Speedy™

I sometimes get different feathers in bulk and some of them are pretty beat up, while other times just wear and tear on my bustle and roach will damage a really nice feather. What are some of the ways you guys repair your feathers?

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"Guns don't kill people. I kill people."

spottedeagle

I've got some old turkey feathers from a turkey I got a few years ago. They got a little beat up the last time I moved. A friend suggested using a tea kettle and running the feathers through the steam. So I gave it a try after I ran them throught the stream, I used my fingers to smooth out the fletching. At first I thought I ruined them because the edges kinda curled up a little, but once they dried, they were nice and smooth, flat and back to shape.

Like I said I tried it on some old feathers to experiment first.

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The things you are doing today are the traditions of twenty-five years from now.
-Daryl Baldwin: Miami

Speedy™

Thanx Spotted, I'll give it a shot.

__________________
"Guns don't kill people. I kill people."

WhoMe

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For broken bustle feathers:

1. Cut another feather top to match the broken feather.

2. Burn a hot needle into both stems of the broken feather AND the new matching "replacement."

3. Get a new needle and insert in the holes of the broken and new matching replacement and super glue together.

4. Get an new stem, cut away the plumage of the feather.

5. Match the width of this stem with where the break is.

6. Cut the new stem into a 2 1/2 inch length and splice in half.

7. Hot glue the spliced stem to the back of the feather break.

This will save you from breaking down the bustle and adding a new feather.

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I personally would not save a roach feather. I would just find another matching feather and replace it.

Speedy™

Thanx Who, fixing my bustle feathers was the big thing as we all know, taking it apart is a pain in the cojones. Appreciate the help.

__________________
"Guns don't kill people. I kill people."

Tom Iron Eagle

I use a really good steam iron. And by good I mean one that has great temp control and produces lots of steam.

Beleive it or not you can iron feathers. This is why you would need a really good iron that has great temp control so you want burn the feathers and so you want give them a sheen.

With a really good iron that has a teflon coating you can steam and iron the feathers directly. Other wise, please us a thin hand towel or such between the feathers and the iron.

I have been doing this for years and it does a wonderful job.

Speedy™

Yeah, I like the ironing method of straightening feathers. Gotta be really careful though. Last powwow I was really getting down and my feathers got a bit ragged. I don't want to take my whole bustle apart to steam or iron them again. But I do want to touch them up so the viens or fletching look good again. Not all raggedy. If I have to take the whole thing apart to dress up the feathers I might as well make another ya know? Hmmmmm..

__________________
"Guns don't kill people. I kill people."

Tom Iron Eagle

Your are so right Speedy.

So to avoid having to take stuff apart I bit the bullet sometime ago and bought a really nice and rather expensive professional iron.

It has a special teflon coating, extreme and accurate temperature control and can produce a great deal of steam even in the upright position. In fact it is one of those that is designed to be used in the upright positon as a steamer.

It was not cheap but it has a lifetime warranty/guarantee and should be the last iron I will have to ever buy.