Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

I am pretty much determined that I'm gonna put feathers on my next back of arrows....most likely all white which I thought would look cool. And I was curious if theres a really much of a difference between the two or if its all preference?

Thanks, any input is appreciated!

BHB

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

I've got my hunting arras equipped w/ feathers, the shield cut variety. I think the parabolic are just a tad quieter, and faster....but don't look nearly as cool.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

So the Sheild Cut give a more traditianal look but the parabolic perfrom better?

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

true dat .... i like 'em barred as well .....

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Your going to get better broadhead control with the shield cut but a bit more drag! If you like the shield cut and have no clearance issue, I'd use them, they do look cool, especially barred shield cut!

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

So are there really any advantages to the parabolic?

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

I shoot shield cut for anchor point references only... they are louder than parabolic..

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

So then what makes everyone like the shield cut better?

Looks? or performance?

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

For me its strictly function, for most its looks...

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

I love the looks of shield cut feathers. If ya look good, ya perform good!;)

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Are there any downfalls to parabolic?

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

BHB

I have have shot parabolic for 15 years and no issues, they group well no issues stablizing BH, and I used to use the 5 inch version, the last 5 or so years have shot 4inch, and yes they are barred as well. I shot all white for years and they are sharp as well

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Both, I like the looks and I shoot fingers!

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Ok, thanks guys....i was thinkin parabolic but now i am second guessing although MeanV has some parabolics for a pretty good price....

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

I ordered some Razr. feathers from Dan, for hunting. I already have some on another dozen of arrows, and I like them. I'm guessing those are shield cut.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

I thought about the razyrs for a while but I decided if I was gonna get feathers I might as well go get some 4 inchers!

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

anyone else have some input?

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

I like the looks of the shield but use parabolic instead. I think they're quieter.

I do have one single arrow with the little rayzr feathers on them and it's amazing how well those dink feathers work. Resilient too. They've gone through green corn stalks twice and spring right back up. The only thing is that they have a greenish tint now, they were white. (sometimes the cornfield jumps out and blocks my small 40 yard target. That's my story and I'm sticking to it)

I'll probably stick with four or five inch parabolic feathers for awhile tho'. (because I have a couple hundred still hanging around)

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

BHB,

I have both of them in all white. I have 4" parabolic feathers on my trad arrows, although I prefer shield cut.

Here they are in all white.





But the shield cuts that I prefer are the Rayzrs. That is what I am using on my carbon arrows this fall.


The top arrow in this picture is my hunting arrow for my coumpound.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

As far as performance, they're pretty equal. If we define performance as stabilization. The shield cut has a bit more drag which is what stabilizes the arrow, but really......It's not enough to notice. They both perform very, very well.

So it really comes down to what you want. If you don't mind that little bit of extra noise, and I can tell you that's really a moot point, and like the looks of the shield cut.....Go for it. If you want the stabilization characteristics of feathers, but want them as quiet as possible, go with parabolic on an offset, not helical. You won't get as much spin, but they will be quieter and a tad faster.

Oh, maybe something else to consider is your shooting distance. Feathers slow down rapidly after about 45 yards, and shields are even worse. I shoot alot at 60 and 70 yards, and I can tell you that my shields on a helical drop off really quick past that. Really, really quick. But, they hit where I'm aiming. ;)

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Personally, I like parabolic because they are extremely quiet. For looks I love the Pope and Young cut (bottom three), but they are aweful noisy.

They all will stabilize and arrow though.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

In case you've never read this... ;)

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

That's cool info Greg.Thanks for posting it.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Hey Greg....

I got accused of reading too much into one test....so I'll just ask the parameters of this one, up front.;)

"All things being equal"? Were the two arrows FOC the same?

Were they identical in weight (I'm guessing you would have had to add nock weight to the feather arrowsor something else to achieve this?)?

I guess when he says "identical".....does that means "the same" except one is fletched with vanes and the other with feathers?.....Or....is the above true?

Just curious. Reason I ask is.....the difference in weight, alone, could make up "some" fps differences. Right?

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Yeah, now that's some sweet information right there.....That sure goes against what I'm seeing though. I'm shooting at 60 yards a lot here lately, and them babies drop off the planet quick, fast, and in a big hurry. I'm certainly not arguing the man, but don't feathers stabilize better because they disrupt more air; wind resistance? And if so, would that not cause them to slow down more quickly? Or does the weight difference negate that?

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

It's my understanding, Mo......that the feathers are "better" at short range.....but that your point of diminishing returns kicks in around 35-40yds. (in terms of stabilizing your arrow/accuracy).

Of course....you'd HOPE that both had that job (stabilization)covered LONG before they got to those distances.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Jeff, that makes sense. But again, wouldn't they be "better" because they disrupt more air? And, wouldn't that cause them to slow down more quickly? If that's the case, I can understand why they are better at short range. And, I can see why at around 40 yards the vane has "caught up" in regards to stabilization. And I certainly understand the weight difference causing a feather fletched arrow to leave the bow faster....But again, wouldn't it also slow down faster?

