Fixin to build a couple doz. shafts within the next week or so and am looking for some fresh ideas before i start.
5" Chartreuse shield cut :thumbsup:
Bill
parabolic fl.lime :)
5 1/2 inch shield natural barr or goose
5" shield cut blue hens and a white cock feather fletched helical on a white stained crown.
Also thinking about 4" shield cut in blue alternating with a white in a 4 fletch.
My son is a fan of blue and pink fletching, any size or configuration.
Ray
I like 5 1/2" high back parabolics, in red or chartruese.
I'm thinking about fletching some with banana cut...who sells those?
5" Chartreuse parabolic cut with a matching cap wrap.
I use 5-inch shield cuts on all my arrows. Three whites or three chartreuse on my practice arrows, three natural gray barreds or two natural gray barreds and one red barred feather on my hunting arrows. White crown dips and nocks and red, silver and black cresting most of the time.
2, 5 inch yellow hens and 1, 5 inch yellow cock feather all shield cut. Put on a tapered shaft with 9 inches of yellow dip with a yellow nirk nock.
I like 5" shield in yellow or orange barred. I like using them with the snake skin wraps from Onestringer. I also like the natural from magnus.
5" or 5.5" shield cut. Colors are generally selected by poundae. My 65# bows are mated with yellow fletch. My 55# bow is matched with black fletch, etc. This makes it fairly easy to grab the correct spined arrows for a given bow. Its not totally fool proof, though. One day I spent well over an hour tinkering with tuning to correct a sudden case of bad arrow flight. Then I finally realized I had gotten confused on my color scheme and had picked up the wrong arrows.
Low profile banana. Whatever color I have the most of at the time. Like the natural and brights. I use 4 fletch, so some are multi colored, on river cane.
Sam, great idea using a color code for different spines. For those with multiple bows, that would for sure simplify things.
these are mine, I did them myself with a burner(possibilities are endless with a burner).
(http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv19/lpcjon2/1Arrow-1.jpg)
(http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv19/lpcjon2/2Arrow-1.jpg)
I stood along side two steel grain bins that were only a few feet apart one time while other shooters were shooting their arrows between them.
I stood just AFTER the space between the grain bins so I was out of arrow flight path, yet still VERY close to them as they passed through.
I could hear the shield cut and parabolic cut arrow fletching coming BEFORE they got to the grain bins.
I had another shooter shoot my arrows with feathers burned that were tapered to each end with the widest portion right in the center of the fletch. Sort of like a parabolic, but more centered in width.
A lot like what Byron Ferguson shoots.
I couldn't even hear mine after they passed through the grain bins.
You couldn't give me shield cut feathers for free.
QuoteOriginally posted by kbaknife:
I stood along side two steel grain bins that were only a few feet apart one time while other shooters were shooting their arrows between them.
I stood just AFTER the space between the grain bins so I was out of arrow flight path, yet still VERY close to them as they passed through.
I could hear the shield cut and parabolic cut arrow fletching coming BEFORE they got to the grain bins.
I had another shooter shoot my arrows with feathers burned that were tapered to each end with the widest portion right in the center of the fletch. Sort of like a parabolic, but more centered in width.
A lot like what Byron Ferguson shoots.
I couldn't even hear mine after they passed through the grain bins.
You couldn't give me shield cut feathers for free.
It seems to me some pics are needed! :D
Shield for the aesthetics and parabolic overall. I run a flourescent yellow or green cock feather and two white hens on all my arrows for visibility.
4-5" parabolics in white with a white nock. Sometimes I do two white and two pink when I'm feeling frisky. I like to run a 1" piece of reflective wrap around the middle of where the feather falls. Usually white but occasionally orange on the wrap.
I use 3 5" parabolics the two hen feather are white and the cock feather is pink. They're not the prettiest arrows but they are nearly impossible to lose. Oh and I fletch them on a reflective white wrap.
5" shield or parabolic, 3 white or 3 bright flo. yellow with white or flo. yellow wraps. I like to see a ball of white or flo. yellow all the way to the target or animal.
QuoteOriginally posted by Andy Cooper:
QuoteOriginally posted by kbaknife:
I stood along side two steel grain bins that were only a few feet apart one time while other shooters were shooting their arrows between them.
