Left wing or right wing?

[osage outlaw]

I am getting ready to fletch some arrows, and I have a couple of questions.

I have a straight, left and right wing clamps for my fletching jig.  Which would be best for shooting a selfbow right handed? 

If I go with the right wing clamp, I assume I should use right wing feathers?

Any help would be great.  I don't want to fletch up a bunch of arrows and have them fliy like a wounded duck.

[Pat B]

I use a JoJan multi fletch with offset straight clamps. I fletched 6 cane arrows last winter, 3 with right wing, 3 with left. All I did different was offset the clamp to one side or the other for right and left. They all fly great from my bow. 60" osage static recurve,
56#@26"
 I was going to post pics but photobucket ate all my arrow pics.  I had a seperate folder for arrows and it is empty.

...but any way, I like offset straight fletching. I use a bigger fletch instead of helical twist.

[half eye]

Osage,
       The conventional wisdom usually means right fletch, right wing, right-handed shooter. As a practical matter ya can shoot left fletch also, if ya pay attention to where the lower hen feather lays relative to the bow. You want the lower hen feather to pass right where the shelf meets the riser (or hand grips the bow) that means that the cock feather and upper hen feather will clear the bow.  For hunting purposes, it's been my experience that if you choose the straight jig (and the fletcher allows for it) offset the fletch about 1 to 2 Degrees and you should be able to stabilize the broadhead. If the offset is left then set it up like the left helical hen feather.    Just how it has worked out for me.... Now days, I do both ways ( but usually offset) so I can use more of the turkey feathers,  they fly good.
rich

[osage outlaw]

Thanks guys.  I need to get these arrows done so I can start going to a local 3D shoot. 

[M-P]

I've read that it really doesn't matter which you use, just as long as you don't mix them on the same arrow.  In Kyudo the arrows come in sets of two RTW and 2 LW.  The arrows are traditionally shot one RW and then one LW.  They fly the same though.     Ron

[beetlebailey1977]

I use a offset fletch and either LW or RW doesn't matter just match them all the same on a arrow.  I am right handed and I believe most of my feathers of LW.  Usually a lot of those around as most folks prefer RW.

[eagleone]

I shoot right handed and had problems with rw feathers running into my hand - I started fletching my arrows lw and havent had the problem since

[sailordad]

i use both
but i make sure i have either right or left on an arrow
never mix them
dont see a differance

[hillbilly61]

I fletch mine as I get the fletches. Not picky weather I get R or F wing (as long as there the same). I don't have a jig, and just glue up by hand. I find no diff in flight

[M-P]

Eagleone,  Many, if not most, folks put a thread wrap on the front of the fletch to keep things from sticking into their knuckle when shooting off the hand.  Ron

[matte]

I always thought it was right wing for left handed archers and right wing for left handers? I have used both and have had no problem providing my bow was tuned properly.

[johnston]

hillbilly61...do you measure or just eye-ball the spacing?

Lane

[Hillbilly]

I've never noticed a bit of difference, as long as you don't use both on the same arrow. I shoot both.

[George Tsoukalas]

I'm right handed and I shoot left wing feathers put on with a straight clamp..offset. Jawge

[CraigMBeckett]

With the exception that they should be all of the same wing on any single arrow, the wing of the feathers should have no effect whether right or left handed for a couple of reasons as follows:

1, The rotation of an arrow is virtually nil in traveling the distance from the point it leaves the string until it passes the bow, think about it, the distance is at the most brace height and the arrow has only just left the restraint of the string.

2, A properly spined arrow flexes past the bow so the orientation of the fletching on the arrow has no effect nor does the direction it may spin in.

3, If the arrow is incorrectly spined and therefore strikes the bow during the release, the orientation of the fletching on the arrow and the direction of spin will have considerably less effect than the arrow striking the bow has.

Craig.