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Left vs Right fletching?

ImBillT

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I’m 99% sure that the correct answer for which direction my fletching SHOULD go, ACCORDING TO CONVENTIONAL WISDOM, for my bow(right handed shooter with a stick) is Left. That said, my 1st choice for broadhead only exists in a right bevel, and my second choice is hard to find in stock in a left bevel. My question is, how big a deal is it really to go with a right helical or right offset for a right handed shooter with a stick bow?
 
Fletch with the bevel, supposed to be a stabilty thing. Not sure if it really matters but does make basic sense.
 
I've always heard match the bevel to your fletching, not so much for stability, but if they are opposite (right fletch, left bevel) as soon as the broad head starts penetrating the bevel will turn it opposite of your arrow - unscrewing your broadhead.

But I have no actual first hand knowledge though.
 
Match the bevel if shooting single bevel. If shooting double bevel, shoot whatever you want as long as it’s not straight…
 
Go to the Schafer Silvertip web site. Dave has a section on tuning your recurve. The web site has some great reading I think it would be worth your time.
 
http://www.schafersilvertipbows.com/

Here is the web site. I think you will enjoy it.
I was almost disappointed in the read as it was mostly basic/generic tuning information combined some things that don’t apply to me because I don’t have a rest or a shelf, and the spine recommendations won’t be right because my bows won’t be cut to center shot, BUT the two good nuggets in there are that he seems to think fletching direction, and clearance, aren’t terribly important if you’re using feathers. That’s good to know.

I’m aware that being right handed my bareshafts will rotate CCW, and that I should match my fletch to my bevel. The question was simply, should I abandon my broadheads if they are only available in right bevel, or is shooting with right fletching not really a big deal. It would seem that at least Shafer doesn’t think it’s a big deal as long as I’m using feathers.
 
Match the bevel if shooting single bevel. If shooting double bevel, shoot whatever you want as long as it’s not straight…
You won’t get advice better than this. Getting away from straight fletch is reason enough to fletch your own.

I shoot helical fletched hi profile vanes and with mechanicals I’ve yet to find a bow far enough out of tune that I couldn’t get a group out of.

A hard helical covers a multitude of tuning sins. It also overcomes even the worst of broadhead planing.
 

Check out point number 4. I think I’ve seen enough of your posts to think you either built a board bow or from a stave sorry I can’t remember, not really important but, no shelf. Why not fletch some up with a right helical and just shoot field points to see if the fletch digs in your hand before you order your broad heads.

Either way the smarter every day YouTube channel has a good video on archers paradox that you might think is cool. Also clay Hayes might have a video or two that could help you too. Sorry I can’t be more help, I cheat and make glass bows.
I’m aware that being right handed my bareshafts will rotate CCW, and that I should match my fletch to my bevel. The question was simply, should I abandon my broadheads if they are only available in right bevel, or is shooting with right fletching not really a big deal. It would seem that at least Shafer doesn’t think it’s a big deal as long as I’m using feathers
 

Check out point number 4. I think I’ve seen enough of your posts to think you either built a board bow or from a stave sorry I can’t remember, not really important but, no shelf. Why not fletch some up with a right helical and just shoot field points to see if the fletch digs in your hand before you order your broad heads.

Either way the smarter every day YouTube channel has a good video on archers paradox that you might think is cool. Also clay Hayes might have a video or two that could help you too. Sorry I can’t be more help, I cheat and make glass bows.
Yes I did build a handful of board bows. The reason the I didn’t fletch first is that the broadheads I’m most interested in are GrizzlyStiks, and they only come right bevel. My number two option is Grizzly, and they can be had left or right. Also, my shafts, fletching, and jig just came in yesterday. I wanted to know if I needed to order a new clamp ASAP, or if I would likely be fine. The season is approaching faster than I can prepare. I shattered my left arm at a very inopportune time. I only get a few minutes to myself here and there from mid-May to Oct1.
 
