Need help with some feathers

[Nealbo 0]

I got 3 duck skins with all the feathers on them. I am looking for a diagram where the feathers come from on them and what they are used for. Thanks

[Dart 0]

I say put them all in a bag and mail them to me. I'll look for some info online, and I'll post it here if I see it. I did run across this article by Bob Petti telling you how to wash them though:

 

Dealing With Plucked Feathers

Another hunter friend you know hands you a ziploc bag full of flank feathers he plucked from his latest kill. Unfortunately, they are pretty matted and dirty, and some even have spots of blood stains. Better take care of that. Here's a couple hints.

 

Henry Kanemoto shares a few tips on handling loose flank feathers:

 

Wash the feathers in a mild soap solution and rinse well. Then pat them with a paper or cloth towel. Put the feathers in a regular large paper grocery bag. Get a hair dryer and rap the bag opening around the barrel of the hair dryer, turn it on and shake the bad to suspend the feathers. They come out looking like new.

 

I use this method to clean regular wood duck feathers that my friends give me.

 

John Shewey once wrote to me in a private email to do the following with woodduck flank feathers I was given from a duck hunter (added without his permission, but I don't think he'd mind):

 

Mix up a warm sink-full of very sudsy dishwater using Dawn dish detergent or similar along with one cup of ammonia. Add feathers and stir them into the water. allow them to soak for a full hour or so, stirring and agitating the whole mix about every 10 minutes. Strain out all the feathers, then rinse two or three times to remove all soap and dirt. Now place them in a linen pillow case and hold the opening of the case tightly around the nozzle of a hair dryer. Turn on the dryer and dry the feathers, but keep a carefull eye so you don't burn them (you don't want the tips to start curling). Set the feathers out in a box or paper bag until they are thoroughly dry, then groom and steam any of the big feathers that are still not shaped properly. Same procedure works for any waterfowl feather.

Les Booth offers a similar yet slightly different technique for cleaning duck feathers:

 

As for washing them... use Woolite, a pair of Queen size nylons ( or waderlines; your call), a five gallon bucket w/ lid or not less than 1 gal. container (depending on how many feathers you're working with). In the 5 gal bucket put in 1.5 gal of "Woolited water" that is lukewarm, dump in the feathers in the pantyhose w/top tied. Now, put on the lid and do the Martini shuffle for about 1 minute. Remove lid, pantyhose, dump the water down drain and go rinse the feathers...still in the pantyhose under ... Lukewarm water , then under cold water.

 

Take the feathers in the pantyhose outside and shake off X-cess water ***DO NOT WRING OUT WATER!!*** , this will destroy the feathers and quills at this point. Now, lay out a large towel, place pantyhose w/ feathers in center, pick-up towel by each corner, bringing them all to the center, now twirl the whole bundle around your head -- OK, now you look like a complete fool as you do this, but you're on your way to the best feathers in the world -- for about 2 minutes.

 

Dump the feathers OUT OF the panty hose, into the pillow case ... uh, make sure this isn't one of your families good ones... cause you're better half may just decide to "de-feather you" if you don't !! Tie the end of the pillow case and throw the whole group into the drier, put on Perm-Press ( as stated above) and let 'er rip! OH... BTW, put in a DOWNY FABRIC SOFTENER... it really assists in the fluffing of the feathers. So far I haven't noticed any damage to them from it either; for one it's on the outside of the pillow case.

 

[Nealbo 0]

Yea bro keep on dream, you got some already

[sparkleminnow 0]

Myself, I'm looking for a zip-lock baggie full of mallard drake breast feathers. Anyone want to make trade?

[Nealbo 0]

I don't have any mallard.

 

[iso18 0]

pluck the small feathersyou want and cut the wings off and borax them.Put them in freezer to kill any bugs and then let thaw and put them in a ziplock bag.Has been working for me.

shane