This article is part of
Wilderness Way
VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1.
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This idea came from the book The Pioneer Book of Nature Crafts, Whittlin’, Whistles and Thingamajigs, by Harlan G. Metcalf, Citadel Press, 1977.
Arrow fletchings can easily be made from feathers that are stripped instead of split. The advantages are: (1) It takes only seconds to strip a feather and much longer to split one. (2) The stripped feather glues or ties down flush with the arrow shaft, leaving no sharp end that can cut your knuckle as the arrow leaves the string and skids over the hand (this assumes you shoot a bow without an arrow shelf).
Photos:
1) Grab the feather at the tip on either side of the central “vein.”
2) Give a sharp tug down on the side you want to strip.
3) Strip the feather in one fast jerk, short tugs or a long steady pull, however you prefer. Try to keep the stripped portion at 90 degrees to the vein. It works better.
4) Feather stripped down one side and ready for the other side to be stripped. Try it.
5) The final product.
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