Bitzenburger Fletching Jig history/versions

[SlowBowke]

I see from patents findable online the the early Bitz jigs were vastly different but have (till I get the package sent out today to a buddy) three versions and wondered on info on the years they were current.

Here is my oldest and my newest. I am sending the middle aged one with the TINY allen wrench holes for adjustments to a buddy in WA as a gift to a OLD friend, new to trad for his use.

This is the first Ive seen of the one on the left with the "lever" adjustment and without the adjustment for degree of feather placement but it works dandy.

The RW clamp has (dont know if it's original or not) "pat pending" on the side and " "The All New Dial O-Fletch Fletchmaster by Bitzenburger" on the side of it as well.

A bit curious as to if anyone knows anything about when this would have been manufactured.

God Bless

   

[Wade Phillips]

SlowBowk -

There are at least three models that precede the model on the left in your photograph-  

This is a rough and brief description of those three that I know of at present...

1- Henry's 1940 Patent Application (granted in 1943) shows his original model that has a brass thumb screw on the right side rather than the lever that your model on the left has.

This original model also have a knurled brass nock receiver, which is also a feature shown on Henry;s first patent.

The original body does not have a bulge along the right side and does not have the raised Bitzenburger logo.  

2 - The second model still has the knurled brass nock receiver at the rear but has the lever along the right side.

Like the original model, the second model body does not have a bulge along the right side and does not have the raised Bitzenburger logo.

3 - The third model has a new cast nock receiver.

It also does not have a bulge along the right side, however it it the first model to have the raised Bitzenburger logo.

[SlowBowke]

Rough age of the version on the left above? Knew it wasnt the original but older than most Ive seen.

Quite a bit of history in them along the way.

Thanks, Wade

God Bless

[SlowBowke]

I noticed the other link popping up on fletching equipment. I failed to find it before searching only for "bitzenburger" in titles.

  http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=001896  

But......the info there told me what I needed to know and that my clamp is not an original for this jig but does work.

Looks just like the newer clamps except for the lettering on it noted above.


That works. Not a big thing, but of interst to me.


Thanks for the help guys.

God Bless

[booner05]

Sorry to resurrect an old post but I have a few questions about the jig on the left.  Someone lent me one and I feel like it's missing some parts...or maybe not....maybe you guys can tell me.

Is there supposed to be a pin sticking down from the magnet base into the slot in the lever?

Does the mentioned lever do nothing other than assist in finer adjustment of the jig?

Since there is no scale on this jig, I'm assuming you just calculate the angle of offset after measuring the distance between the scribe lines or is it all just eyeball? If this is true...is this jig not capable of 'accurate' positioning and I should be happy with it as long as all the feathers are at the same angle?

Am I asking too many stupid questions?

The patent drawing for this patent number (2337080) doesn't show the lever configuration so it wasn't very helpful.

I'll post a picture when I figure out how to shrink them.

Thanks.