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Yes I did build a handful of board bows. The reason the I didn’t fletch first is that the broadheads I’m most interested in are GrizzlyStiks, and they only come right bevel. My number two option is Grizzly, and they can be had left or right. Also, my shafts, fletching, and jig just came in yesterday. I wanted to know if I needed to order a new clamp ASAP, or if I would likely be fine. The season is approaching faster than I can prepare. I shattered my left arm at a very inopportune time. I only get a few minutes to myself here and there from mid-May to Oct1.
I hear ya there. I have some right bevel grizzlies 175 grain that I’m not gonna use. They’re yours if you want some to test out. They are screw in though.
 
I hear ya there. I have some right bevel grizzlies 175 grain that I’m not gonna use. They’re yours if you want some to test out. They are screw in though.
I appreciate that offer very much! It’s kind, generous, and entirely undeserved by ME. That said, I’m going to pass. I do intend to purchase some Grizzlys at some point, likely in the near future, but I want to buy glue ons, and use 125gr adapters. I may use some lighter point for crane hunting, but again, I don’t want to take you up on your offer and end up not using them.

IF I can get by an archery shop tomorrow, I can probably fletch some arrows this weekend. Unfortunately, despite Lancaster Archery assuring me over the phone that all the arrows of a single type and spine within my order would be the same length, they are not. I would have gladly paid to have them all trimmed even, but they told me that was unnecessary. If I can get them all trimmed tomorrow, I should be able to fletch some up Saturday and see if I think the right helical is causing any problems. I’m not sure I would recognize problems, but hey, I can try it. I’ve shot a bow, just for kicks, for almost ten years, but I’ve never really cared about how it shot, and I’ve only shot field points with a straight fletch. Well, I shot some three blade broadheads from my wife’s compound bow, but they also had a strait fletch. I was never interested in archery until I bought my wife(who had shot a bow) a compound. I decided that archery interested me, but compounds did not. Still, my archery shooting has only been goofing off. I don’t like eating tags, and can usually find a rifle tag somewhere, so if killing a deer or elk with a rifle is not yet a guarantee for me, why would I use a bow on one of my hunts? THIS YEAR we got an archery season, so I can hunt close to home, before rifle hunters, and if I don’t fill my tag, then I can rifle hunt with everyone else. So, for the first time, there is no risk to my freezer to bow hunt. I want to kill something with my bow, but I’m still going to be picky. I’ve seen two bucks better than anything I’ve killed(not where I can hunt, but within 150yds), so as much as I would like to kill something with my bow, I PLAN to hold out till rifle season for one of them if that’s what it takes.
 
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This is sort of a side question but what are you guys using for glue? I use cedar usually, but right now, I have a project that requires aluminum. Can't find FletchTite. Duco doesn't last for more than an hour, and some sort of archery cyanoacrylate doesn't last much longer.

Does anyone use Aluminum any more? Maybe not. Anyway, suggestions welcome.
 
I appreciate that offer very much! It’s kind, generous, and entirely undeserved by ME. That said, I’m going to pass. I do intend to purchase some Grizzlys at some point, likely in the near future, but I want to buy glue ons, and use 125gr adapters. I may use some lighter point for crane hunting, but again, I don’t want to take you up on your offer and end up not using them.

IF I can get by an archery shop tomorrow, I can probably fletch some arrows this weekend. Unfortunately, despite Lancaster Archery assuring me over the phone that all the arrows of a single type and spine within my order would be the same length, they are not. I would have gladly paid to have to em all trimmed even, but they told me that was unnecessary. If I can get them all trimmed tomorrow, I should be able to fletch some up Saturday and see if I think the right helical is causing any problems. I’m not sure I would recognize problems, but hey, I can try it. I’ve shot a bow, just for kicks, for almost ten years, but I’ve never really cared about how it shot, and I’ve only shot field points with a straight fletch. Well, I shot some three blade broadheads from my wife’s compound bow, but they also had a strait fletch. I was never interested in archery until I bought my wife(who had shot a bow) a compound. I decided that archery interested me, but compounds did not. Still, my archery shooting has only been goofing off. I don’t like eating tags, and can usually find a rifle tag somewhere, so if killing a deer or elk with a rifle is not yet a guarantee for me, why would I use a bow on one of my hunts? THIS YEAR we got an archery season, so I can hunt close to home, before rifle hunters, and if I don’t fill my tag, then I can rifle hunt with everyone else. So, for the first time, there is no risk to my freezer to bow hunt. I want to kill something with my bow, but I’m still going to be picky. I’ve seen two bucks better than anything I’ve killed(not where I can hunt, but within 150yds), so as much as I would like to kill something with my bow, I PLAN to hold out till rifle season for one of them if that’s what it takes.
No problem. I hope it works out for you. It’s pretty cool shooting stuff you made. Something that helped me with my form was shooting to a target that was far enough away for my arrow to just clear my riser. Then I’d close my eyes and try and concentrate on one thing, bow arm, release, or whatever. I still do it quite a bit actually if I feel like my form starts to slip. Good luck this season.
 
