How to remove vanes from carbon arrows

[Leighton]

So my brother keeps telling me that removing vanes from a carbon arrow with a knife will destroy the carbon arrow. Is this true?

[frommy]

Yes, if you use the sharp blade.

[Leighton]

so how do you remove the vanes? Without destroying the arrow?

[Eberbachl]

You can easily damage a carbon arrow by trying to cut the vane off.

However, if you are careful it can be done without any damage.

I do use a knife to carefully remove the vane from my carbons, but I take extra care to ensure that I'm not taking a slice of carbon with it.

[coach]

Depending on what glue was used you can steam the arrow over a kettle and soften the glue, rip the vane off and then scrape the residue off with a knife placed on the arrow at 90 degrees to the shaft . Just do this carefully and you should be fine, dont be in a great tearing hurry to do this as you will probably take some carbon off as well :D
Hope this helps

[mbomike]

I just rip em off, then as Coach suggested. Knife 90 degrees to shaft and scratch off the residue.

Then for a final touch I use fine sand paper to remove anything left behind.
Give the shaft a cleandown with an alcohol base cleaner, and your ready to refletch :wink:

[Malko]

What kind of glue do you use? :o

once the vane is off, I just have to rub the arrow with my thumb to get rid of the remaining glue. :-?

[mbomike]

Fletchtite :wink:

[Malko]

yes FletchTite, it was just a question out of surprise..
Actually, i'm using BondTite. any difference ?

BTW, are these glues waterproof? I lost about 5 vanes the other day just by shooting in the rain. :-? (and it wasn't even raining much)
or is it the way I glued my vanes ?

[Jules]

Malko - this thread really helped me a few weeks ago:
http://www.archery-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=87309&highlight=

[Kimall]

I use loktite 401 for the fletches and 406 for the aluminium inserts.
They are both super glue but made for diff materials.
With this glue it dries on contact so there is no waiting for glues to dry
and you can do a arrow in about 30 seconds.I have never had a fletch
come off in hunting but find I can cut and then scrape them off if I need
to replace them when damaged.This is top stuff as it only dries when air
is removed which makes it very easy to wipe off any excess as it stays
liquid for ages and wipes away with a tissue and leaves no residue like
you see on some arrows made with glue like fletchtite.
Cheers KIM

[Malko]

Thanks for the link Jules. Interesting stuff.
Probalby going to change my technique a bit :D

[Aurum]

Hi chug, I use Acetone for fletchtite glue. For superglue i use a debonder named -flashback- which is used to debond cyanoacrylate glue. I've used the debonder on my carbon arrows without any damage, the process takes a little while, however, it does work. I removed most of the fletch with a knife then worked on the superglue with the debonder. Model aircraft shops should have flashback in stock. Good luck :D

[Axilla]

Tip when using a knife. Scrape towards nock only.

This avoids the chance of picking up carbon slivers from arrow end.