How Blazers work
 

Blazers are a pretty common topic on the forums, and with good reason. They work extremely well. So, in light of that I figured I would do a little write up as to why.

There is a common misconception that Blazers have a higher profile the "regular" vanes. This simply isn't true, save the low profile variety. But even "regular" vanes are taller than low profile, so it's a moot point. Here are some numbers.

Blazers: Weight, 5 grains. Height, .4"
Killer vanes: Weight, 12 grains, height, .5"
4" Elite Plastifletch: Weight, 8 grains, height, .5"
4" TrueFlight feathers: Weight, 2.3 grains, height, 9/16"

As you can plainly see, Blazers aren't any taller, in fact, they are SHORTER than most other vanes, feathers included. That steep leading edge makes them APPEAR taller, they simply aren't. If you don't believe my numbers, a simple google search will show you I'm not making these numbers up.

Ok, this next segment is taken straight from Bohning's website. It explains how the Blazers actually work.

The Blazer™, with its unique design begins steering and correcting immediately. The combination of the steep leading edge angle, and material stiffness, enables the air to flow over the vane in a manner that actually creates lift and leaves the tip of each vane inside undisturbed air. This is similar to the drafting principle used in auto racing. This airflow created by the precise leading edge angle allows the tip of each vane to act like a rudder, which is very noticeable at longer distances with the flatter trajectory Blazer™ vanes provide.


So anyway, there you have it. Blazers really do work, and very well. BUT, they simply aren't any taller, they just look like it. Hopefully this smashes that misconception and gives at least a little insight as to how they work.

RE: How Blazers work
 

The BROADHEAD Blazers are .600 tall.


The Mini Blazer broadhead vanesare .400 tall.

RE: How Blazers work
 

Ok, I just saw that myself...And if I do the math, that's even .04 taller than feathers...so perhaps I was a little mistaken...but only partially.

Oh, and the mini's aren't for broadhead use.

Man.....and I thought I had finally come up w/ a good thread.......[&o]

RE: How Blazers work
 

The minis are listed as broadhead vanes in the lancaster catalog.

I agree,they are not for broadhead use.

The front edge may do as they advertise,BUT imo,the biggest reason they work is due to the higher profile.

RE: How Blazers work
 

OK,I just read further in the catalog,it says they are for mechanicals.[:o]

RE: How Blazers work
 

Good lookin' out Mobo, good read.

RE: How Blazers work
 

Whatever the darn reason......They work, that's all I know. ;)

RE: How Blazers work
 

Thanks mobo! I will be giving them a try this year. One question I do have is the predator vanes just a copy or are they totally different?

RE: How Blazers work
 

I have used the minis with bhs they worked fine for me out to 30yds.

RE: How Blazers work
 

I have one question about the blazers that I've hesitated to bring up. My Drenalin wasn't actually my first bow. I had a Diamond Liberty for two weeks before I returned it. Won't say where I got it, but they managed to give me a bow that had issues. Nothing against the Liberty. It was a smooth, quiet bow. This one had evidently been returned, then used in their in-store range, andwas thensold to me as being new.
Anyway, it had a WB and I was using blazers. The blazers were actually curling.Could that have been a problem with the bow and not a blazer/WB issue?

RE: How Blazers work
 

Possibly, but most likely it's the biscuit. Blazers are about the best for that, but not perfect. Were you shooting cock vane up or down, and was it the cock vane that was curling?

RE: How Blazers work
 

what i heard from my local bowshop was that blazers will through off your shot in the wind dramatically and thats what made my decision go with feathers but i want to try some blazers i just dont know if they will work for my setup

RE: How Blazers work
 

You will get many argue with you on this Kidd.I believe this to be correct IF the Blazers ARE taller than conventional vanes or feathers.I don't think there would be much difference between them and feathers but vanes,especially low profile should be affected less.


This is why foc is so important,especially in low energy setups.

RE: How Blazers work
 

so are you saying because i have low poundage on my bow that i will or will not be able to use blazers i know the shop told me they were no good but they seemed to have something against them when i asked

RE: How Blazers work
 

The poundage has nothing to do with it. I have yet to see an arrow a Blazer won't stabilize.....