I stood just AFTER the space between the grain bins so I was out of arrow flight path, yet still VERY close to them as they passed through.
I could hear the shield cut and parabolic cut arrow fletching coming BEFORE they got to the grain bins.
I had another shooter shoot my arrows with feathers burned that were tapered to each end with the widest portion right in the center of the fletch. Sort of like a parabolic, but more centered in width.
A lot like what Byron Ferguson shoots.
I couldn't even hear mine after they passed through the grain bins.
You couldn't give me shield cut feathers for free.
It seems to me some pics are needed! :D [/b]
I was thinking that also. It sounds like a low back banana cut to me.
5.5 magnum (banana)
I really like black (makes a flo nock pop)
I use shield cut, three 4" or 5" with full helical. I use either white or natural barred turkey feathers, all three the same color.
White shows up the best in flight for me. The real barred feathers look the best by far, but are tough to see in flight. The natural feathers hold up a lot better though, which helps offset their higher cost.
QuoteOriginally posted by Andy Cooper:
It seems to me some pics are needed! :D [/QB]
OK - here are couple self-arrows I made a long time ago for my Glen St. Charles quiver.
The fletch profile has changed little over the years but the widest portion is more centered now and just a tad lower.
Dead quiet.
Dead.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c247/kbaknife/fletch1.jpg)
5" shield, natural barred cock, chartreuse hens
I've used shield cut for years, mostly because I like the looks of them. Very traditional in my mind. But I'm thinking it's time to make a change to a cut like Karl's - low profile banana? I've sure read enough testimonials as to how it makes a difference in noise, and anything I can do to reduce an arrow's noise in flight can only be a good thing.
As to color, I have gone to as bright as I can possibly find. Florescent orange or chartreuse are great. It really helps me to see the arrow and the point of impact. Since switching to the high vis feathers I seem to do much better at knowing exactly where I have hit an animal, especially in low light. And that knowledge really helps me to determine how and when to follow up a hit. Duller colors simply disappeared to me when shooting at dawn and dusk, and I often wasn't sure exactly where I might have hit.
I think the trick to quiet is to keep the fletch half inch or lower.
parabolic and yellow
Shield cut because I like the looks. And the chartreuse or yellow color.
Another good reason for the '"banana" cut besides being quiet, is that the feather is tapered down nearest the nock helping to eliminate "catching a fletch" with your fingers (thus making NOISE) while holding or preparing to draw. It just doesn't look as traditional as the shield cut if that is a concern.
Just fletched some with 5" solid orange and the nock feather orange barred.
Banana cut seem to be the quietest, but I like a high back shield for the looks. I use red barred or green barred for the cock fletch and plain white for the hens. I see white the best during flight.
As far as the noise issue is concerned, a game animal will hear the noise of your bow long before it hears the arrow so IMHO, arrow noise is a non-issue. Anyway, I like hearing the hiss of death!
Pink
(http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g308/deanfamilyalbum/03FA2ABD-DAE6-45C0-9F36-0E6A4FA08EB1-130-0000001777A11155.jpg)
5" shield. I like to use all the same color, with the cock feather being barred. I like green red and orange.
Fletch height has as much to do with noise as shape. Regardless, I agree with Slivrslinger. At normal ranges, say 20-25 yards and less, a deer will hear the bow go off and react to it before feather noise comes into play. They don't always react, of course. At longer distances, it may hear the arrow as it approaches the last 10 yards of flight or so to the critter, but by that time, it's too late.
Longbowray i like your table setup those drawers look like they have a bunch of goodies =].. btw i like the pink with the green knock.
im using all white 5'' shield .. even though i want a new color and dont know wich to choose
Well I need something brighter because I'm having trouble seeing my arrows at distance. Plenty of ideas here.
I keep coming back to parabolic and yellow hens with either a red or natural barred cock feather.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/Bowhunting/HPIM2209.jpg)
Shows up well in most conditions.
4-fletch, RW, 4" shield in flo yellow or flo orange...
I prefer Hot pink in 5" Parabolic. I also use 5" Chartruese and White. Those big 160 gr Snuffers...my choice is 5.5" HB Shields. Don't care about a little noise, I want stability.
