Here is a video I did on stripping peacock hurls with bleach to make quills. Its simple and easy to make a lot quills quickley. Clorox bleach in 1 part and hot tap water in 3 parts will make the bath to strip to hurls. Then a simple rinse in tap water and then a soaking in a bath of hot tap water mix with baking soda for 15 mins.
Thanks, Johnny. Reading about how to do something is all well and good, but seeing it done is the best. How much baking soda do you use for the neutralizing bath?
ReplyDeleteBest regards,
Jim
Thanks for the compliment Jim, I use about 3-4 tablespoons.
DeleteBleach is sodium hypochlorite which is not acidic so you shouldn't need the bicarb, just a water wash should be sufficient - your friendly chemist
ReplyDeleteMark thanks for the tip, but I have just rinsed them with water very thoroughly and they end up very brittle when dried. Perhaps the bicarb simpley softens the quills??? Once dry they come out of the bath nice and pliable and when dry they are not brittle.
DeleteJohnny - my guess is you are correct with the bicarb being a softening agent, many water softeners are basic. Obviously, you've found a process that works !
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