I used to steam/dip shuttles, but now I don't bother. If you get it right, you can probably extend the life of your shuttles slightly -- or, if you bought some very brittle ones, quite a lot. The trouble is, you can also get it wrong. I've had hydrated shuttles shrivel up, with the feathers shrinking and going hard. I've had some that get soft and stay soft -- they don't break, but they don't fly crisply either. They feel mushy. On the whole, I think hydrating is more useful for cheaper shuttles, or shuttles that have obviously gone brittle. Hydrating top-quality shuttles that are in perfect condition is asking for trouble -- unless, of course, you really know what you're doing If you have a humid place to store them, that's great. But if not, just make sure they are kept away from extremes of temperature -- don't leave them in direct sun, and don't leave them in your car boot on a frosty night.
I'm just wondering...if all we need to do to increase its life is keep it humid, would it be okay to just leave all the shuttles in the bathroom with the caps off the tubes?
...and that extent being...? what if I just display them proudly around my bathroom? ...then just grab a couple lying around and throw em into a tube before I run off to the courts?
ding it! Master Stevenator knows something about dumping and steaming shuttles that the average BF'ers don't know about .
It really depends on where you live. In drier environment, steaming is essential. Other than that, it's just a matter of how often you hit it right on the spot.
Dear Fellow BCBF members, Many of you ask how to prolong the shuttle's life. My fist suggestion is not to miss hit. However, many of us who live in North America and Europe do not have the humid weather that is good for shuttle's life in SE Asia. So, some methods to keep shuttles hydrated is needed and being used. There are method of steaming the shuttle, dip the feather in water, keep the shuttle in bathroom and other methods. If you don't know those method, seek and ye should find. Wilson developed a new "Smart Tub Lid" to keep feather hydrated. This is a pattern Wilson filed. However, there is a "Prior Art" they might not known before. Anyway, I just want to share a DIY method we have been using since we were kids. You can be the judge. Picture 1. Wilson shuttle tube. Picture 2. Same tube with upper lid Picture 3. Wilson "Smart Tube Lid" Picture 4. Victor shuttle tube and paper napkin. fold paper napkin into small piece so it will fit into the lid. Picture 5. Tape the folded paper napkin onto the lid and add water. Shake off the extra water. Just add water when the napkin is dry. I added some mouthwash to get the contrast and keep microbs growing on the napkin. From trial and error, I find the best tape for this DIY is clear nurse tape (3M Transpore about $3-$5 USD) that you can buy from local drug store. Why? because this tape is water resistant. Good luck and have fun enjoy badminton.
Steam it,or drip it with water before u play.Not too long/much,as it'll affect the bird's performance.Avoid using ur sweat,since it'll only helps momentarily n will break the feathers off faster,since it's salty.Also,of course,hitting only cork,n not the feathers helps alot.
Tried humidifying the birds in the box for 24 hrs which f****d them all. So our conclusion is humidifying/steaming the birds 30 mins before the play is ideal. Method - same as described in my above post. Moisten the bird box from inside with water. Dip the birds in water for 5-10 secs (excluding the horizontal thread and the cork) and put them back in the moistened box. Keep the box vertical with corks at top and feathers at bottom for 30 mins, just before play.
