Feather Length

[CherokeeKC]

Just fletched up my hunting arrows tonight.  I fletched them with a few degree helical.  I have 115-125 grain stone heads on them.  What length do you guys like to cut your feathers?  I want it to be native american looking.  What is the least amount of feather i need to stabilize?  I was thinking about 5/8" feathers straight cut (parallel to shaft).

[bowtarist]

Sounds like you're on the right track.  Shoot them a few times the way they are now and see how they fly.  Depending on how many you made, you may want some full length. Take them down slow until they fly the way you want them to.  Anywhere from full length to 1/2", maybe less, could be considered original.  I think 5/8" sounds good too.  Cut them from the nock end towards the point.  Props to PatB on that bit of knowledge, I learned that on here. 

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

heres my primitie fletching style !

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

Theses were about 6 inch goose feathers ...straight cut by hand

[CherokeeKC]

Thanks for your help through making these arrows bowtarist! 

Nice arrow getstoned!  How tall are the feathers off the shaft?

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

....around 1/2 inch

[CherokeeKC]

ok thanks

[JW_Halverson]

Siouxan arrows from the later period were up to 8" long fletch around 3/8" high at the back with a straight cut tapering to zero at the front.  I've used this style, shortening down to 5" length and leaving the bck only 3/8" high.  But ith that little surface area bearng against the wind you better darn well spend a couple hours bare spine shooting each shaft until you have the exact correct length! 

Nowadays I go with 5", 1/2" high at the back with a slight curve to the cut.  More surface area, faster stabilization, better accuracy at closer ranges. 

[CherokeeKC]

JW iv bareshaft tuned these with stone points hafted to where they are shooting like darts without fletching.  Thanks for your input.  I might go with the 1/2" straight cut to zero!

[bowtarist]

Sounds like you got a plan CherokeeKC.  Make sure you just do one @ a time though to start with.  Shoot it aseveral times and go from there or onto the next one.    Post pics when you're done!!  Oh, and you're welcome. 

[JW_Halverson]

Darts without feathers?!?!  Excellent place to start from!

[Pat B]

Cherokee, will you explain your process of bare shaft tuning? I generally haft the points before fletching so I can be sure the arrow spins true. Then I fletch and shoot. I'm shooting either sourwood shoots or cane.

[CherokeeKC]

Sure Pat even though iv only started doing this 6 arrows ago lol (4 target arrows to get the spine my bow likes and then 2 hunting arrows i just finished).  Well i combined several different peoples ways of making arrows.  Im pretty sure the first part came from you .

First I scrape/sand the big end of shaft to about 3/8".  Then i test the spine and find the stiff side of arrow.  If it is too stiff ill scrape/sand the whole shaft to keep some of the natural taper.  If nock end is kinda thin ill scrape/sand from about where the feathers will end to big end of shaft.  Once i get the spine within 3# of my target spine ill mount the head.  I spin test the arrow(pretty sure that came from you too ) to make sure its centered in shaft.  Then i shoot the arrow a few times and observe how it hits the target.  For right hand shooters, if nock end is to the right of point then the shaft is still too stiff.  If nock end is to the left, then the shaft is too weak.  My goal is for the nock end to be right and gradually scrape/sand till it straightens out.  If it is to the left then i cut length off the nock end of arrow to hit my target spine.  This is why one of my hunting arrows ended up being 29" and one is 30" .  Once i have them dialed in shooting like darts then I fletch them.

Note:  I pay close attention to my shot when bareshaft tuning so i know if it was me making the arrow shoot weird or if it is truly a good indication of spine.  This is why i shoot a shaft several times for each step during the tuning process.  I dont start taking more wood off until i know for sure what im seeing is the arrows true flight and not me throwing it off.

[Tom Leemans]

That explains it pretty well CherokeeKC!

[bowtarist]

Man Cherokee, you'll be answering all the questions pretty soon.  Nice job of explaining your process.  Where's the pics?!