feathers life expectancy

[canuck4570]

after how many shots does  feathers start to fall apart

I am shooting every day to get my form, I am shooting 2 arrows one with gateway and the other with true flight feathers
I noticed that after let say 500 shots (this is approximate) the true flight started to fall apart the gateway fallowed not to far later
and it seem that it affect the cock feather mostly
is this natural
I shoot the arrows at different target

Never had that problem! I shoot a LOT and my feathers get ragged on the edge but do not fall apart unless I am shooting groups and messing them up by hitting them with other arrows.

I use Gateway.

Bisch

[canuck4570]

if it was the inside feathers but its the cock feather that start to fall apart first MMMMM strange then

but I am shooting a bow that the club let me have to practice while waiting for my Toelke whip bow
and the arrow are miss matched  22# and I am shooting 1916 with it
for me it would of been natural for the inside feathers to get a beating but the cock feathers !

[old_goat2]

If it's different color from other feathers, the dyeing process might of been harsher to it's physical makeup and it might deteriorate faster. Might also try rotating your nock a little bit. With helical fletching, the feather can contact the shelf with a right wing feather, the back end of the feather will contact on some bows.

[canuck4570]

same colour
yes I fletch my own arrows and it was with a right helical
probably this low end bow that I barrowed from the club and when I say its low end it is, plastic riser and I suspect this plastic arrow holder hitting the helical somehow

should receive my Whip bow soon can wait
find shooting trad relaxing
my next adventure will be to crest my arrow

thanks for all responses

[McDave]

The arrows I shoot every day don't really wear out, after literally years of shooting, except for fraying along the edge next to the riser.  They do get damaged fairly often by getting shot through the target, hit by other arrows, etc.  And of course, they sometimes get lost.  Then sometimes they get found again, and after a couple of years in the weeds, they're usually ready for new feathers!

[Bud B.]

Can you post a pic? It might help with a diagnosis. Also a pic of the bow riser you're shooting.

[canuck4570]

so this must be a combination of low end bow that I barrowed
from the club and miss match arrows….
I am certain it will be a different story with my Whip bow…

the reason I asked is that it is the cock feather that to my knolodge  touches nothing, this feather seem to be pushed forward with strand standing streight up so I had to push it back and after repeated pushing back started falling apart
 
 but at least with this bow I have made good progress in my form
got from a plate size group to hitting golf ball size circles at 20 feet

basement shooting

[Matty]

I think you just said it. If you have a plastic arrow rest especially if it's rigid as opposed to a flipper type. Might be making contact.  And creating wear   In theory well tuned arrow doesn't make a huge amount of contact with the shelf upon release.

[canuck4570]

 

here are the pics

[Bud B.]

When you draw back is the feather making contact with your face or nose?

[canuck4570]

no contact
you had me scared there for a while
I checked and no contact not even near

[Bill Sant]

Don't know for sure, but it looks like they put a right handed arrow rest on your left handed bow.  The arrow supportshould be angling away from you not toward you.

[canuck4570]

the picture is not to clear on the rest
I checked and it angling away from me
both of them
the small one that the arrow leans against and the long one that the arrow rest on

Has they say its the bubblegum mystery