These goose quills are unhardened and uncut for those who want the experience themselves. The feathery portion of these will likely be mussed and/or damaged, but there will be a guaranteed quill for hardening and cutting into a pen.

Instructions for sand hardening (aka Dutching) quills

First, select a good quality primary flight feather from a goose, duck, crow, turkey, or swan. (You are buying goose flight feathers) I highly recommend not plucking them directly. (Birds DO NOT appreciate this, and ideally is why you are here). To prepare the quill for curing the inner pith of the feather must be removed by cutting off the end of the quill and scraping out the inside with a thin wire. Next the outside of the quill must be scraped with the back side of a knife to remove the waxy coating.

Soak the end of the feather (barrel side down) in water overnight. Heat sand in an oven 275°F-325°F. Plunge the feather into the sand, working it up and down to force sand into the barrel of the feather. Leave the feather in the sand long enough to dehydrate the feather barrel, but not long enough to burn the barrel of the quill. This creates a hard but flexible cured quill ready for cutting. The overnight water soak can be omitted though omitting it creates a more brittle quill.