Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: osage outlaw on August 09, 2014, 11:18:44 pm
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Parabolic? Shield? Banana? Something custom? Just wondering what shapes people prefer. If you like something different can you post a picture? Does it matter if the arrow is for hunting or target? I'm working on a set of arrows and was thinking about trying something new. I normally use the parabolic shape.
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Clint, this is what I use. It is my custom burn...
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/Artshillcanearrows011.jpg) (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/PatBNC/media/primitive%20archer/Artshillcanearrows011.jpg.html)
...and these are the same burn with both 2 and 3 fletch...
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/Hillcanearrows09002.jpg) (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/PatBNC/media/primitive%20archer/Hillcanearrows09002.jpg.html)
I adjust the height from time to time depending on the arrows. You can always make them shorter or change the burn pattern with a feather burner.
I use the same arrows for everything, hunting, target or whatever. Less mental adjustments that way and the fewer the better for me.
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5 1/2" High back Shield cuts go on all My Arras. Bob
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love a 5.5 shield but have using the pope n young style lately with 5.5 feather , had some high parabolic a few years back that worked great and like Pat i always keep same length n height on hunting n practice
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Turkey primary's. 1/2 " tall 8" long. I love the way they fly!
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I use them all from 3" to 5.5" and hand cut to whatever they come out at. My favorite are the feathers that stay stuck to my shafts for good.
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I use anywhere from5"-3" feathers. I prefer the look of a rectangular cut and I am a little bit fond of the bannanna cut but most of the time I end up using parabolic because it's available
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I mostly use 4" shield, but have used other shapes
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I like the looks of this cut. I only made one as a trade arrow for Bowtarist, never shot it myself so not sure how it flies
or if it is quiet or not. Just a freehanded cut with scissors, no pattern used. Want to try one for myself next time I'm in the arrow making mood.
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I like them as short as I can get them and fairly flat edged with maybe a little arc.
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Just finished seven arrows for a short horse bow. I favor straight turkey feathers of at least 6" in length. These are 6 1/2" and 3/4" in height. I like a little helical placement. I've recently been using a Pope and Young cut as shown by the two arrows in the second image below. These are also attached with a subtle amount of helical orientation.
Because I shoot a non-center cut selfbow , favor a heavy point with most of my shots typically close, I like the idea of the fletching grabbing a lot of air quickly so as to straighten the arrow out as quickly as possible. For any significant distance, these arrows would, of course, provide too much drag and be a poor choice.
Recently investigated a number of Plains Indian arrows, primarily Sioux, Cheyenne, Kiowa, and Arapaho. The 20 or so arrows I examined (via print media), they typically ranged in length from. 5 1/2" to 7", with an average length of. 6 1/2". Most all were cropped short, typically about 3/8", and placed in straight alignment with the shaft.
Perhaps our old friend Saxton Pope said it best with his final few words on the subject: "Mr. Arthur Young cuts his feathers in a long parabola shape. [but] These things are largely a matter of taste".
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I've tried them all and found 5" shield cut to be best for me. I used to use a 5.5" banana and didn't like them in the long run. I had a bunch of those leftover, they were black in color, so I sold them to the Hopi who needed black fletching for ceremonial arrows and the local archery shop had ran out of black fletching. They were glad to get them and I got some shield cut fletching.