Could someone please explain the difference between right and left helical fletching? Looking down the nock end towards the point, the top feather on my arrow slants to the right. Therefore it seems as if my fletching would cause the arrow to spin clockwise if viewing from behind the nock end. IS THIS A RIGHT OR LEFT HELICAL FLETCHING?

Also what is the difference between a right wing and a left wing feather and should they be used when fletching right and left helical fletching respectively?

Does a left or right helical fletching perform better depending on whether you are a right handed or left handed archer?

On older bows with a narrow window (the area that your arrow passes thru above the grip) left and right hel. would of made a differance if you were right or left handed. On todays bows there is much more clearance for your arrow, so left or right hel. doesnt matter much anymore. This is what I was taught, but I am sure there are others with a different opinion.

Right wing feathers are for right helical, and left wing are for left helical.

If you look at the base (rail) of the feather, viewing from the rear of the fletch (nock end of shaft) there will be a " lip" protruding from one side of the base of the fletch.

1. If the " lip" is on the left, the fletch is a " RIGHT WING" and is used for " RIGHT HELICAL."

2. If the " lip" is on the right, the fletch is a " LEFT WING" and is used for " LEFT HELICAL."

It does not matter whether you fletch RIGHT HELICAL or LEFT HELICAL as long as your use the correct RIGHT or LEFT feather.

However, it helps to keep things in proper perspective, and correct for certain adjustments, if you fletch according to whether the bow is a RIGHT HAND or LEFT HAND bow.

I do know some shooter who shoot off/against the riser who swear that it helps to fletch helical away from the riser i.e., Right Hand= left helical, Left Hand= Right Helical.

As for me, I use STRAIGHT FLETCH on my bows that I shoot off/against the riser.

From the book " Bowhunting Equipment & Skills" (bought mine at Walmart)


" Does it matter whether you twist or offset the fletchig to the right or left? Vanes have no grain, so it makes no differance. Getting clearance past the rest is most important, so use whichever twist best clears the rest. With feathers, the direction of twist depends on whether the feathers are from the right wing or left wing of the bird: Left-wing feathers must be twisted to the left;right-wing feathers, to the right. But it makes no differance whether you choose right or left feahters: a right-handed archer can shoot left wing feathers, and vice-versa."