I have been noticing that when I first fletch up arrows with 5 inch left wing feathers they hold up well , then out of no where the feathers start folding forward on impact ? When I run my hand down fletch they go right back but when they are new they do not respond that way any idea ???
------------Black Wolf 68" 57#@28"----------
------------TallTines. 60". 52&45#@28"---------
If you're shooting a fairly heavy bow at close range that happens. They'll still fly fine and it won't have any actual negative effect.
Mine do that too...must be a Massachusetts thing!
I shoot a lot at 5yds in my garage and although not shooting a heavy bow, about 47# at my 26" draw and a 500gr arrow, my backstop is a box of rags that has become compacted over time so I think it could be the more sudden stop compared to a more forgiving medium that of could be the cause.
I think the feathers get tired....I mostly shoot at 20 yards and after a few months of heavy shooting, they break downloaded a bit and get wimpy.....heavy arrows...550 grains to 635 grains. They still fly fine but they just don't look fresh so basically, my primary practice arrows end up that way. I found True flight feathers to hold up better than some others.
I have had that happen, and it has not been a problem.
It's that sudden stop at the end of the arrow flight.....short distance shooting is the worst....