I just finished fletching my first arrow with my new Bitzenberger fletching tool.  I thought it did a great job.  I have always used JoJan up to this point.  I bought the tool from a popular hunting and fishing  catalog retailer because I got it at a great deal (about $25 less than the Trad catalogs).  I also bought an extra clamp so I would have LW and RW.  Thumbing through the 3-Rivers catalog, I noticed that if you have a RW clamp, you are supposed to have a RW indexer.  My question is why?  My arrows appear to be fletched just fine with a LW indexer and a RW clamp.  What am I missing here?

Mike

I have asked myself the exact same thing......I often use three jigs when making a bunch of arrows; but always with RW clamps. The jigs are a left and two right and it makes no difference.

Your fine as you are... don't change anything and just keep shooting..........

If it makes no difference, why do they label the indexer with an R or an L?  And why does 3-Rivers advertise that you need an indexer to match your clamp?  

Also, why is my clamp labeled as "the all new Bitzenberger fletcher"?  I thought these had been around for many years.  Is there an "old" version?

Overall, I'm very happy with the results I am getting versus the JoJan, although I was not necessarily unhappy with my JoJans.

Maybe on Monday I'll just have to call Bitzenberger and ask them these questions.

Mike

Mike:
There will be a slight difference in the positioning of the feathers to the nock groove, example my jigs were RT wing and I converted them to LW. Now instead of the cock feather being at the 9:00 position its at 8:00.
There have been a couple different models of the "Bitz" just minor differences, no big deal.

Bob

Bob,

Thanks for the info.  I'm getting ready to fletch a few of your hex-pine shafts for my son as soon as he crests them.  I have just recently begun to use some RW fletching for two reasons.  One, I found a good deal on some RW feathers on the classifieds, and two, I do shoot Grizzly broadheads and the good doctor reccomends shooting RW feathers with those heads.  So, I went ahead and bought two clamps with my new Bitz, not knowing that I might need the extra indexer.  Today I will shoot a few of the Bitz fletched arrows, but I don't really see a problem shooting them as they are.  Thanks.

Mike

Hi Mike, I'm no expert but I think the reason for the right indexer and right wing clamp and left wing indexer etc. is they were designed for use with glue on nocks that can't be changed to suit the fletching if you have to replace one or two fletches. With push in nocks you can simply turn the nock to re-aline it with the cock feather to replace a feather, either right or left hand.  Lloyd