Cleaning arrows?

11 November 2003, 05:44

mstarling

Cleaning arrows?

Guys,

I have been using carbon arrows with feather fletching. The fletch is usually damaged on a pass through, so used arrows usually just get cleaned up with soap and water, the broadheads removed and rebladed, and the shafts tossed into the pile to be refletched.

This year for some unknown reason I have two from sound pass through kills that do not have fletch damage, but the feathers were soaked with blood.

Is there a good way to clean these things so they don't have to be refletched?

thanks,

11 November 2003, 07:41

Bamabow

I haven't found a way to clean feather fletchings without eventually re-fletching. Try rinsing the fletching with warm water and useing a blow dryer to dry the feathers. Stand the arrow on its tip and get it spinning with the dryer. I've done this and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Most of the time the feathers lose their cohesion. I usually re-fletch so that the arrow won't wistle the next time you shoot it at an animal.

11 November 2003, 08:20

eshell

quote:
Originally posted by mstarling:
. . . This year for some unknown reason I have two from sound pass through kills that do not have fletch damage, but the feathers were soaked with blood.

Is there a good way to clean these things so they don't have to be refletched?

thanks

Hard to get it all out, but I would suggest trying Hydrogen Peroxide.

Rinse and lightly brush a little in with a soft brush and then let it soak awhile.
Rinse in cool water.
Repeat once or twice, depending upon whether it seems to be taking more out.

Next, use a little dish detergent to get the remnants and any non-protien staining out.
Rinse well in cool water.
Shake off excess water and smooth and shape the feathers as much as possible.
Let dry.

If needed, lightly steam and smooth the feathers back up properly when fully dry.

[ 11-10-2003, 23:25: Message edited by: eshell ]

11 November 2003, 12:32

Boss Kongoni

In the time it will take to clean that feather you could have built up a 6 arrows.

12 November 2003, 01:58

chuckduster

No Way!!!! I can have it cleaned, dryed and rebladed and back in my quiver in less than 5 minutes. I have shot 4 deer this year with the same arrow and fletching. All I have to do is replace blades in my Muzzy. Depending on which cement you use for your feathers you may have them hold. I have not yet had to replace a single feather and 3 of the deer were passthrus. To get them clean all I do is run them under warm water and for me if I dont let them set for longet than 3 or 4 hours the blood comes right out and I use white fletching. You will get a tiny bit of discoloration in that solid part where the feather connects to the base. Then I dry them with the blow dryer and use them again. I use Arizona Fastset Gel. This stuff holds like crazy. Sometimes you may need to replace the tip on the Muzzys but I have not had too yet this year.