unless you are shooting them w/ full height feathers, such as flu flu, you'll need to cut/burn them down. leave the very end of the cock feather full length. like a 1/4 inch of it closest to the point.
i agree w/ gstone, though, most of my feathers are all the same. if i use store bought fletching i use all three pink. other than that i use secondary chicken feathers and they all look the same.
i've pretty much stopped using plastic nocks, but sometimes i take a sharpy pen and mark my self nock on the index side. 'specially for big game hunting when the nerves are tight. i got a buddy that puts his index feather on the top. always gets me messed up when i shoot his equipment.
bottom line...you'll get used to whatever you choose. just keep playin' that string music daily.
