so I decided to build up a batch of really top notch tournament arrows. I picked through my stash of cedar shafts and came up with 8 nearly perfect shafts matched in weight and spine. I tapered the last 10 inches with great care. as usual I wanted a color that would be easy to find in the woods for the frequent occasions they are not sticking in a 3D animal, so this time I picked tangerine. I mixed up some powdered Rit dye with the same bottle of 91% alcohol I have been using for a while, and dyed the shafts a brilliant tangerine. I used the same dye solution to turn some white feathers into tangerine barred feathers.
that was 2 days ago. today I used the eco dipper and put on 4 coats of gasket lacquer and they were really looking good. it quit raining so I grabbed my bow and headed out back.
came back in 40 minutes later and disaster had struck. my tangerine shafts were turning a lovely shade of lavender. I have done this before with red, yellow, orange, blue and purple Rit dye under gasket lacquer and never had a problem. it didn't happen right away, the part of the shaft that I tapered was solid lavender and the rest is blothches of tangerine mixed with lavender. the blotches of tangerine seem to be slowly disappearing, can't tell for sure but will know in a day or two.
I put some of my orange arrows and my daughters blue and purple arrows in the picture for comparison.
so here's my question. I say it's lavender, but my wife says it's between a pale rose and dusky pink. you be the judge.