left helical in a right hand bow?

Dan Jones · June 03, 2015, 03:46:00 PM

I'm getting wear on the lower outside edge of the leather arrow rest on the shelf of a longbow. Raising the nocking point hasn't helped. Nor has shooting with the cock feather in. The arrows are fletched left helical and the bow is right handed. Could this be the source of the problem?

Michael Arnette · June 03, 2015, 03:59:00 PM

I don't think it would, I've shot both right and left with no difference.

Jim Wright · June 03, 2015, 04:39:00 PM

I would try bare shafting the arrows you are shooting and see what they indicate. I suspect you are not properly spined with your set up. The left helical/right handed bow is not the problem.

JR Williams · June 03, 2015, 04:57:00 PM

It shouldn't make a difference. I would shoot one bare to see what the shaft is doing.

M60gunner · June 03, 2015, 08:23:00 PM

Do the bareshaft test. That right hand, right helical, left hand, left helical is an old wives tale.

Ron LaClair · June 03, 2015, 08:50:00 PM

Quote That right hand, right helical, left hand, left helical is an old wives tale.

You're right,

...it's... Right hand, left wing, Left hand, right wing.

June 03, 2015, 09:23:00 PM

With my Jo-Jan fletchers when using leftwing for a right hand bow, the bottom hen feather points straight down. On wood arrows, I rotate the nock an eighth turn counter clockwise from the horizontal grain of the arrow and tack it with hot melt. After fletching, I rotate the arrow that eighth turn to orientate the nock to the grain of the arrow. This way the nock index is even with the arrow grain and the feather is turned into the corner of the arrow shelf. I do the opposite for right wings out of left hand bows with wood arrows. I do some with cock feather in as well. I do this so I can the nock as low as possible out of my longbows and still keep my brace height to a minimum.
To answer your question, something else must be going on with spine or tuning or torque. I have seen that kind of wear once before, that was a light spine situation that caused it.

JRY309 · June 04, 2015, 12:07:00 AM

I'm RH and shoot both LW and RW,doesn't make any difference on a well tuned arrow.

June 04, 2015, 04:38:00 AM

The only difference that I have seen is if the arrow gets bumped by the feathers with a low anchor point and if I am drawing the arrow with my index finger contacting the arrow. I may get nicked by the feather with right wing on a right hand bow. John Schulz recommended a 1/16" lift on the nocking point, a little bit can make a difference when things are running that close. I shoot right wing out of right hand bows about half the time when I do not feel like rotating nocks. I just wrap a bit of thread to serve up the first 1/8" of quill to save my index finger. On most bows it makes no difference either way.

Mike Mecredy · June 05, 2015, 11:29:00 AM

Try opening your nocks a little bit so they aren't overly tight on you string. You should be able to pick up the arrow with the bow, but not lift the bow with an arrow.

Pat B · June 05, 2015, 11:55:00 AM

I've always shot left wing(right handed) but even the right wing fletching shoot well from my right hand bow.