Goat Tuff Glue & Opti-Vanes Had some of Goat Tuffs HP Archery Adhesive sent to me with a pack of Opti-Vanes as well. I have tried a few other glues and some work and some work for a while but never for a long period of time. No matter how meticulous I am about cleaning my arrows. So, with some hesitation I thought to myself how long would this stuff last. The HP Glue is a Cyanoacrylate Adhesive; it is even more popular under the name Super Glue. Since moisture in the air activates its drying time the more humid it is the quicker it will set. Goat Tuff is such a convenient adhesive because it is a very fast-curing, extremely strong adhesive. Goat Tuff forms a great bond to many different materials such as plastics, rubber, metal, leather, wood and much more. I personally wanted to test the strength of this glue and had two tests. The first test I glued (2) .5 lb unclean metal weights together with 3 medium drops and let sit for about 1 minute. After which I could not pull them a part. Next I used (2) 2.5 lb. unclean weights and put 4 medium size drops on one weight and put them together. After about a minute again I could not pull these weights apart. Just imagine how well it glues your vanes on. This leads me to my final test of the durability of the glue. I began to strip some arrows and then I had some that had not been fletched. I went through my usual ritual and then began the process of gluing the vanes on using my Bohning Jig. I glued the Opti-Vanes on 3 Carbon Impact arrows which is out of Traverse City, MI.. I noticed that I was able to move along quite quickly with this type of glue. After gluing the Opti-Vanes on I let them sit over night. I have been shooting these arrows for about 3.5 weeks now and the vanes are not even beginning to peel. Goat Tuff Opti-Vanes are manufactured with a Fusion™ technology from Norway Industries, which is a patented process that combines two different proprietary materials into a single vane that is advertised to optimize adhesion, durability and arrow flight. The following is from Goat Tuff's website: ADHESION: The softer black base material possesses optimum adhesive properties so every vane is easier to glue and secures with greater strength to the arrow shaft regardless of impact or weather conditions. Black colored base allows for easy glue visibility. DURABILITY: The stiffer blade material provides optimum reliability and durability. Is unaffected by extreme shooting conditions and holds up to shoot-Thru Arrow Rests. ARROW FLIGHT: The stiff blade with high profile tapered design; modified parabolic profile (curve) and consistent light weight are optimized to allow for rapid arrow stabilization, increased arrow speed and dependable flight consistency for greater accuracy. When I shot these on my Carbon Impact Arrows I was able to keep my groupings together and tight. I found no obvious flaws in the way the arrows flew. OPTI-VANE - Easy to fletch, more secure bonding and greater durability for optimal performance every shot. Given this bit of information I took one of the arrows and ran it back & forth through a straw bail several times and still the vanes are intact. Wow! Get your glue to do that. So, in closing if you want durable, high performance glue for your vanes remember Goat Tuff. You can find more information and order many of their other products on line at www.GoattuffProducts.com. Article Written by: Gary Elliott www.GarysBowhunting.com
