Kip

What is your favorite fletching, and why? I have fletched up 5.5" and 5" shield cuts, and 5" parabolics, and I want to try some banana fletchings. What are the benefits/drawbacks of each? Do you just use what looks "cool", or is there a reason behind your choice of cuts?

Longbow Bowhunter

I use 5" parabolic feather on my wood arrows, the reason, who knows, it is what I have been using, and it does stabilze real well.

brennenkc

It would be 5 inch Shields for me.

Same reason, They work well for me and they look great.

KB

john49

I have used 5.5 and 5" shield cut. Reason is because thats what I thought looked cool when I started making my own arrows and I have stuck with them ever since. I don't see any difference in the flight of the arrow with either.

dkbs

Hello
Probably like most people who fletch their own arrows, I have tried a lot of different styles and feathers. I always seem to end up back at the four fletch 4" parabolic feathers in helical. And usually three light feathers and one dark one which makes the spin noticeable as the arrow travels.
I think I like the fact that you just grab the arrow and it can't be placed on the bow wrong.
In my experiences I've noticed no difference in flight between the shield or parabolic feathers. I think its an appearance issure. Parabolic are just easier for me to get my hands on locally.
Dan

LBR

Generally the biggest difference is noise--parabolic is the quietest cut, bananna or maxi fletch the noisiest. High-back will be noisier than regular cut. If you have the arrow properly matched to your bow, and your release is half-way decent, you shouldn't need a huge feather.

I use three 5" sheilds most of the time--I just like the looks. I've tried 4-fletch, couldn't see any diffefence. I have also shot my 3-fletch with cock feather in and out, can't tell any differences there either.

I've gone to yellow or chartruese for my hunting arrows--nocks, feathers, and shafts--much easier for me to see.

Chad

Wahya

I've used 5.5" low profile banana cuts, 5.5" shields, 5" shields and 5" parabolics. I prefer the shield cuts for the looks. With the way the bow and arrows are tuned, I can't tell a bit of difference in the 5.5 and 5 shields with 2 blade zwickeys glued up.

Just for kicks, I hid behind a tree right next to the target butt and listened to the different arrows coming downrange. The bananas are the lowdest and man are they loud. Something on the order of B-52. The 5.5 shields are next loudest, being just this side of a buzz bomb and the 5" shields were quieter still, but still loud. The parabolics were the quietest, but with the ears that a deer has, they must sound like the end of the world coming. Hmm, actually, it probably is. Now, the softer secondary turkey wing feather is considerably more quiet than the stiffer primary. I could still hear them, but compared to the rest, they were a quiet swooosh.