Whisker Biscuit or Arrow Issues?

Dixon · 06-14-2008, 06:46 AM

Okay, so I'm still wet behind the ears when it comes to archery and I am puzzled. I bought a fully loaded Hoyt Trykon XL earlier this year from a co-worker. Since then, I've shot numerous arrows through the bow. With the exception of 1 arrow (so far), each arrow has lost two of the vanes. Only the cock vane on each arrow in question has survived.

My rest is a whisker biscuit. I've been told that they can be harsh on arrow, but sheesh, this is ridiculous. Some arrows were set up by a friend, some where set up by a shop. The one that survived thus far was set up by a friend of mine.

I'm at a loss. They can't be that rough on arrows. I mean, I have no faith in this rest for hunting season if it's gonna rip off my vanes. My vanes are 2" Blazer vanes.

Any input is greatly appreciated. I'm giving serious consideration to dumping the rest and getting something else (however, I'll need recommendations / suggestions there as well).

Thanks, as always.

PA Bow/Flinter · 06-14-2008, 07:23 AM

The first thing I would check is your bow's centershot. Make sure the nocking point and rest are inline. A quick way to check the horizontal aspect of it is to line up your string through the hole in the rest....are your sights inline with string, or are they off to one side? If they are off, you need to move the rest. This is a very rough way to help setup centershot, and I'm sure there are lots of guys here who can help explain both the vertical and horizontal setup much better than I can, but that is the first thing I would suspect.

I've shot a WB for three years and this spring I did some changes (DL) on my bow and suddenly I was loosing fletchings left and right. My coach looked at my bow and found out that the rest was out of whack. A quick adjustment and my fletchings stayed on!

Also, without knowing what type of arrows you are shooting, are all of them fletched the same way, do the fletchings line up and go through the same spots in the WB, or do nocks need turned so they are all the same? This could also cause problems for you.

Finally, and maybe the most obvious, check everything over for contact. Are the fletchings hitting something as they are shot (cable, cableslide, arrow shelf, the metal ring of the WB)? That would also cause fletchins to come loose as well.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Dixon · 06-14-2008, 07:37 AM

I'm shooting Beamon ICS 400's, they are all fletched identical and the nocks are all set the same. I'm suspecting that my WB may be out of alignment now that you mention it. When we were sighting it in, my friend had me adjust it both vertically and horizontally to zero my shot in.

I will take a look at it, but probably also take it down to one of the local shops in town that everybody recommends and have them fine tune it. I'd hate to throw something really out of whack.

Thanks for the insight.

Hoyt_Viper · 06-14-2008, 07:59 AM

Frank,

I also shoot a Hoyt and purchased the Hostage rest, made by Diamond. Its similar to a whisker biscuit except there are no whiskers where the vanes are. I also found out yesterday that the bristles can be rotated to lessen wear on them.

I have shot about 500-750 arrows (same set of 6) with it and have had absolutely no problems with fletching. There are bristles at 6 o'clock, 10 o'clock, and 2 o'clock. I would highly reccommend them, my fellow Virginian!

kingvjack · 06-14-2008, 08:09 AM

I shoot a whisker biscuit and have never had an issue with it, I can't even see where it should grip an arrow that tightly or cause that much disturbance to remove a vane completely.... I'd say your WB may be of the small size?
Usually carbons require the medium sized WB.

wis_bow_huntr · 06-14-2008, 09:56 AM

Sounds like your center shot is off and your WB isnt aligned properly. You shouldnt see this kind of damage using the WB.

early in · 06-14-2008, 10:43 AM

Your center shot must be off. Those vanes are hitting something somewhere! I've been shooting a Biscuit for 7 years, and NEVER had a vane come off, ever! I'll admit, you'll get wavey vanes if you shoot the same arrows enough, (that's why I refletch my own arrows)but eventhat doesn't affect accuracy at all. Here's howthe arrow should sit.

MECHDOC · 06-14-2008, 11:27 AM

I shoot the WB also on a Trykon XT.The only vanes that I have had come of were because of medoing a poor job cleaning shaftbefore fletching them.Check centershot for sure.Also check the diameter of your shafts to the inside diameter of the biscuit.You should be able to see light between top of shaft and biscuit.If biscuit is to tight it will strip your vanes off in about 20 shots or less.They sell differentbiscuits for different shaft diameters.Your friend probably just used a little more glue or something like that.Always put a small drop of glue on front and rear of vane.

RidgeFACTOR · 06-14-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: early in

Your center shot must be off. Those vanes are hitting something somewhere! I've been shooting a Biscuit for 7 years, and NEVER had a vane come off, ever! I'll admit, you'll get wavey vanes if you shoot the same arrows enough, (that's why I refletch my own arrows)but eventhat doesn't affect accuracy at all. Here's howthe arrow should sit.

I have been shooting a Whisker Biscuit for awhile now and when I first shot arrows with 4" vanes, they were getting wavey, warped and distorted due to the Biscuit. I was told by my local archery pro to try 2" Blazer vanes because they were made alittle more stout and could stand the "friction" better. It made sense so I tried it. Arrows with the Blazer vanes not only didn't get distorted but my arrows flew 100% better. Give it a try.

RidgeFACTOR · 06-14-2008, 01:22 PM

Here are mine (2" Blazers)