primary and secondary

[duffontap]

There are a few people who swear by cock-feather-in shooting.  Set an arrow against your bow with the cock feather in and imagine the paradox of the arrow.   You can easily see why it would help a paradoxing arrow straighten quicker. 

         J. D. Duff

[sonny]

JD, you need to explain that statement....to me anyhow.
If properly spined an arrow is flexing such that the cock feather, if placed facing in for instance, will only barely touch the bow if it touches at all as the arrow passes the bow's grip.

 

[duffontap]

Since the initial paradox swings the feathered end left (for the right hand shooter), the two hen feathers provide more wind resistance to minimise this movement. 

          J. D. Duff

[sonny]

JD, I'd have to argue the point that the quill glued down to shafting likely has more effect at stiffening an arrow than does a feather or two with regards to wind resistance.
 

[Coo-wah-chobee]

........Arrow bends in the middle not at the fletching.....bob

[sonny]

an arrow bends more than just in the middle......
my comment suggesting that the quill affects the spine of an arrow is based on a long-ago conversation with the local archery guru who indicated that there is a difference between a bare shaft and a fletched arrow where spine is concerned..... a negligible amount to my mind but he was of the opinion that there was certainly a difference.
..and to think that I don't really care to get toooo technical about such things. I like to understand the technical aspects of archery but try not to dwell on it when building primitive archery tackle.
 

[duffontap]

All I'm saying can be reduced to this:

1.  We put feathers on arrows to straighten them out faster. 
2.  This is accomplished by wind resistance.
3.  Wind resistance is increased at a critical moment if the hen feathers are out. 

Some people have told me that they went to cock-feather-in and will never look back.  I can't tell much of a difference but I'm usually careful about spine. 

            J. D. Duff

[Coo-wah-chobee]

... Never heard that a arrow bends at the fletching. Live and learn I guess......bob

[duffontap]

I'm inclined to believe that an arrow hardly bends at all at the fletchings.  You can taper the last ten inches of an arrow to a point with zero measureable affect on the spine. 

              J. D. Duff

[1/2primitive]

Well, it's just like a bow, the stress is less at the tips.
        Sean

[duffontap]

Sean,
On a bow, the least amount of stress is at the tips.  That explains why you can build a 200# bow with 3/8" tips. 

         J. D. Duff

[duffontap]

Sean,
On a bow, the least amount of stress is at the tips.  That explains why you can build a 200# bow with 3/8" tips. 

         J. D. Duff

I know Sean, I'm a moron.  I'm sorry I thought you were saying that the stress is more at the tips.  Well, you are right, of course.  Leave it to me to disagree with someone who's saying the exact same thing I am. 
 
          J. D. Duff

[1/2primitive]

I was reading over your last post wondering what I said wrong. 
     Sean

[1/2primitive]

It's nice to know we agree now.
       Sean

[duffontap]

I was reading over your last post wondering what I said wrong. 
     Sean

Well, I've got you trained.     I am sorry about the confusion.

          J. D. Duff