Thoughts about feathers (fletching)

[jhg]

Here is a winter night ponder:  We have all seen how a birds feathers taper to a trailing edge that can be quite thin and soft. I am sure this aids in aerodynamics under rapidly changing conditions. Much different than a cut or burnt fletching edge.
Think of an airplane wing- they taper to the trailing edge. Also sail boat rudders are designed this way and the faster you plan to go the finer that edge is designed (think racing catamarans). Water and air are both fluids just different densities. (Bernoulli's Principal).

Is it worth somehow "feathering" the edge of an arrows fletching? I think it might be and bet some nut has already tried it.
The fletching will be quieter for starters.
I would think tune might change slightly as an equal length and similar profile fletch will be more flexible under all conditions.

Call me crazy thats ok. But I plan on building a simple sanding jig to feather the edges of my fletching.

[Horsehide]

I am far from an expert on aerodynamics, but here are the first two issues I thought of:
- Fletching acts as a rudder helping your arrow recover from paradox. Not sure soft trailing edges would do as good of a job.
- Feathers with less body might also be noisier as the softer edges vibrate in flight.
These assumptions might be totally disproved, but i doubt the work involved would bring much return in performance.

[Daniel G. Banting]

Just use secondary feathers rather than primaries. Secondaries are already tapered. I didn't care for the results, yours may vary.

dgb

[Sam McMichael]

I recall reading some years ago that owls are the quietest flies in the woods due to the softness of their feathers. Also, it said this softness made them a poor choice for fletching. This seems a reasonable assessment, but I don't really know. I have never seen owl fletching, though.

[Pat B]

Owl feathers along with all other raptors, shore birds and songbirds are illegal to possess. This law has been in effect since the early 1900s. Only feathers of game birds and birds that are exptics, like sparrows and starlings are legal to possess.

[jhg]

Good thing no one here has suggested using feathers from birds of prey.

Good point on the primary vs secondary feathers, and the results using them were not satisfactory.  I am willing to experiment, but don't need to repeat those of others. I may try a  subtle modification, more as a way to make the outside edge a little softer.

[JonCagle]

When I was young I would fletch sourwood shoots with full length pigeon primaries (my uncle raced pigeons) those were tapered, soft and LOUD

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I think my feather chopper does a little taper at the ends I will check it when I get home and post photos

[McDave]

Someone published an article some time ago in TBM about the benefits (or lack thereof) of helical fletching vs straight fletching.  His conclusion was that our arrows fly too slow to benefit from helical fletching.  I wonder if his conclusion in reverse might apply to jhg's question.  Since our arrows generally fly faster than birds do, could it be that our arrows fly too fast to benefit from feathered edges?

[Part Time Archer]

Dunno , but I cut to shape and apply by hand and use a half round file to thin the quills on each end.