Blazer and/or helical help FBH flight?
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: ELK GROVE CA USA
Posts: 1,251

I know many people use blazers and put good helical on them. I have been using a reg 4" vane with offset only. I have noticed I don't get super great BH flight and am wondering if a blazer or some helical would really benefit my flight? 30" arrow (not sure if that makes a difference or not)
#3
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: ELK GROVE CA USA
Posts: 1,251

so you think the blazers would be able to stabilize a 30" arrow ok?
#4

People use the word blazer way to much. A 3" or 4" will stabilize any arrow better than the 2". None! With that said you can lighten your arrow up by going to a smaller size. I use the Vane Tec low profile in a 2.3" vane weighting only 4.1 grs each as opposed to what you shoot is around 12-16grs each. Blazers are 7grs each. I like the ease of fletching without chemicals. I don't even have to wipe the vane down. I use warm water, scuff up the shaft, rinse, let dry and fletch. I get more time doing other things.
#5

I am looking to switch to 2" Blazer vanes for my next arrows. I have used "stock" Easton Axis arrows which had 4" vanes previously, but I think my new X-force will do fine with the 2" vanes. Thoughts?
Also, since I shoot Rage mechanical broadheads, will helical twist still be beneficial?
Thanks in advance!
Jon
Also, since I shoot Rage mechanical broadheads, will helical twist still be beneficial?
Thanks in advance!
Jon
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 868

Most people think that using a blazer (or similar) profile vane will control your arrow better than a standard 4" vane, and that simply isn't true.
The reason the Blazers work is that they remove the front 2" of the vane close to the shaft. This part of the vane, being so close to the axis of the arrow and very often in the laminar air flow boundary around the shaft has little if any effect on the vane's ability to steer the arrow. 95% of the stabilizing effect of the vane comes from the rear 2" of the vane, and that area that is farthest from the shaft.
By removing the somewhat ineffective 2" off the front of the vane, you essentially increase your FOC over a standard vane and provide better stabilization.
That being said, if you can't get good broadhead flight with a 4" vane, then you most likely have a tuning problem that going to a different fletching will only mask.
You can get a pretty poorly tuned bow to shoot well using 4" feathers fletched with as much helical as you can get but in the end, you still have a poorly tuned bow.
The reason the Blazers work is that they remove the front 2" of the vane close to the shaft. This part of the vane, being so close to the axis of the arrow and very often in the laminar air flow boundary around the shaft has little if any effect on the vane's ability to steer the arrow. 95% of the stabilizing effect of the vane comes from the rear 2" of the vane, and that area that is farthest from the shaft.
By removing the somewhat ineffective 2" off the front of the vane, you essentially increase your FOC over a standard vane and provide better stabilization.
That being said, if you can't get good broadhead flight with a 4" vane, then you most likely have a tuning problem that going to a different fletching will only mask.
You can get a pretty poorly tuned bow to shoot well using 4" feathers fletched with as much helical as you can get but in the end, you still have a poorly tuned bow.