What causes fletchings to cut bow hand on release?

[2madjacks]

Ok so I have Morrison ILF and am having problems with the fletching cutting my hand and it sucks.  I called Bob Morrison this afternoon and he was very helpful in giving me things to check first such as the tiller, nock setting ect.  Now its late and still having the problem after checking all of this and don't want to bother Bob again tonight.  But will be calling him again tomorrow probably.

May need to mention that I am newly dedicated to the trad way of life.  Finally sold the wheelies to force myself to stay with this.

So any suggestions here?

[owlbait]

Put your hands on a diet! My fat hands use to get in the way. Change your string nock height a little, build up the rest a little, rotate/move your arrow nock a little. Some expert with better suggestions will have the best answer soon. Good luck.

[EricW]

I had/have the same problem. I just rotate the nock a little until it stops hitting my hand. I am sure there is a bigger problem I am masking but it works for me. Will be interested to hear what the "pros" have to say.

[celticknot]

I had a problem with the quill cutting or stabbing me that and or the glue on the tip of the quill. Check and make sure your quill points aren't sharp. One glue that almost garuntees to not have a sharp finish is barge cement. Just my thoughts though. i hope it might help.

[Ron LaClair]

Run you finger up the shaft to the feather. If there's a bump on the leading edge of the quill then you need to trim it at a sloping angle so that it's smooth. A razor or a very sharp knife is the best to use. If the quill is not smooth it can cut the skin of your index finger.

[alligatordond]

I cut my hand with rt helical but not left. So I shoot left

[BOWMARKS]

Have same problem but only with right wing feathers changed to lefts and no problem. The experts say it should not matter but it sure doe's with me . Shot right handed and now left they cut my hand both way.

MARK

[Hedge Apple]

I experiencd the same problem. Drove me nuts trying to figure it out. It seemed to be worse with a bad release. Went back to bare shaft tuning and found something in my form had changed the dynamic spline of my arrows. I ended up making the spline a little stiffer to achieve perfect arrow fight and shot for a week or so w/out fletchings to insure arrow flight stayed consistant and to let my hand heal.

[Wallcrawler]

I had this happen when I switched to GT Traditionals and loaded them heavy in the front, LW fletch.  Does not happen with Carbon Express or AD Trads.  I think it was a weak spine issue because I could not tune it out with knock and shelf changes.

[lilbobby]

I have several bows and only one gave me that problem it was a B.W. L/B., would even wear a glove. Then either on this site or another I can't remember, Nock! I had the nock to low, readjusted and it solved the problem.

[Bill Kissner]

Your nocking point is too low! I have had the same problem before, especially with very short bows. It is not the quill but the feather itself that was cutting my hand. I have had that trouble with a Morrison bow and lately the same trouble with an A handle Bear takedown.

[Bill Tell]

You can always wrap some thread up and over the fronts of the quills if nothing else works.  Use a little epoxy on the thread to hold it in place like on a fishing rod and you should be good.

[Jim now in Kentucky]

Taper the front of the quills with a sharp knife. Make a ramp out of them that disappears at the shaft level. Then put a drop of Duco on the ramp to really get rid of any rough edge.

I use my hand for a rest and never get cut if I have treated the quills this way.

Jim Davis (Reparrowman)

[Slufoot]

Hey madjack, I had the same thing happen to me when I first got my Black Widow. It was so bad that I had to wear a glove on my bow hand. I raised and lowered my nock point, turned my nock all different ways, tried different arrows (aluminum and carbon) and even bought a left wing jig for my Bitzenburger and switched from RW to LW feathers.
Nothing I did solved my problem of the feathers cutting my hand, so I called Black Widow and told them what was happening and if they knew something I could do.
The first thing he asked me was if I shot with three fingers under and I answered, Yes.
He then told me to put a nocking point above and below my arrow, I was thinking, "Yeah right", when he told me that but as soon as I got off the phone I tied a nocking point below my arrows nock.
That was about 3 months ago and several thousand arrows later I have yet to touch my hand with a feather.

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

[p1choco]

Same thing happened to me when I was using Gateway feathers.  Switched to Trueflight and that worked for me.  The quills are much thinner on the Trueflights.  Not saying that they are not, but make sure your arrows are tuned.

[Overspined]

I have found that holding the bow "wrong" causes this more than anything else. Try rotating your grip slightly to the outside a little at a time. You may be torquing the bow upon release. If I get into the bow too much I cut myself as well.

[2madjacks]

Wow, thanks for all of the quick responses fellas.  Really shows how this is such a great site.  I will definetly be trying some/most of these suggestions and let you know what fixes it hopefully.  Anymore ideas are welcomed.

[Coonbait]

Raise the nocking point. My Predator tears me up good if it's to low. The first one hurts, the second one darn near brings tears to your eyes!
GLENN

[Paul WA]

John Strunk showed me a little trick a few yrs ago and now I can shoot off my hand without getting cut. Do as said above with a drop of glue at the end of the quill and when its dry take another arrow with a field point and roll it over the edge of the quill. It will make the feather and the shaft smooth...PR

[AkDan]

trimming works ok....but if you trim first, then take the shaft of a screwdrive (the round part) and firmly though not so much as to dent a cedar shaft...rub the leading edge down going from point to nock right on the leading edge and mash it down...THEN add your glue over the tip, you'll fix this problem!!!  YOu can rub pretty hard if you dont come off the feather itself...gaining more pressure as you go from the point of the taper to the thicker pith portion of your feather...makes a very very nice smooth edge!!!

I could never trim mine all purdy like Troy Graziada can...who happened to learn from John Dodge, famous west coast arrow builder who Bob Burton happens to be a protege of or so the story goes....Either way these men make very nice arras..mine, well are more functional then purdy