Hot To Revive Bloodied Pass Through Fletching

[cloudbaseracer]

I have had the best season of my life so far with 3 deer down already. Two of them were complete pass throughs and all three provided bloody arrows.

How do you guys revive arrows in this situation?  I wash them off but that just seems cause the fletching to be almost worthless.

I am really interested in a good way salvage these because I have a lot of time invested as I have inserted the wooden dowels ala "The Perfect Arrow" post.

Thanks,
James

[rwbowman]

Once cleaned and dried (I scrub with Dawn dishwashing liquid) pass them over a boiling pot of water in the steam. Should come back fine.

[Flatshooter]

Just get a gig and learn to refletch. I find that pass throughs and bloddy feathers are nearly impossible to revive!

[Rob W.]

I shoot mine through an old worn out bag target a few times. Usually does the trick. I have used the same arrow several times.

[jkm97]

Timely thread. This is my first trad season, and so far I've killed two. I was wondering the same thing. I'll try the steam trick.

[cloudbaseracer]

I had forgotten about the steam trick.  I will get right on that.

Rob W. - Is the bag trick after a thorough washing or are you using it to friction clean everything off?

Thanks,
James

[hnt2mch]

i kinda like the blood stained fletchings adds character mebbe some mojo and makes for conversation at the shoots come summertime  

[Rob W.]

That is after washing. I use dishwashing liquid and an old toothbrush if it's real bad. Then I do the shoot through.

Thats always one of those good problems to have.  

[Danny Rowan]

Yep, wash with dishwashing soap, rinse, let dry and then steam, works just fine.

I usually just give those feathers up to the bow gods and refletch!

Bisch

[Walt Francis]

Like others, I use dishwashing soap.  Then use a hair dryer and comb to get them back to their original shape.

[old_goat2]

Happens so rarely for me, that I just retire the arrow!

[Hermon]

I believe that wild turkey feathers hold up better to blood and washing.

[katman]

Wash and steam, if feather is messed up its a target arrow or re-fletch.

[Bowwild]

I have also used the Dawn to clean and steam to revive the fletch. .I don't get em perfectly clean but they are ready to do their job again.

[Bobby Urban]

I like hunting with killer arrows.  I think the fletching is quieter after it gets a little beat up anyway.  Steam works great but I just rinse them or if they are real bad do the toothbrush thing.  Either way I take the arrow between the palm of my hands and spin dry with back and fourth action.  Kind of "over-corrects" but you can just push them back down when they fully dry.  Seems to work just fine.

[Onions]

I use the dish soap as well. I also discovered the use of Food Grade Silicon Spray. Works great as a waterproofer, but I have found out feathers sprayed with the silicone, clean up much faster. The blood and other internel contents, just don't seem to stick to the feather as hard.

chris <><

[cloudbaseracer]

Just put the steam to my three arrows and they look really good.  They are not exactly like new but they are so serviceable that the transformation is amazing.  

Thanks so much for the great tip!!

[Thumper Dunker]

Dish soap, Toothbrush and hot water. Shoot to dry. I also like hunting with killer arrows.

[AkDan]

I usually just rinse under water if I can.  Usually under some warm tap water and most of it will come out.  Than let it dry.   I'll stand them up backwards so they stick straight out...and lay them down a few times, than steam.  The steam brings back the barbules (interconnecting fingers that act like Velcro to hold the to 'slip's together).  I usually steam a couple times trying to go easy on the arrow itself.  

Otherwise I just rinse it and stroke it back to normality and put it up on the shelf.  One of these days I'll remember to mark them with the year, date and species.