RE: How Blazers work
 

I said PROFILE not poundage.Meaning they are shorter than Blazers and most other vanes.

RE: How Blazers work
 

mobowhuntr,
Sorry it took a while to reply. I sent my last post before I left work, and I'm just getting back on. I'm still learning the terminology, but by "cock vane", I assume you mean the odd vane. It was up so that the vanes didn't touch the stiffer support whiskers at the bottom of the rest. The curling wasn't just limited to the odd vane. Couldn't understand what was happening.
BTW, when I have an experience with a retailer like I described earlier, is it recommended that, in these forums, you don't list their name? Just wondering. They got me good.

RE: How Blazers work
 

so do u think i can try them out and say if its a windy day they will and should be accurate right ...[if everything else is good like form and so forth]

RE: How Blazers work
 

Kidd,
I'm no archery expert, but TFOX is right. It's a simple physics issue. The thing is, if a 4" vane is close to the same height as a 2" vane, you have almost twice as much "sail area" (to use a Navy term). That is, in a cross wind, there's almost twice as much surface area to catch the wind and kick the tail of the arrow around. I was shooting blazers with my first bow, and now I'm shooting 4" vanes. There's a marked difference in arrow flight between the two when shooting in a crosswind. I can't say, though that there'sa large difference in accuracy at shorter yardage, though.

RE: How Blazers work
 

I was shooting yesterday in about a 20mph wind back to 30 yrds and had no problem. I was shooting south and the wind was out of the southeast (blowing northwest) My arrows have the blazers on them, I love them. I also shoot 70#. I did not try them back any further because I jsut don't practice back that far for turkeys. Anyways the wind did not bother them at all.

RE: How Blazers work
 

It depends on the surface area of the vanes, and feathers would tend to tolerate wind better because the wind can pass through them. The plastic vanes will catch whatever amount of wind is coming, and the larger the surface area the more arrow whip you'd get in windy conditions. That being said, I shoot cheap Dura-vanes, and until it get real windy, 20mph +, they still fly relatively well.

RE: How Blazers work
 

I have heard over and over not to shoot blazers through a whisker bisket..It messes them up. I have never used a WB, but that's just what I have read on other forums. As for Blazers I am just now useing them and so far I like them, I haven't shot a broad head with them I'm hopeing they will work. I'd say just try them out for yourself and see how they perform through your WB..

RE: How Blazers work
 

Glockman,
That's strange, because I was told by a couple of pro shop guys that blazers were the best thing to shoot through a WB because of the reduced friction. Just goes to show you that everyone has differing opinions.

RE: How Blazers work
 

I have some friends that have been shooting blazers through WB ever since blazers came out and they have not had any problems.

RE: How Blazers work
 

Arrow stabilization is a function of vane surface area and the amount of frictional force applied to this surface. The larger the surface area that is exposed to this frictional force, the greater the stabilization.

That's why 3-fletch 15 degree helical will stabilize better than 3-fletch 1 degree offset, and why offset fletching stailizes better that straight fletch. The greater the helical, the more surface area of the vane is exposed to the frictional force of air.

Blazers have some advantage over conventional vanes of equal or SLIGHTLY longer length in that the steep angle of the leading edge provides for slightly more surface area of the overall vane, but this advantage is relatively small, and there's no advantage over 4" or 5" vanes because the total surface area of both of these longer vanes is far greater than 2" Blazers. For those shooting with a conventional rest, (TM style) the advantage of the Blazer is vane clearance due to its short length. For those shooting a drop-away rest, there's no advantage to shooting Blazers except for a slight gain in speed from the lighter vanes.

Because of its short length and smaller surface area, Blazers cannot stabilize an arrow better than a 4" or 5" vane, and I'm willing to bet that those who are getting good arrow flight with Blazers would get the same results with 4" or 5" vanes if they are shooting a drop away rest and the arrow dynamics (FOC) are the same.