What's the best way to strip fletches to crown?

[Greg / MO]

I'm finally getting ready to embark upon my adventure of crowning/cresting, and I was just stripping all my old fletching off. I used an X-acto knife like I'd seen the bowshop owner used, then lightly sanded, then cleaned with alcohol. (Remember, I'm working with Gold Tip carbons here.)

After marking where I wanted to cap to, I masked them off and went outside to spray them. I put a real light first coat on, but noticed a lot of glue still on the shaft after I painted them. Is this OK? Will it cover up in later coatings and not matter? Or should I quit right here, and make sure I've got it all off before proceeding? It would take a LOT of scraping and sanding to do that, but I know sometimes the finished product is determined at this stage in the game.

Thanks for all your help.

[stealthycat]

I've done the Gold Tip carbons - be careful of holding the blade at an angle or you'll liable to shave fibers off the shaft. Better to hold it at a 90 degree angle to the shaft.

I'd say get it close and paint over it. I spray two coats of white spray paint, being careful not to overdue it (paint runs)

[Lilhunter]

I wouldnt worry to much about it as it is looks. try and smooth out any sharp edges though as it might make fletching tough....giving a feather a place to rip off. Use it as a learning experience so when you figure out what kind of pattern you want, you can do it on new shafts!

Also isnt cleaning the GT's using solevants bad? Potential to break the carbon layers down? Thought I heard that somewhere...anyways. Only slightly familiar with the gts and so far they shoot great, albeit ugly even when painted <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>!

if ya go to the sherwin williams paints for capping and cresting I will dig up that clear coat for carbons. Its however VERY spendy to learn with...even to use later on down the road but from what I have seen its been well worth the costs.

[Greg / MO]

Thanks Stealthy; that's exactly what I was encountering. Back where the fletches used to be is kinda grooved a bit from the strokes of my Xacto blade, and it's easy to dig in too much. It doesn't seem like sanding cuts into the old glue too well.