I recently bought some new arrows, after 20 shots or so, the feather close to the shelf is falling apart. I have tried rotating the nock a little but the only way to avoid contact, is to have the cock vane in.
My last dozen, over 3 years, did not have this problem. Are these bad feathers?

Need some more information.  Are these arrows the same material, length, spine, etc, as your previous arrows?  If not, you may have a spine issue that's causing the fletching to hit the riser upon release.  Fill us in on a few more details.

A fair number of people shoot with the cock feather in.  As Drewster says, it could be spine.

If you shoot 4 Fletch there how can you keep any feather from hitting the shelf?

I would say spine is the issue, what rest material do you use?

If you snap an arrow on the string and hold it horizontally, how much clearance do you have between the arrow and the shelf?

Arrows are the same as before other than color of the fletch.
They are 3 fletch 5" long. I have about 1 1/2" from front of fletch to rest when braced.
I shoot a bear rest thin carpet like material on shelf with leather like material on the plate.
Spine may be an issue as I recently realized they are a little weak. I shoot RH BTW. they are 5575 trads wood grain cut full length, regular insert 300 gr.tips. I shoot 62# @ 31" I draw 31"
What confuses me is why are the older set of arrows, or whats left of them, not affecting the fletch but the new ones are?
If the rest is an issue what rest would be better suited?
I really would not mind changing rests. something more like calf hair rest and plate.
Thank you much

I don't think I explained myself well.  LOL

I meant, holding the string horizontally and checking the distance between the shaft and the rest (first picture).

I have a feeling that your nocking point may be marginally low, and with the additional flex, your arrows are close to skipping off the rest.

Picture 2 shows my rest/kick plate setup, made from a wine bottle cork.

I have found nothing better or cheaper.

You can see the optimum fletch clearance.

I may get some disagreement over this, but I firmly believe that the arrow should no longer touch the rest, after release.


 http://users.vianet.ca/billvivianpaterson/Uploads/Nock%20Point.JPG

 http://users.vianet.ca/billvivianpaterson/Uploads/Arroe%20Rest.JPG

Are there any marks on the riser or fainted brush marks where the fletching may hit the riser? If the shafts are weaker reduce the head weight and rotate the nock so a clean feather is facing the strike plate and shoot them. If the wear doesnt happen then you know its the spine issue.

Oh and the pics are way to big, no larger than 640 pixel

Good feathers do hold up better. What feathers are you shooting?

I do not know the feathers, they came with the arrows. I will see how the new arrows shoot and wear. Spine could be an issue but they were not an the other older arrows. I will try to post pictures

Here is the rest. Any issues you see?

The rest looks new. Did you shoot the old arrows on the rest pictured?
It would be good to bare shaft the new arrows. I think you are close on spine.

The rest is new ,but I have shot the old arrows through this rest several times, more than the arrows with a problem.
I will try to bare shaft and paper test the higher spined arrows and see what happens.

New arrows do not wear at all. I did loosen the throat of my nocks even on the ones that were wearing out early. I am surprised in how much better they fly. Even the weaker spined arrows group very close to my newer stiffer spine arrows. I am not sure but the tight nock could have been causing the early feather wearing out.