Q&A for How to Make a Quill Pen out of a Feather

As stated in the tutorial, no, the soaking and sanding is not mandatory. However, the soaking will make the feather supple, and the sand will strengthen the writing tip. This is certainly recommended if you want to have the quill for prolonged use.

Yes, but wash it in case it contains parasites.

That depends on what type of feather it is. If it's a tail or wing plume, absolutely. However, other feathers are often too soft.

No, the degree is the same.

At a normal hobby or craft store. If you have trouble, look it up on Amazon and see where you can find it.

You don't have to soak it in water overnight, but it is suggested to do so if you want it to last.

Grape juice seems to be a popular alternative, though most dark liquids would probably work. If you want invisible ink, try lemon juice. Either way, have a cloth or an extra sheet of paper underneath to soak up the excess that bleeds through to the underside of the paper you're writing on.

You should definitely sterilize it.

In the medieval times, it was done by waving the feather over burning coals or hot ash, but it can be easy to burn the feather this way. By using sand, the heat is distributed evenly and you can't burn the feather.

You could go to any craft store, or search online.

It is not illegal, because you are in no way harming the goose if you just find one of its feathers and use it.

Yes, you can! It can be tough to find a feather and pen refill that are compatible but a lot of commercial "quill" pens are exactly that. If you are looking for something less messy, and are not concerned about authenticity, this is a valid option.

It depends on how you hold pens, and how much of the feather you want to be visible. At the very least, it needs to be longer than the pen.

If you found a feather outside, you do have to disinfect it. If you buy a feather from a craft store, it will be disinfected.

Absolutely.

It makes the feather more bendable and soft, which helps it to take a good shape.

Yes, of course.

You're going to want it to be as long as you'd want a pen to be. It doesn't need to be long, but it would be for the best if it were.

Yes, but it is not recommended.

You can use scissors that have sharp points, but it will take longer.

Wait for the feather to dry and then fluff it (spread out the individual fibers of the feather). This will make it look good as new!

If you put it in water overnight, that takes 8 - 10 hours. A little time sharpening the horns, and and if you want to dye the feather, time to dry. It also takes about 15 minutes to cook the sand.

Yes, a crow feather will work well.

No, I wouldn't use the pen with paint as it would likely dry on the feather and ruin it.

You would have to ask your teacher or principal at school. Most likely it won`t be appropriate because the ink might spill.

No; they're too short and you wont be able to handle it easily.

Almost any feather will do, as long as the stem isn’t too soft or thin. And any size will do as long it is comfortable to hold on to.

It doesn't matter much. I have chickens, and I've made many quills, and the only thing I've noticed is this: The bigger the bird, the better the feather.

Here's an alternative to making horns: cut your 45 degree angle, and then sharpen the tip of the quill. Cut a short, simple line down the middle of the point, it needs to be about 1.5 cm.

You don't need to cut the "stem" because as long as you can hold the feather, all you need is that sharp tip. For the second question, the answer is, for the most part, yes. The feather must be long and sturdy, a wing or tail feather. It is recommended that your feather is at least eight inches long, because otherwise it will be fragile and difficult to hold.