Sunday is my day for going to Church, taking it easy, and doing a little goofing off and testing. Today, I decided to get some arrows done I'd been working on. They're 11/32 poplar, I cut them from a board, at 3/8" squares, milled them to 3/8" dowels, them sanded them to 11/32 shafts. I stained them with some cherry stain / sealer and coated them with clear acylic. They ended up right under 390 gr. with out nocks points or feathers. Put some 125 gr points on and some nocks and I made a 4 1/2" long 3/4" high, banana shapped feather cutter and decided try 2 fletched configuration. I attached the feathers in such a way that when the arrow is nocked there's a low one in the bottom inside against the bow and 180 dgrees off the other is in the upper left side. The are slightly right helical'd. I shot the arrows from a english styled bamboo backed longbow, 45# @ 28" and a 44 # @ 28" 58" recurve with a center cut shelf. They few exactly the same from both bows even though the longbow had no shelf cut into the handle. A little faster from the recurve though. This is the first time I tried using feathers like that and I was extremely inpressed. It might be the shape of the feathers being so high or the helical spin. What ever it is I'm going to mess with a bit more.
I have made several like that. Had to play around with the placement, but they shoot great. I shoot mine from two different NorthernMist longbows, and had my first robin hood with them. Saves on fletching also. Good to hear i am not alone. Shoot straight
Treavor
I have several like that as well. Used one to take my 10 pt buck last October ;)
I noticed a long time ago that if I lose a feather from my straight fletched arrows they fly pretty much as well with the two remaining ones.
Reminds me of a Beechcraft Bonanza, I think it was, that had that V tail instead of the vertical and horizontal stabilizers. It flew great too.
Reparrow man
These are 3 two fletched arrows I made this past season. One is a Cherokee style with the feathers cut down a bit. The other is also a Cherokee style with a banana burned fletch. and the one on the right is my hybrid 2 fletch on one of my hunting arrows. These simple fletching styles fly very well and look cool also.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/forPA010.jpg)
I use two fletch (5x180)
Use them on GT and 11/32 cedar.
I like'm. They always start a conversation!
...and I usually put 180deg of helical in the 2 fletch.
Gordy Mickens and Jim Neaves have been usein em fer yrs.They turned me on to em.Made my best and longest shot on game,with a 2 fletched arrow.
I agree w/Jim in Maine. I'm currently using two 2 fletched arrows. They didn't start that way, but I haven't got around to fixing them and they fly great. They may actually work better by not being on opposite sides of the shaft.
At what degree do you glue the feathers on a two fletch?
Like Traxx, Gordy showed this to me about 6-8 yrs ago. Two fletched and footed carbons are tuff arrows. I did find that you need to play with the positioning, when you get it right they fly great. Plan to use them on a turkey this spring.
Two Tracks
After reading this I decided to make one and give it a try. Wow I was impressed, I chopped a five and half inch bannana feather and used my four fletch JO-JAN fletcher. If you look down the shaft as the arrow would be positioned on your bow, The fletching's are at 1 o'clock and seven o'clock. I would presume that this would be ideal for a two blade broadhead position the same as the fletching and will have to try this. I shoot three fingers under and was drilling the bulls eye.
Guys, here is another rarely used option with feathers that most folks discard are used for a simple 3 fletch. This is called a tangential fletch and a common Native American style. These feathers are smaller (about 4" to 5" total)goose wing feathers. They are tied below the nock and at the forward end only. Laid straight with the shaft they have a natural helical and fly quite well but with a bit of helical added they fly very well.
I set these pics up for demonstration only so I wasn't very neat with it.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/tangential3fletch006.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/tangential3fletch007.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/tangential3fletch008.jpg)
This is a tangential fletched arrow I got from James Parker(huntworthyproductions.com). His is a bit neater than mine.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/tangential3fletchJamesParker005.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/tangential3fletchJamesParker003.jpg)
Wow, I never knew it was at all popular.
Pat those are some cool looking arrows you got there.
Has anyone determined the decidedly better way to fletch with two feathers? Is it 1 o'clock and 7 o'clock OR 11 o'clock and 5 o'clock? :confused:
Yeah, I know I could test it myself but figured one of you guys had already saved me the time and effort. :bigsmyl:
Seems to me that 1 & 7 o'clock would be better because as the arrow is going through paradox, you might gain a smidge more clearance at the shelf as opposed to 5 & 11 o'clock, imho.
Don
I guess it would depend on the rotation of your shaft. Right or left. I shoot mostly hardwood shoot arrows or cane arrows and their natural taper helps the arrow clear the bow. But, like any fletching, if your arrow is tuned correctly, it shouldn't touch the bow once you release it.
I've been using 2 fletched arrows (5" shields) for a while and find them to fly as well as 3 fletched. I align the fletching at 9 & 3 o'clock. I have always heard and found that arrows will shoot equally well with cock feather in or out and since I use the cock feather on the tip of my nose as part of my anchor, I have proceeded thus. Arrows fly great, I tear up less feathers, I use less feathers and I can fletch in 1/3 the time.
Great looking arrows Pat.
Last year Pat sent me 2 primitive arrows, 1 had 2 fletch on a river cain shaft. Thanx again for the arrow Pat.
i like them alot as well.
here is one way you can try...it works great!
click on pic!
(http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x74/michbowguy/th_primarow001.jpg) (http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x74/michbowguy/?action=view¤t=38414da9.pbw)
click on link
http://www.webjam.com/primitivemichigan//~View?id=8ff87a9f-0373-4456-8067-aeabd618211f
click on link
http://www.webjam.com/primitivemichigan//~View?id=cf2f576d-687c-43bc-9949-ddf47dc7ebf4
click on link
http://www.webjam.com/primitivemichigan//~View?id=e2066600-89c0-4d67-9697-21258df9b7f9
above are not meant to be for sale!
...just offering some pics....
jamie
I fletched up some two fletch after reading about them from Jim Neaves. They fly great. I am using them on some old Microflights and have refletched some carbons also.
I've played with 2 fletch over the years and had good results, but not great. A couple of months ago I made up a dozen arrows for myself and decided to make two of them 2 fletched and two of them 4 fletched. Comparing them directly, it seemed the 3 and 4 fletched were more accurate. I really think that you give up a little accuracy with them.