What is causing this wear?  Is it normal, or is there a problem?  This is about 100 or so arrows worth of wear.  One pic is with flash, one without.  White Velcro dyed brown with a dark walnut wood stain.

Bear Grizzly 45# @ 28", 60-65 Doug Fir arrows 125 gr. field point, 28.5" to back of point, 5" shield feathers-bottom hen feather doesn't seem to have an unusual amount of wear.  Good arrow flight.

Ideas?  Thoughts?  Thanks!

 
 

hmmmm......i have the same thing happening with my bob lee. i've also got good flight.

i'm interested in this one.

its either your fletching or your shaft rubbing that spot.  sometimes adjusting nock point can give you the extra clearance you need.  could also be an indicator that your spine is slightly off, therefore not clearing the shelf cleanly.  instead of covering the whole shelf with the rug rest i put two peices of leather under the shaft to get it up off the shelf a little.  it makes a poor mans elevated rest. older bows such as yours sometimes do not have enough crown on the shelf, and require slight elevation of the shaft for proper clearance.

I'd say it's your lower hen feather. Is the lower hen feather showing signs of wear also.

Sounds funny but Next time you are out shooting check how you place the arrow on the shelf and what you do with your bow hand (index finger) while waiting to shoot.

After doing a lot of talcum powder testing for the same problem I found my wear was caused by the way I placed my index finger up over the shelf.

I think your arrow is a bit stiff. That happens to me sometimes too, even with everything else adjusted properly and good arrow flight. A good solution if nothing else works? Arrow Dynamics tapered shafts.

Allan

Possibly a very minor adjustment up in the nock point will clear the arrow off that part of the shelf and not really affect arrow flight. You might just need a tad more room is all.

Usually when you get wear on the outside of a shelf like that it is a combination of things.  Feather contact etc.  These usually happen because your arrow spine is too stiff.  Try a weaker spine and see if that doesn't help.  A flat shelf like that can also work better if you build a little high spot under the rest material.  Something like a small toothpick.  If all else fails, try a stick on rest and see if that helps.  Good luck.

Hi Ron. Russ' idea of the tapered shafts is a good one. Might have to call Steve and set up a time to taper some in his shop. I use to get that kind of wear until I went with tapered shafts.

David,

The tapered shaft suggestion was mine, but Russ had a good suggestion too about the nock point height. I have had the same problem with shelf wear regardless of how high I moved my nock point. With the tapered shaft there is not the tail kick you get with slightly stiff shafts. I like AD tapered shafts because they spine well on such a wide range of draw weights.

Allan

Allan

Put yourself a contact point under the rug, and raise your nock-set.

Such as a Round Toothpick for the Contact Point? IMHO, It Looks Pretty Good To Me!!

First, thanks for all the input.  I tried the easiest/simplest thing first (which I've found over the years is the place to start).  

Raised the nock point 1/8" to 5/8" total above the shelf, and put a round toothpick under the rug at the deepest part of the grip.

After just a dozen arrows, the same wear pattern was evident, this time with a hole worn though at the outside end the contact point.  (It is interesting that more than wear, the velcro looks like it is being "melted" off at the wear point.)

So, I will make up a few arrows of a lighter spine and try them.  I have a dozen 50-55 Doug Fir, which I prefer-and a dozen 50-55 Sitka Spruce.  I think I will go with the Doug Fir first, as it makes the heavier finished arrow of the two.

Thanks again all for the recommendations.

RonP

I had a similar problem, after going in circles  finally figured out my nock fit on the string was too tight...sanded the nocks out a bit, problem solved.

Good luck

Tried the lighter spine arrows tonight.  Wear in the same spot, just a bit farther forward.  

I am pretty sure it isn't the nock fit being too tight, as they drop off the string with just a tap of the finger.

The 60-65 arrows shoot well, so I may just resign myself to replacing the rug regularly.

I haven't tried lowering the nock, so perhaps that is next.

RonP

the feathers do it on all my bows

try shooting cock feather in.          

Thats where you feathers rubing.If you have good arrow flight.Either leave it,turn your nock, or file the edge of at a 45% angle.Sorry I'm a bower so I had to put that in there.
 If you have good arrow flight so sounds like your spines right to tight a nock will also cause bad arrow flight or arrow impacking somewhere other than where your looking.

I'd say it's your lower hen feather. Is the lower hen feather showing signs of wear also.

Like above I'll say it again, it's probably the feather rubbing it! Been there done that even on a perfectly bareshaft tuned arrow. Like above either rotate the nock so the cock feather is angled down or shoot cock feather in a c the difference.

It is not wear from a feather.  The shaft is too stiff and is not flexing around the riser.  Before you buy new arrows, try raising your brace height, not your nock point.  If the arrows only do that every now and then, you need to check that you are not short drawing.  Bill