe to see when surface breakdown begins to show.

As for me---its simply too much hassle (and I can find more pleasureable ways to abuse my liver and kidneys)--here in SW MI I do most of my arrow stuff in my basement in the winter.  with the furnace and water heater it's no place for flammable solvents.  I'll stick with lightweight wraps

[Mo. Huntin]

I do the steel wool thing.  I don't care about sanding off any finish because I am just going to spray paint the back 8 inches of arrow any way.  Then I use denatured alcohol