# Dying wild turkey feathers



## Footed Shaft (Jul 10, 2002)

Well i promised to do a feather dyeing build along, and finally got a chance to do it tonight.
Sit back and enjoy.
First the list of things you will need. You will need a batch of feathers (ground, but not chopped), a ceramic or metal container , a pack of Koolaid (color of your choice) 2 cups of water and 1 cup of vinegar.










Mix the vinegar and water in the container and bring to a boil. While waiting for the mix to boil run HOT tap water in the sink, add a small squirt of dish soap and insert your batch of feathers. This helps remove all the blood and dirt from the feathers.











Once the water/vinegar reach a boil, remove from the element and add the Koolaid. Making sure to stir it well so there are no clumps.











Remove the feathers from the sink and submerge in the dye( soap and all- no need to rinse them off). Use a small fork to completly submerge all the feathers so they dye evenly. I leave my feather in the bath between 8/10 mins.










Once you are satisfied with the color, remove one feather at a time and run it under cold tap water. This removes all the excess dye from the feather. 










Lay the feathers on a paper towel or some news paper and allow them to dry over night. 



















Once dried they are ready to be chopped/burned to the shape of your choice.
Here is a batch i did for a fella not too long ago.










And here is the net result.










Any question please feel free to ask. Bill


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## erictetterton (Jan 22, 2011)

How do u split the feather in half so they can be glued onto the arrow shaft?


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## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

I cut mine with a razor knife then grind the base down


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## MI_Darton (Aug 8, 2005)

Great build-along post! How does the color hold up when the arrow gets wet...meaning does it bleed off?


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## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

Very nice--seems to be easier and cheaper than the kits. Do you have a list of "this flavor = this color"? I know some are pretty obvious--just wondering what it would take to get a bright chartruese or hot pink.


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## erictetterton (Jan 22, 2011)

TrapperDave- what do u mean by grinding down the base? Could u please explain this process to me? I want to make my own feathers but I want to have the knowledge to be successful at it. Thanks


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## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

I think I saw a build along on tradgang once to better explain it. When you split the feather, the base will be much bigger and thicker than a processed fletch. I put the feather in a straight clamp then take it to my bench grinder or sander and sand/grind it down till it looks like the base on a trueflight or amg fletch


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