Waterproofing Feathers Experiment

After reading many different forums where people have tried various methods to water proof feathers I decided to do an experiment of my own. Among my hubby's tools and other paraphernalia I found a can of Scotch Guard Spray that he uses on his leather shoes and lap top case, one product that was recommended for use on feathers to prevent them from getting soggy with rain and moisture. The other item I used was hairspray.

SCOTCH GUARD

• This is the spray used in the experiment.
  

• The two plumes used BEFORE being sprayed.
  

• After Spraying with Scotch Guard the feathers took on an oily sheen and lost some of their fluffiness.
  

• I waited 24 hours before running water over the feathers.
  

• After putting the feathers under the tap they did not get soaked, the beads of water were suspended on the plume itself without penetrating the feather unless I physically rubbed the beads of water into the plume in which case it became damp but not soaked. The end result was this, the feathers remained looking as if they still had an oily sheen and never regained the fluffiness, even after blow drying, though they never got limp or soaking wet.
  

HAIRSPRAY

• Pheasant feather BEFORE spraying.
  

• Hairspray used.
  

• Feather after spraying; it looked damp and felt stiff but the feathers remained in position. I only sprayed the top half of the feather to compare with the untreated bottom half.
  

• After blow drying the feather I ran it under the tap.
  

• The feather got soaked but the part which was sprayed with the hair spray the feathers remained in position.
  

• A look at the entire feather immediately after coming out of the water. You can see where the feather was sprayed with hair spray the vane remained in the same position, but the bottom of the feather the vane separated.
  

In conclusion the Scotch Guard worked pretty well in repelling water, the only caveat is that I would not use it on feathers that are fluffy like Ostrich Plumes, I would prefer to spray them on feathers that lie flat like rooster feathers. The hairspray did nothing to prevent the feather from getting soaked, the only thing it did was keep the vane in place so when it dries it dries in that position.

JAB Wear!!

Brian Wong Won has created a special Jab T Shirt, which supporters of the band (whether you are playing j'ouvert or not) can purchase. From the website:

The design is composed of an original pen drawing by artist/designer/bandleader Brian Wong Won. The sketch was the basis for the sections Jab Bleu and Jab Jaune and shows the headpiece covering the face. T-shirts retail for TT$90.00 or US$15.00 and will be available for sale online soon at www.masjumbies.com

On another note the website for Mas Jumbies has now been updated with section photos, descriptions and prices. All the sections are priced at $300.00TT or $50.00US (male and female) with an optional standard at $60.00TT or $10.00US. This price is fully inclusive of the costume, matching body paint, all inclusive drink service (non alcoholic and alcoholic beverages), breakfast service, security team,DJ Audio Crew Sound Systems,Iron Rhythm Section for the road and goodie bags.

Personally I think it is FABULOUS that there is a j'ouvert band option that provides more than just a T-Shirt and drinks, but also a creative costume as well.