How to remove fletching from wood printed shaft

[Destry]

I bought some already fletched axis trad shafts and need to refletch them. How do y'all take off old fletching without removing the wood grain print. I thought about stripping them off and letting them sit in acetone?

[Bisch]

You should be able to just scrape them off with a knife. I have done that in the past without messing up the woodgrain. As a disclaimer, I have scratched the finish on a few also, but it did not hurt anything, other than looking a bit ugly.

Bisch

[Usdi Yonv]

Please don't let them sit in acetone, it dissolves the resin that holds the carbon fiber together.

[Destry]

Ok thanks good advice I'll just do as Bisch said and scrape them off with a dull knife

[cajuntec]

I've used wood grain finish carbons for a long time, and some glues, you just can't get off the shaft without scraping the finish. I have become pretty good at it, but I still get the occasional scrape. Fixed the problem by cap dipping and cresting all my arrows. You could also do the same with a wrap if you don't have the equipment to cap dip. Plain solid color wrap if you don't want fancy on your trad arrows.
All the best,
Glenn

[rocky]

Please don't let them sit in acetone, it dissolves the resin that holds the carbon fiber together.

I use furniture stripper on the outside of the shaft, then cleanup with acetone.
I don't let the shaft soak in the acetone, just enough to help the cleaning process.

[jerp]

I just refletched some tonight - Three Rivers Trad Only with the woodgrain pattern. I use wraps which makes the fletches easier to remove. I swish them around in acetone for a few seconds then let them sit for a minute and the wrap and fletches peel right off. I agree that leaving them in acetone for too long could degrade the carbon but just a few seconds is all it takes to soften them up for removal. I have been doing it for years with no problems.

[jerp]

I bought these wraps from onestringer.com - they have a bunch of trad patterns

[Bisch]

I bought these wraps from onestringer.com - they have a bunch of trad patterns

Hey, you did not get the lines matched on that one on the right!!!

Better do it over!!!




Hi, John,

Bisch

[jerp]

Hey, you did not get the lines matched on that one on the right!!!

Better do it over!!!




Hi, John,

Bisch

Thanks for pointing that out - now my OCD tendencies are kicking in and its gonna bug me!

[MEsquivel]

Thanks for pointing that out - now my OCD tendencies are kicking in and its gonna bug me!

Not only that. It also will tend to hit right about 2".

[K. Lane]

I usually just shoot em into tight groups and just shaaaaavvee em off

[Bisch]

Not only that. It also will tend to hit right about 2".

Yeah! And if you really want to get picky, on #2 and #3 from the left the wrap is not all the way to the nock end of the shaft!!! That is an easy fix though, just cut that 1/8" off!

Man, on second thought, you may want to just scrap that batch and start over!!!

Bisch

[MEsquivel]

This is what I do to remove old fletching.
With a knife, I just lift the tip (normally front) of the feather and then slide mi thumb down the shaft. It normally lifts the feather.
If it breaks. I grab the knife again and do the same process until done.

[jerp]

Yeah! And if you really want to get picky, on #2 and #3 from the left the wrap is not all the way to the nock end of the shaft!!! That is an easy fix though, just cut that 1/8" off!

Man, on second thought, you may want to just scrap that batch and start over!!!

Bisch

Note to self - don't attempt to refletch arrows after sharing a bottle of wine with your wife at dinner!