I don't want to seem like I'm arguing an authority on the subject (Norb) but that goes against what I would think....Not that what I think is right, but you know what I mean....

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

ONLY thing I can think of Mo.....is IF he's considering "identical" to mean vanes v. feathers (and not total arrow weight)......the lighter arrow is gonna go faster. Period. SO its not gonna slow down, faster. The heavier arrow would.

Now one "could" throw "drag" into that mix and they may be able to argue (as you're doing....well....not "arguing";)) that would offset the weight issue.

I just don't know, though.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

I suspect that the feathers and vanes in the test were fletched at a slight offset and your feathers (mine too) are fletched using a helical. Mine are fletched with a helical and offset and that is why, in my tests, that my feathered arrows slowed down more quickly at the longer ranges.

I also suspect that blazers would be faster than 4" plastic vanes and more equal to feathers in a similar test.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Jeff, I'm sort of like you... I think identical means identical. ;)

As far as parabolics being accurate? I shot a 3d shoot Sunday with some friendson here, and did "OK" but wasn't happy with the results... Of course, I had just broadhead-tuned my bow the night before really quickly to get ready for Colorado, and had only shot one three-arrow group with my new heavier arrows at 20 yards.

I came home that afternoon and found out that the extra FOC and mass necessitated an increased pin gap from 30 out to 50. After I got my sights dialed in, this was my first 30-yard group. Someone asked a few weeks ago why I use pin nocks? For this reason right here.... Sure would have been nice to have had 'em on this dozen as well. :)

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Ok, now I know that to be incorrect. A heavier arrow will retain it's speed longer than a light arrow. Heavy arrows don't slow down as rapidly, but they do drop faster. This gets into that whole momentum thing again.....

I don't know either, to be perfectly honest. This graph goes against what I've been told, and my own logic though to be sure. Greg, do you happen to have a link so one could read that entire report? My curiosity is through the roof now...

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Not to the entire report conducted by Norb and Dave, I don't.

I'm thinking this is the correct train of thought... if all things were equal, as Jeff said -- or "identical" as the summation of the repot stated -- then the only difference would be the weight savings of feather vs. plastic, which would probably equate to about 40 grains or so. The increased drag realized from the feathers would be offset by the heavier mass as far as fps and its corresponding downrange drag goes.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

You are correct. "Slow down" was a poor choice of words. Perhaps I should have said it would"retain its position in flight", better(to relate it to the subject matter at hand....which is stabilization at longer distances).

So....yes....but with a (possible positive) trade-off. Would FOC be coming into play?

I'm also assuming these two arrows would be shot from the same bow.

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Yeah, it would definetly seem to me then that the feathered arrow would certainly slow down quicker. First, it's lighter. But, it's launch speed was faster. And, the feathered arrow has more drag, slowing it down that much quicker. But, again, due to it's faster launch speed, it takes a bit for that vaned arrow to "catch up"......LOL.....so basically, what we have here is a draw, right?

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Only a draw from 41 yards to 61 yards; before that, the advantage goes to the feathers. ;)

Given the inherent FOC advantages of feathers added to the forgiving nature of them, I would say there's a decided advantage in shooting feathers.

Also, given the fact that the old myth about shooting vanes vs. feathers for fear of getting them wet has been proven on here many times to not hold water (pun intended), and that most archers think feathers are more aesthetically pleasing on top of all that... it's no wonder I've shot feathers for well over a decade now. :)

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

And it's no wonder I've switched to feathers, and don't see going back anytime soon. This turned into an interesting discussion, thank you gentlemen. So, the old addage that feathers don't fly well when wet is all washed up, huh? LOL...come on, you know that was funny....you KNOW it was.....:D

I've seen that already. I shot a 3D last year w/ a guy shooting feathers, and it was raining. Other than the explosion of water at the shot, there was no difference.

disclaimer: I said the same thing when I switched to Blazers a few years ago, so I wouldn't put much stock in the above statement. Who knows what the heck I'll be shooting next year.... :eek:[&:]:D

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

...yeah but feathers are noisy if you brush them up against stuff and they're more expensive than vanes.

(sheesh, guys... hold back a bit. Can't have everybody shooting feathers, supply and demand you know. ;););))

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

LOL, Christine! Good point.

Yeah... feathers suck. ;)

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

I hate all you guys, :D

I'm already looking at aluminuim arrows and barred shield cut feathers ...

RE: Shield Cut Vs. Parabolic??
 

Wow, interesting discussion. Some things in there are conflicting with how I had them ordered in my brain. Going to the shop tomorrow...may just have to fletch up a few with feathers. Interesting read for sure, well done gents!

As you can see...I have nothing of any substance to add to this discussion...