Is it better to use a helical or straight fletch
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 361
Is it better to use a helical or straight fletch
I shoot carbon arrows and I am wondering if you would get better flight from a helical fletch of straight? I would think if you use a helical it would cause the arrow to spin more and stabilize the flight faster. I am going to switch to a Muzzy ZE rest for next year so vane clearance won't be a problem.
#2
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Belleville Michigan USA
Posts: 27
RE: Is it better to use a helical or straight fletch
Helical fletch will stabilize your broadheads better than straight. Even with helical fletch your arrow has no appreciable spin. The benefit of helical fletch is by exposing more surface area of the feather or vane you get more drag and that makes it harder for the broadhead to plane or steer off on its own. Also the bigger the cutting area of the broadhead generally the more fletch length and helical degree you may have to use to keep it under control.
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: egypt
Posts: 1,994
RE: Is it better to use a helical or straight fletch
I agree with Bc on this one...I do believe you can put a good bit of spin on yur arra though. Take that bitz and adj to get the most helical you can and you will get a good bit of spin on yur arra.
#4
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lewisville TX
Posts: 47
RE: Is it better to use a helical or straight fletch
Well i'll try to explain what happens to an arrow when its shot. All arrows when shot will go into what is called paradox! Paradox is easily explained as the bending moment of and arrow. ie...if you hold an arrow by each end and bend it...thats paradox so to speak. Release shooters arrows will paradox in a up and down motion versus a finger shooter will paradox from side to side. To help any arrow recover from paradox, a hard helical fletching to start the arrow spinning is the most effective means of bringing the arrow out of paradox. If you will check with Easton or any major arrow manufacturer, they will always tell you that a helical fletch will always give you the best arrow flight with BHd's or field tips. Lilhunter is absolutly correct with the bitz jig and a hard adjustment. Carbon arrows do however come out of paradox more easliy than aluminun or wood because of thier advanced design capabilities. However, keep in mind, that you arrows should be spined properly and that the same arrow that you may use for shooting field tips may change flight characteristics when you switch to a BHD. The reason for this is that you have lengthend your arrow(which changes the spine) changed the FOC as well as added planeing diveces (the blades) on the front of you arrow when you change to a BHD from a field tip. I hope this helps rather than confuses you my friend......Jaw
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Miami FL USA
Posts: 208
RE: Is it better to use a helical or straight fletch
There is no rule that you have to shoot helical with broadheads. I shoot a couple of degrees of offset and my broadheads shoot right with my fieldpoints. The key is the correct arrowspine and a well tuned bow. Tune the bow to the arrows and the arrows to the bow, its a system that has to work together for the best results.
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Marquette MI USA
Posts: 69
RE: Is it better to use a helical or straight fletch
Here's the way I look at it. Fethers (or vanes) do two thigs to stabalize an arrow in flight.
One: It creates drag, like a badmitton birdee...keeping the front end in front!
Two: It spins the arrow, like a bullet, and keeps air from plaining off of the broadhead.
Just one of those things...
John
One: It creates drag, like a badmitton birdee...keeping the front end in front!
Two: It spins the arrow, like a bullet, and keeps air from plaining off of the broadhead.
Just one of those things...
John
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Baltimore Maryland USA
Posts: 1,385
RE: Is it better to use a helical or straight fletch
Straight fletching and any quality broadhead always yield excellent results. A well tuned bow with tuned arrows is the key to success. The tuning of the arrows is just as critical as the tuning of the bow.