Four Fletch

[Captain*Kirk]

Figured as much, but how do you index? X or sideways X?

[David McLendon]

I have some 75/105's and I index them 105 against the riser so that from the back the "X" is taller rather than wider.

[JNewton]

My Bitzenberger's nock index tab simply sets my >< as David describes above, with 4 fletch. I don't have to think about it, which is good. Thinking isn't my strong suit anyway...... Dunno how other fletching jigs index this geometric feature.

I like the fact that I can keep my eyes on the target/game while pulling an arrow out of the quiver, then put that arrow on the string without worrying about having the cock feather in or out. I realize there are those that caution about the wood grain's "feathering" possibly being in  position to poke my bow arm's  index finger, if an arrow decides to break at the release. That's just the last thing I'm thinking about at the moment while I see an animal.....

Funny. On both my woods & aluminums, arrow flight "noise" is about the same, whether 3 or 4 fletch.....

Jimmie

[ESP]

I use 90.  I can't think of any negative points to four fletch.

I got out to do a bit of target work, gun season is on right now.  I shot some wood arrows from the same set, two with 3 by 5", two with 4 by 5" and two with 5.5" 3 fletch.  It may be just me, but there was no difference in sound or the distance of my point on with those arrows and the bow I was as far as i could tell, 54 approximate yard long paces.  All six repeatedly struck the deer target with no favored top or bottom in relation to the fletching.  I originally made these six to see what the bow preferred, came up with one conclusion that the 4 by5 and the 3 by 5.5 arrows recovered from the 's' curve a little quicker than the 3 by 5s, just a little quicker recovery, hardly noticeable.

[David McLendon]

I read an article years ago, by somebody that evidently knew enough to get paid for their opinion, and they stated that 4 fletch was actually faster than 3 fletch out to somewhere around 30 yards when the 3 fletch caught up and passed it. They based that on their finding, opinion or whatever that 4 fletch cleaned up and went through paradox faster than a 3 fletch. Maybe this was done on bows not cut past center, a more modern riser cut to -3/16 might not be as big a deal for either one, I don't know.
 I don't know how they came to those conclusions or how they measured their results.
 I wish that I could remember where I read it and who the author was.

In my case I was using a bow that is about 3/8" outside of center.  I think it is possible that an arrow that recovers quicker can maintain its speed better.  The first time that I played with excessive fletching years ago, I made a variety spirals doing the ancient thread fletching technique, then shot them out of my Black Widow metal handled takedown with four sight pins.  I was surprised how little the fletching mattered.  When I made some four fletch super spiral fletched arrows, it made a few yards difference at 45 yards, but that fletching went 180 degrees around the shaft.  A four yard difference from exact pin placement is not exactly falling from the sky like a lead balloon.  When I tested those same arrow with that same form and bow, well over 60 yards, the difference was much more noticeable.  I expected the 60 degree spin to show up with my 35 yard pin, it did not. Again, it may be just my set up,  but i think 4" four fletch comes cleaner out my bows without needing to do any nock rotation tricks that 3 by 5".  Even though many 4" feathers are a slighter profile than 5", I believe that the four fletch with 4" still has more feather surface area.

[JRY309]

All I shoot on my arrows are 4 fletch at 90,just like the way they shoot on a well tuned arrow.They seem to fly flatter then 3-5" or 3-5.5 feathers.I have even done 4 fletch on some of my Axis FMJ.The height of a feather is what makes some feathers louder then others.I like 4 inch parabolic,quiet a fly great.

[Zradix]

I change nothing on my jig when switching between 3 or 4 fletch.
I have used 4-4", 4-5", 4-5.5", and 3-5".

If you can tell the difference between them as far as speed goes you are a helluva lot better than me.

I shoot 4-5" because I hunt and I want the most stable arrow and I have a fletching shape that is quiet at that length.

[zwickey2bl]

I have used 4 at 90 exclusively for several years now. I use 4" shield cut, some bought that way, some I cut with a Lil' Chopper. I can often get two 4" fletchings out of a full-length feather. I like the way the shorter 4" feathers easily clear the bow handle when at rest/zero draw with an arrow on the string. I used to shoot 5 1/2" banana fletch and the front edge of the feather would be touching the arrow plate at zero draw. I also like that with 4 fletch, I don't have to look down or even feel to orient a cock feather, it nocks the same either way.

[DarrinG]

Anyone using 3" feathers on 4 fletch? I'm considering fletching up a few with 3" shield cuts 4-fletch.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by JRY309:
All I shoot on my arrows are 4 fletch at 90,just like the way they shoot on a well tuned arrow.They seem to fly flatter then 3-5" or 3-5.5 feathers.I have even done 4 fletch on some of my Axis FMJ.The height of a feather is what makes some feathers louder then others.I like 4 inch parabolic,quiet a fly great.

In my case, the bad feathers I used in the 4-fletch were very soft along the edge, not stiff like I typically get from better vendors. They were fairly thin, more like a chicken than a turkey or goose.  

As far as speed, I only know that the 3-fletch were faster because they were shot off a much lighter arrow (450 gr. doug fir vs 640 gr. carbons) and had a MUCH flatter trajectory.  

Good feathers in a 3-fletch and the bad feathers in a 4-fletch from the same 640 gr. shaft had no noticeable difference in trajectory out to 35 yards.

I'm still tempted to fletch up a bunch in a 4 configuration.  But since the only good feathers I have are 5", I'm sticking with 3 for now.

[ESP]

I use 90.  I can't think of any negative points to four fletch.

[Biggie Hoffman]

Originally posted by DarrinG:
Anyone using 3" feathers on 4 fletch? I'm considering fletching up a few with 3" shield cuts 4-fletch.

I use 3" 4-fletch on most of my arrows and love it. I don't seem to brush up against them as often 8-). I only went to the 5" on my newest set up because I shoot closer shots than ever before and I want to BE SURE I have a straight arrow at 20 feet. Mostly psychological I suppose.

[David McLendon]

Changing feather size and or configuration will not alter the speed at which the arrow leaves the bow. Less feather will decrease the rate of deceleration and make your arrow go farther with less drop over a given distance compared to more feather, but not due to being faster than a heavier fletched arrow but by making the same energy last longer due to decreased drag. Less feather results in more energy farther downrange (quicker but not faster)even though it leaves the bow with the same energy and speed as an otherwise identical heavier feathered arrow.

[Benoli]

I made the switch to 4-4" feathers about ten years ago and never looked back. I use a 60x120 degree alignment that allows the feathers to line up to the riser regardless of how I nock an arrow. This came in very handy when teaching my scouts how to shoot. There was no need to worry about which way the arrow was placed on the string. I use a three Fletch Bitzenburger using simple instructions I got from this site years ago. If interested how send me a PM and I'll send you a copy of the directions.

[Charlie Lamb]

YosemiteSam ... Fletch up 4 of those 5 inchers and report back.