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Old 01-25-2015, 08:57 AM
Celtir Celtir is offline
 
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Default Helical vs strait fletching

I'm in the process of repairing the fletching on a few arrows and am curious as to wether to fletch them using a strait fletch or to use a helical offset? How would that affect accuracy and speed?
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Old 01-25-2015, 09:05 AM
Scottmisfits Scottmisfits is offline
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I can't answer the accuracy part but it will depend on the rest that you have. If you have an WB, straight fletching. If you're using a drop away rest I don't think it matters as much. I remember reading that it mostly comes down to personal preference. It makes sense to he that a helical vane will provide a little bit better and faster arrow stabilization but have nothing to back that up.
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Old 01-25-2015, 12:20 PM
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I like offset (2-3 degree) fletch personally, not helical.

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Old 01-25-2015, 01:55 PM
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X2 what lefty said
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Old 01-25-2015, 03:09 PM
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I prefer Helical.. stabs my broadheaded arrows quickr... fly like darts. But it loses speed
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Old 01-25-2015, 03:48 PM
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I find on short fletching you can't tell the difference. I use a helical jig for 2" blazers and they may as well be straight. With 4" vanes you'd notice the S-shape and it might have more of an impact on flight.
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Old 01-25-2015, 07:16 PM
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Offset and helical. I normally don't use mechanicals. So I go for the most control I can get out of 2 inch blazers.
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Old 01-26-2015, 06:45 AM
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I use 2 degrees right hand offset with 2" blazers, in hunting deer and
turkey my range would be 25 yards shots or less.

If I was going to try to increase my range out to say 30 or 35 yard shots
I would switch to 4 or 5" fletching and still set them at 2 or 3 degrees
offset. I used fletch 4 or 5" vanes with a 3 degrees offset before I switched
to 2" blazers about 8 years ago and they worked fine without being helical.
But again was always 25 yard or less shots when hunting.
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Old 01-26-2015, 08:21 AM
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Old school rule avoid straight fletch like the plaque when using broadheads...

I personally us straight fletcher offset as much as arrow and vane have full contact...

Helical are very noisy...we stood safely behind a building as a shooter shot a target passed us [Not reccomended..under strict management]...

The helicals we could hear almost as soon as they left bow...quitest was the straight fletch...but refer to above...that test really sold me on offset...

* Note test was done on four and five inch vanes and feathers...have not listened to Blazers Helical

Neil
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Old 04-13-2015, 08:08 AM
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I use 2" helical blazers . And my broadhead group are night and day better at 70-80 yards . As for shot 20 -35 yards I see no difference .
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Old 04-13-2015, 08:14 PM
220 Swift 220 Swift is offline
 
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ok to add more questions to the OP. -Sorry about that.
I have
Whisker bisket,
4" straight vanes
fixed broadhead

What is your recommendation.
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Old 04-14-2015, 08:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 220 Swift View Post
ok to add more questions to the OP. -Sorry about that.
I have
Whisker bisket,
4" straight vanes
fixed broadhead

What is your recommendation.
You sure they are straight or offset ...look down the vanes closely and see how sit...this is straight for sure > | and offset will look like > /

With your set up of course at least offest is recommend...straight fletch should be avoided for broadheads...

I use the same set up sucessfully...but with offset...

Neil
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Old 05-01-2015, 03:01 PM
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Default helical through WB

I just installed some Bohning Blazer Stretch Fletch helical vanes on some 350 Maxima Blue Streak arrows. They are advertised as 3 degree helical, however I twisted them up to make the helical considerably more aggressive than that. I estimate they are more like 6 to 8 degree helical.




I shot them through a WB rest (with large apperature) and they shoot well, and should stabilize a broadhead quickly. I did a speed comparison with identical arrows with offset blazers, and found the following results.

Using an APA M6, set at 55#, with 400 grain arrows and a 28" draw, the offset arrows came off the bow at 274 fps, and the helical at 267 fps. This would be attributed to the extra drag through the rest. At 50 yds, the offsets were at 251 fps, and the helicals at 243 fps. I was surprised that the helicals didn't lose more speed at 50 yds, only trailing the offset blazers by 8 fps, and 7 of the 8 was lost to getting through the WB. I can't comment on the longevity of the WB or the vanes yet, but will post back after shooting a bunch more arrows. The Stretch Fletch vanes seem extemely tough however, and I will be surprised if they show much wear. They are heavier, as they are one piece construction, and this extra weight on the back took my FOC from 11.4 to 8.8, compared with the offset Blazers.

Last edited by Leather burner; 05-01-2015 at 03:21 PM.
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Old 05-01-2015, 03:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Leather burner View Post
I just installed some Bohning Blazer Stretch Fletch helical vanes on some 350 Maxima Blue Streak arrows. They are advertised as 3 degree helical, however I twisted them up to make the helical considerably more aggressive than that. I estimate they are more like 6 to 8 degree helical.




I shot them through a WB rest and they shoot well, and should stabilize a broadhead quickly. I did a speed comparison with identical arrows with offset blazers, and found the following results.