This is sort of a side question but what are you guys using for glue? I use cedar usually, but right now, I have a project that requires aluminum. Can't find FletchTite. Duco doesn't last for more than an hour, and some sort of archery cyanoacrylate doesn't last much longer.

Does anyone use Aluminum any more? Maybe not. Anyway, suggestions welcome.
All I’ve ever shot from a “trad bow” is aluminum, BUT THEY WERE ALSO PREFLETCHED! (I suck). I purchased a gel type cyanoacrylate because from what I’ve read it works as good as anything, but A) haven’t fletched anything, and B) am using carbon.

I actually almost bought, and still plan to buy, a fair bit of aluminum.
 
IMO you can shoot right or left offset/helical fletching just fine out of a right-handed bow. Fletching orientation should match bevel orientation if shooting a single bevel head so the two components aren't trying to rotate the arrow in opposite directions. The fletching would win that fight, but the arrow's spin rate would be slower if they're fighting instead of working together.

In your case, I would fletch to the right so you can use the clamp you already have and buy the heads you want to shoot.
 
IMO you can shoot right or left offset/helical fletching just fine out of a right-handed bow. Fletching orientation should match bevel orientation if shooting a single bevel head so the two components aren't trying to rotate the arrow in opposite directions. The fletching would win that fight, but the arrow's spin rate would be slower if they're fighting instead of working together.

In your case, I would fletch to the right so you can use the clamp you already have and buy the heads you want to shoot.
AND the arrow would have to change direction of spin during impact. I think that’s likely a bigger negative than the reduced rate of spin during flight. I’ve read in multiple places that opposite directions would “unscrew”, but that’s only accurate for left fletching and right bevels. Left bevels and right fletching would screw tighter. I have to think that it would still reduce penetration, even if the broadhead didn’t unscrew, because reversing the rotation of the arrow during impact would still consume some energy.

It’s good to know that I can probably get away with right helical fletching just fine for the time being. I’ll probably fool around with left helical and/or left offset a little after the season.
 
Yes I did build a handful of board bows. The reason the I didn’t fletch first is that the broadheads I’m most interested in are GrizzlyStiks, and they only come right bevel. My number two option is Grizzly, and they can be had left or right. Also, my shafts, fletching, and jig just came in yesterday. I wanted to know if I needed to order a new clamp ASAP, or if I would likely be fine. The season is approaching faster than I can prepare. I shattered my left arm at a very inopportune time. I only get a few minutes to myself here and there from mid-May to Oct1.

I‘d give the grizzlystik broadheads an extremely hard pass. I wouldnt buy them even at half price based on the experience I had with their 150 grain single bevels…
 
I‘d give the grizzlystik broadheads an extremely hard pass. I wouldnt buy them even at half price based on the experience I had with their 150 grain single bevels…
Hopefully there’s a big difference between a 150gr broadhead from a cheaper grade stainless screwed onto an aluminum ferrule and a 315gr forged broadhead made using a slightly higher grade stainless. I do wish it was plain carbon steel, I wish it was closer to 58-60 HRC, and I wish it was left bevel. That said it still seems better to me than a two-piece brazed head of lower hardness. I would almost use cutthroats, but I don’t like the ferrule, and I don’t like the hardness of the VPA.

What problem did you have with the GrizzlyStik? Hopefully it was something that the forged head solves.
 
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