Anyone tried the Bearpaw fletching jig or deluxe taper tool?

[tntsl]

Hi All,
A few years ago I sold all my arrow making gear because I wasn't shooting at all and wasn't making arrows either (due to three very young kids).  I'm starting to get back into TA and am thinking about making my own arrows again.  So, I'm looking at the tools now available.
Does anyone have experience with the Bearpaw deluxe fletching jig and/or the Bearpaw deluxe taper tool?  How does the Bearpaw fletching jig compare in quality and ease of use to the Bitzenberger?  Does the taper tool wook well and easily?  Any information about these tools is much appreciated!
Thanks,
tntsl

[BobW]

Taper tool is excellent.  Some say too costly, but look at the cost this way:

Its three shaft sizes so divide the product cost by 3 if you need tapers for multiple shaft sizes or are shooting tapered shafts.  Almost a good deal?  Now compare it to the cost of a throw away "pencil sharpener" type.  It will seriously outlast those, so divide current cost by the three you will buy replacing them over time (though the tool will last WAY longer).  Getting pretty reasonable, isn't it?.

Ad to that the very accurate taper (I didn't know how good it was until I had to re-taper some shafts) it produces.

Holy German Engineering!!!!!!

I'm sold.

BobW

[BOWMARKS]

I have been eyeballing this new jig also looks like a winner just havent got around to getting one yet. They also have a new feather cutter on the market but not in USA yet. There is some info on these items on  www.bearpaw-blog.de   there are vidio's on this web sight it help's if you understand German .Keep us posted others are also looking.  

MARK

[Shleprock]

Gotta jig. seems consistant. In retrospect I probably should of just spent the extra money and bot a Bitzenburger.

[BOWMARKS]

Are you saying you like the Biz. better? And why?  

Thanks MARK

[jcar315]

Curious about this myself. Interested in the ability to use the 4-fletch with just a "flick of a switch" so to speak and the ability to switch between arrow shafts without adjusting the jig. In reading the info at kustomking I am interested and not too bad price.

[maxwell]

The taper tool is the best I have ever used for hand held- the competion is  not even close.   I expect the fletching jig to be just as good.

[Cody Roiter]

Yep the Taper tool is very good.... As for the fletching jig I have not seen one...

Cody

[todd smith]

I have not yet seen the taper tool but the jig is nice.  todd

[Shleprock]

I can't say the Biz is better. I had a Grayling and the clamp warped. So I thought I would try something different. The switch is cool. It also has a 6 fletch. Which I think you could do a 60-120 with. The only thing I don't like so far is getting my fletching tape to stick to it on the front of the feather so I can peal it. Better now that I cleaned the clamp with acetone. I geuss I can't really qualify my earlier statement, except there seems to be quite a demand for the Biz. When I want to know what something is worth, based on what most people are paying for it, and how much of a demand there is for it I save a search on flea bay. Using a couple different key words. I will follow every search that hits my email for about a month. Maybe longer if it's something I intend to buy. A bitzenburger jig always goes for a high percentage of the price of a new one and it's very rare that one dosen't sell at all. Usually because of a high starting bid.
So in retrospect I recant my earlier statement and will say for now I like the Bear Paw just fine.
Good luck in the field!

[tntsl]

Thanks for the input fellas.  It looks like the taper tool is definitely worth it and the fletching jig is decent also.  I had a Bitz. years ago and it was the only fletching jig I ever tried and it worked fine.  I found the Bitz. difficult to set up for small diameter arrows but I don't think other people have run into that issue.  I think I'll get both the taper tool and the fletching jig.  Once I've tried the fletching jig, I'll share my experience with it in a future post.