If your looking for bright, hard to beat AMG Florescent colors. Flo Orange, Flo Lime, Chart and Hot Pink. Easy to see in low light conditions.
Flo Lime
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P3240001.jpg)
Hot Pink
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/PB250018.jpg)
Chart and Flo Orange
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P9080005.jpg)
Flo Lime and White
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P5010002.jpg)
Flo Orange
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P1070002-1.jpg)
In regards to noise, I have found that there are many factors that contribute. A few years ago, I tested many different configurations out of a perfectly tuned compound. The four major influences I found were: arrow speed, feather height, feather width, and feather profile. The faster the arrow, the more the fletching disrupts the layers of air created by the shaft. The higher the fletch, the higher the drag. Same goes for feather width. The thicker the feather, the louder it is. Feather profile, I found to have the least impact on overall noise, if height and width were the same. These of course are non scientific observations, but I had repeatable results with my self and a safely hidden bystander. The quietest feather that I ever shot was a 3"x1/2" parabolic, very thin mallard feather! I believe the width at tip of the feather had more of an impact on sound than did the length. I'm sure that a 4 or 5" duck feather of the same height would have been just as quiet. On a side note, all of the feathered arrows were quieter on release than any vaned arrow that I shot. But obviously louder in flight. Go figure. Btw, I shoot a flo orange wrap with two flo orange and one red barred. Looks great, and very easy to find, and we know that deer cannot see flo orange.
I guess hands down shield wins for looks. I have found that hot pink, as feminine as it sounds is easiest to recover when lost. Lime green seems a good choice but I can't speak from experience. Natural barred are my favorite choice but I miss too often and would probably have a hard time locating!
I'm an oddball. I fletch every arrow with a different color combo. I use 5" shield and have white, yellow, chart, red, orange, or green hens and cock feathers are natural, orange, red or green barred.
I kind of like having every arrow be unique. I make friends with some, and some not so much.
Plus it's camo when they are on the bow quiver.
Who is selling banana cut feathers? I went thru the sponsors list and struck out.
Uh.....I like PINK!
These are parabolic but my favorite is shield cut. I use 4" on my skinny Beman MFX Classics but I would probably use 5" on bigger diameter shafts.
(http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/KanatiBow050.jpg)
5" natural turkey fletch - shield cut from Magnus. :thumbsup:
(http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g359/tradhunter1/100_1501.jpg)
I'm in with pink too.
Get a feather burner. :thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by onewhohasfun:
Who is selling banana cut feathers? I went thru the sponsors list and struck out.
prefer Red barred hens, Gray barred cock in shield cut. 5-5.5 inch shield cut with these colors are my preference.....though a set of arrows Kelly made for me years ago used natural dyed wild turkey feathers with yellow dye that looked sharp on a red cap.
Flourescent green snap on nock goes behind them all...
I have one set with PopeYoung cut but did not mount them far enough from nock so they touch my fingers and are noisy...need to cut the tips square but not gotten around to it..only been 10 years. LOL
4 inch shield cut....4 of them....Flo Yellow with and orange nock, or Flow orange with a yellow nock.....
4"banana cuts. Either 3 or 4 Fletch are very noticeably quieter than similar Shields and way quieter than 5.5" highback shields. I have been told this by several folks watching me shoot
Chuckc
I burn my own parbolics around 5.25 inches Love white but use yellow or chartreuse when the fire poles crank up!
I sell banana cut feathers. P@Y and traditional too. Feel free to pm me for more info.
I shoot all natural turkey and goose. Either 4x4 banana or 3x5 banana or shield. Depends on which bow I shoot.
I like orange barred or camo in both shield or parabolic. I like my arrows bright and fletch with 4 4" feathers.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/quarteraway/IMG_6204.jpg)
I love 4 fletch. I do pink and char. I also like 3 inch feathers but after some testing the 4 inch do the same speeds and you can see the stabilize faster.
(http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n486/Shedrock1/P1020608.jpg)
I like the low profile banana cut the best. As far as colors go, I like mostly all, except for the flouresents, and really bright glowing colors. I really don't like chartreuse. Yuck!