Using an APA M6, set at 55#, with 400 grain arrows and a 28" draw, the offset arrows came off the bow at 274 fps, and the helical at 267 fps. This would be attributed to the extra drag through the rest. At 50 yds, the offsets were at 251 fps, and the helicals at 243 fps. I was surprised that the helicals didn't lose more speed at 50 yds, only trailing the offset blazers by 8 fps, and 7 of the 8 was lost to getting through the WB. I can't comment on the longevity of the WB or the vanes yet, but will post back after shooting a bunch more arrows. The Stretch Fletch vanes seem extemely tough however, and I will be surprised if they show much wear. They are heavier, as they are one piece construction, and this extra weight on the back took my FOC from 11.4 to 8.8, compared with the offset Blazers.
Wow. I like as much offset and helical as I can get using a standard AZ EZ fletch but this top everything. I like. I too am surprised at the speed it retains out to 50 yards. Tells us about grouping.........with and without BH's (type of BH's). I assume you use fixed heads.
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Old 05-01-2015, 03:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CNP View Post
Wow. I like as much offset and helical as I can get using a standard AZ EZ fletch but this top everything. I like. I too am surprised at the speed it retains out to 50 yards. Tells us about grouping.........with and without BH's (type of BH's). I assume you use fixed heads.
will be using montecs, and will post the results. the field points grouped very well, often touching at 50 yds, at least when I did my part.


Last edited by Leather burner; 05-01-2015 at 03:40 PM.
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Old 05-01-2015, 04:18 PM
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that's very interesting did you glue the fletch on so they keep the twist? thanks for sharing
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Old 05-01-2015, 08:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rpm360 View Post
that's very interesting did you glue the fletch on so they keep the twist? thanks for sharing
They are a really tight friction fit. Once they were in place, I ran a light bead around the leading and tailing edge to lock them down, but it probably wasn't necessary.
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Old 05-01-2015, 08:18 PM
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Probably sound like a helicopter landing to the deer. Lol

Quote:
Originally Posted by Leather burner View Post
I just installed some Bohning Blazer Stretch Fletch helical vanes on some 350 Maxima Blue Streak arrows. They are advertised as 3 degree helical, however I twisted them up to make the helical considerably more aggressive than that. I estimate they are more like 6 to 8 degree helical.




I shot them through a WB rest (with large apperature) and they shoot well, and should stabilize a broadhead quickly. I did a speed comparison with identical arrows with offset blazers, and found the following results.

Using an APA M6, set at 55#, with 400 grain arrows and a 28" draw, the offset arrows came off the bow at 274 fps, and the helical at 267 fps. This would be attributed to the extra drag through the rest. At 50 yds, the offsets were at 251 fps, and the helicals at 243 fps. I was surprised that the helicals didn't lose more speed at 50 yds, only trailing the offset blazers by 8 fps, and 7 of the 8 was lost to getting through the WB. I can't comment on the longevity of the WB or the vanes yet, but will post back after shooting a bunch more arrows. The Stretch Fletch vanes seem extemely tough however, and I will be surprised if they show much wear. They are heavier, as they are one piece construction, and this extra weight on the back took my FOC from 11.4 to 8.8, compared with the offset Blazers.
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Old 05-01-2015, 08:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alberta Bigbore View Post
Probably sound like a helicopter landing to the deer. Lol
yup, they sizzle through the air, no doubt there. I'm thinking the bow firing noise would overpower the arrow sound however, and if the deer was going to jump/ duck it would have already begun the process by the time the fletching noise comes into play.
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Old 05-05-2015, 09:43 PM
220 Swift 220 Swift is offline
 
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so new to helical again, is the arrow above a right or left one.

when buying a helical fletcher, does right mean- this one is for a right handed shooter or does this mean a right wing on the bird?
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Old 05-05-2015, 10:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 220 Swift View Post
so new to helical again, is the arrow above a right or left one.

when buying a helical fletcher, does right mean- this one is for a right handed shooter or does this mean a right wing on the bird?
The one above will spin to the right. It doesn't matter. The arrow will spin left or right and again that doesn't matter which hand you shoot from.
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Old 05-06-2015, 07:51 AM
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In simplicity...the difference between left and right wing feathers is that right wing feathers come from the right wing of the bird and left wing feathers from the left wing. .

From the archer's perspective left wing feathers will induce a counter clockwise rotation [left] and right wing feathers will induce a clockwise rotation [Right].




Feather fletchings are very forgiving and stabilise the arrow very quickly. They have a built in natural spin when fletched straight, or are commonly fletched with a helical to increase spin and maximise arrow stability.

They are often used on traditional bows that are shot from the shelf or hand, as feathers do not deflect in the same way as a plastic vane, but simply brush past.

Although they are availible as ‘left wing’ and ‘right wing’, this does not reflect the hand of the archer. It is the wing of the bird, not the handedness of the archer. A left handed archer can shoot a right wing feather perfectly well. for consistency Just do not mix them! Choose one or the other and you are all set


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Old 05-07-2015, 09:44 PM
220 Swift 220 Swift is offline
 
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Thanks again. You answered my questions.
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Old 05-10-2015, 09:03 PM
Cwswanberg Cwswanberg is offline
 
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Heard that helical fleshing is accurate but noisey, true ?
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Old 05-11-2015, 08:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cwswanberg View Post
Heard that helical fleshing is accurate but noisey, true ?
With target or field points I wouldnt say they are any more accurate than offset etc....however with broadheads the more rotation the more stabilization so one could say more accurate for some...center of X is Center of X regardless of vane set up...

As a rule more rotation more noise...some sing all the way !

Neil
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