Hey guys I have been shooting quite a bit lately and was wondering how much abuse can a feather take before it is not effective. I have my cock feather away from the riser and the feathers that are oriented towards the riser and down are starting to look a bit ratty. First off is this normal or do I need to change something.
I put the cock feather out and up just enough to get it to touch my nose on all bows I've shot. Some show heavy wear, others do not. I'm like Jeff, on some bows I think the feathers actually clear the shelf through paradox. I suppose it may have something to do with what spine your arrows are? One trick you often hear is to put some baby powder or even lipstick on your shelf and side plate and shoot an arrow. That should give you some idea of fletch contact.
They're feathers, it doesn't matter all that much what they're orientation is they will collapse, unlike plastic fletch. Some people shoot cock feather in at the riser. I like to put my cock feather out and the top hen feather parallel to the string.
Unless you use a shoot through rest, you are going to get some wear on the Feathers Eventually. The problem should not be caused contact on the side plate however, paradox should take most contact away. The problem exists from contact off the shelf. I agree though you can minize it to a degree. Some people shoot the four fletch 60X120 feathers to help eliminate contact off the shelf. It'll work well as long as you have a very narrow shelf such as a HH type. The is contratary to the belief that center cut riser will give you better fletching clearance. In most cases with the fletching size and the helical used on the fletching, it is very hard to completely eliminate contact. FWIW, I have very few recurves that I shoot off the shelf with. On most, I use a bear flipper rubber rest.
On one of my bows I have the gap, on the others there is no gap. Honestly, I can't tell the difference!
Shooting off the shelf, feather wear happens, no getting away from it. Thicker feathers wear less than thin ones. I made some goose feather arrows at one time. Maybe coincidence but they seemed to last quite a long time, at least longer than the arrows did themselves.
Alright just making sure that the wear was normal. And it is only the feather oriented toward the shelf not the sideplate. Thanks for the help guys. FWIW these are some cheapo feathers that the guy at my shop gave me. Now that I got everything ready to go I am gonna go get me some gateway feathers. Good choice?????