(http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n486/Shedrock1/P1020943.jpg)
I really like real barred turkey and goose. :thumbsup:
Longbowray copied my arrows.........EXACTLY. What a copy cat! :-)
Shedrock Ive always liked the look of barred feathers, think i may have to incorporate some on my next batch of shafts as well as pulling out my banana chopper.
Great combos everybody!
Longbowray copied my arrows.........EXACTLY. What a copy cat! :-)
CUSTOM BUILT LIL CHOPPER WHICH IS NOW A 4.5INCH LENGTH BANANA THAT 3/4 INCH HIGH [BEST OF BOTH WORLDS], I MODIFIED A PLATE TO FIT THE LIL CHOPPER LOW CUT BANANA IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES. I HAVE NO PHOTO BUCKET BUT I CAN EMAIL PICS TO SOME ONE IF THEY WOULD LIKE.
:bigsmyl:
I guess I am not the only one that gets all particular about flecthing...
Lately I've been using 4 fletch with custom 3 and 1/8th inch modified shield.
I really like white feathers, or combined with something else bright.
My favorite has not changed in decades.
Gateway solid white colored 5" parabolic shaped feathers in a 3 fletch combination.
Can one purchase banana cut or do these have to be made from shield feathers?
X2 where can I buy low cut banana feathers from?
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/EAD44033-1599-425A-B46B-815D44985F68-164-00000026229D3FF0.jpg) (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/DUCK_TRAP/media/EAD44033-1599-425A-B46B-815D44985F68-164-00000026229D3FF0.jpg.html)
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/8DFB50A6-FD4F-4AD7-BF85-B56CEAFCAA3C-164-000000263997C2A6.jpg) (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/DUCK_TRAP/media/8DFB50A6-FD4F-4AD7-BF85-B56CEAFCAA3C-164-000000263997C2A6.jpg.html)
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/C1207B67-4CD5-4396-9B1F-346A58ACF837-164-00000026564716DF.jpg) (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/DUCK_TRAP/media/C1207B67-4CD5-4396-9B1F-346A58ACF837-164-00000026564716DF.jpg.html)
I like my shields, I like a lot of feather and shape my ribbon to burn them that way.
Trap
Trap those are sweet I like the multi color.
Low profile nanners from Magnus are my favorite. Deadly quiet, and they last cuz they're turkey tough.....and if you shoot groups, they don't catch on each other and sustain damage.
(http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n525/rgreen1958/DSCN0793.jpg) (http://s1138.photobucket.com/user/rgreen1958/media/DSCN0793.jpg.html)
Great arrows folks! With all the cuts and color choices, it makes me wanna build some new shafts. :notworthy:
(http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq136/bloodtrailer7/001-17.jpg) (http://s441.photobucket.com/user/bloodtrailer7/media/001-17.jpg.html) (http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq136/bloodtrailer7/c01e851c-0684-4eb9-acaa-2ce5f7ae8e38_zpsafe92975.jpg) (http://s441.photobucket.com/user/bloodtrailer7/media/c01e851c-0684-4eb9-acaa-2ce5f7ae8e38_zpsafe92975.jpg.html)
Shield cut burn
QuoteOriginally posted by 1/4 away:
I like orange barred or camo in both shield or parabolic. I like my arrows bright and fletch with 4 4" feathers.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/quarteraway/IMG_6204.jpg)
Doc,
These are the nocks I am referring to...
(http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a516/victoryhunter/998816_10151653551115808_453977466_n_zps31bc8adf.jpg) (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/victoryhunter/media/998816_10151653551115808_453977466_n_zps31bc8adf.jpg.html)
Next time I will get one orange and one yellow or one chartreuse and one pink. Or maybe yellow barred! Either way I like 4" parabolic and shield cut, doesn't make much difference what shape to me.
I've always used white or flo orange, but those natural turkey feathers look great !
My favorite....low profile Nanners, any color that I can see well!
Love canary yellow with matching wrap, or white with white wrap, always in. 3 x 4" parabolic configuration with max helical simple but elegant
My favorite colors are many of the spliced feathers.
..but I can't seem to get the hang of doing that..lol
My favorite cut is the t-hawk chop.
here's some pics of my fav's that I've done..
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/Fletchedflourgreen.jpg)
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/Bestfortradgang.jpg)
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/arrowswbow600.jpg)
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/bbo1/CIMG0003.jpg)