Noticed some talk on Centaur Archery FB page. Anyone have any experience with 2 feather?

Looks ugly as sin to me I’m sure it works ok. I’ll take aesthetics over 3 FPS gain any day

I saw a video Jim posted with the results of some test he had run. Results showed that 50% of the time the two Fletch arrow impacted the target straight with a crosswind as opposed to the three Fletch arrow impacting sideways 100% of the time. I personally like the idea of spending less money over time on feather fletchings.

carter -

Can it work? Sure. Good idea? Your call.

One of my trad shooters swore by 2-fletch for a couple of years. On a whim, he tried a conventional 3. He won't go back to 2. He says the flight is cleaner with 3, and this guy can bare shaft to 40 yards.

Bottom line, most people aren't going to shoot anywhere near well enough to see a difference, so it's a personal call.

Only thing I will say, if you go that route, take the extra effort to make sure your feathers are exactly 180* apart (meaning - in the same plane). Typical orientation is 1:00/7:00, but again, personal call.

Viper out.

I tried it. Once! Works great if your release is perfect, works not so great if it isn't! And that was with field tips!

I like to tune my arrows well enough to keep on shooting when I eventually lose a feather.

My thoughts are as well that if I were that good you would see the top field archers and Olympic archers using as they truly have to fight wind and have better than average releases. If the wind is dramatically impacting my shots at 25 yards it’s too windy to hunt and I’ll stay home and nap

Dk -

"If the wind is dramatically impacting my shots at 25 yards it’s too windy to hunt and I’ll stay home and nap"

That's always the way I looked at it.

Viper out.

I have arrows fletched up with 2 Vanes that I use when it is raining. The rest of the time I use 3 feathers. But I have to say the 2 vanes fly great. Really no reason not to use them all the time. I guess I just like the look of 3 feathers better.

They lay flat,stack nice,ride in quiver nice, don't crowd each other in a bow quiver, + every third arrow is free feathers. Located at 1 o'clock and 7= total clearance regardless of my release. With the distances I shoot 2 and 3 fletch group together. It is purely a personal thing and I do use both 2 and 3 fletch. Now 4 fletch,well that is really a waste. ;^) >>>----> Ken

I find 2 feather fletch about 1/2 as effective as 4 fletch and about 2/3 as effective as 3 fletch :^)

Use the same jig and fletch the other 2...I'm in love with 4fletch 2in gateways. Arrow flight is phenomenal. I'll prob play with 2 just to tinker

Use the same jig and fletch the other 2...I'm in love with 4fletch 2in gateways. Arrow flight is phenomenal. I'll prob play with 2 just to tinker

"I find 2 feather fletch about 1/2 as effective as 4 fletch "

Now that started my day off on the right foot. which is not the same as the other two. John

Glunt@work, That was funny. "LOL"

I've shot two fletch before but not on purpose.It happened when I was out of Fletch -tite and used some Duco on aluminum arrows.They held temporarily,as a feather would come off when shooting leaving me with a two-fletch arrow and still shot them.I would take the old feather and sand the base scuffing it up and reglue it back on with fletch-tite.I had always shot 3-fletch and then shot my buddies four fletch and from then on I shot four fletch and even four fletch on some Axis.

Gluing two 4" or 5" store bought feathers on a shaft isnt true two fletch style. Google it and you will see why it works and how to make it work. It started hundreds of years ago with turkey tail feathers and the NA people.

I'm with sheepdog. The Gateway Rayzrs really shine in wet weather, they don't lay down as much even when soaked. Tune your rig correctly and 4x2" fletch is where it's at for me.

I did a couple up sometimes OK sometimes not. I'll stick to 3 thank you.

What PD said.

Thanks for the input gents. I am gonna give it a try, I am not accurate enough for it to make much of a difference. 1/3 cheaper to fletch plus a few extra FPS. Should a broadhead be set 180 from fletch plane? Also how do you guys shooting 2, clock the nock for off shelf?

My mistake I thought he asked for "experience with 2 fletch" A couple of thoughtful answers the rest guesses or attempts and being funny. Which is O.K. too. Why don't olympic archers use 2 fletch. Well why don't they use 4 fletch? or 6 or 8? See how easy it is. How many of them use 5" feathers? A feather missing from 3 fletch is not 2 fletch. Note Viper said be sure they are at 180°. You need to tune just like you would any combination. If you can bare shaft you can certainly shoot 2 fletch. I doubt there is more than a handful here that could tell the difference? Oh yeah and either way you put it on the string it will still be at 1 and 7 for no looking total clearance. That is just my personal experience though. Yours may vary. Try it you might be surprised.>>>----> Ken

My one buddy shot his highest 3D score with a self bow and two flletched arrows. I tried them. I couldn’t see any difference between them an three fletch...they just don’t look very good.

Maybe you guys should just pm ken next time for any archery related questions would sure be easier it seems

I've done it in the past. Kinda liked it . Flew fine

Thanks, Dkincaid I do try to answer all PM's and Emails. I guess I missed your answer,if you saw any of that stuff in the olympics. You know different setups are better for different things. I have never seen self bows-- shooting self nocks there either but they work quite well and I love shooting them. Different tasks require different equipment as well as answers.I don't do much 80 meter shooting & 3 fps is not one of the reasons I gave. I do try to read before answering. It is all good though. >>>----> ken

You are also a smart ass as well when you answer don’t worry I need a reminder of why I don’t typically come to this page other than to sell or trade. A few of you guys who are I agree knowledgeable love to talk down to people on a regular basis. Enjoy the dwindling population of posters who decide it’s not worth the smart ass comments from you guys

I simply answered questions. You didn't. You called me out. Sorry if you can't handle the answere to your own questions. Have a good evening. >>>----> Ken

I couldnt do it

I mean id play and test,,could be interesting But im a hunter and stability,weight and a forgiving recovery from paradox and putting my missile were it belongs under alot of variables is important,an i need as much help in the forgiving realm as i can get

Besides im vane when it comes to my archery kit!! And i love building all sorts of wood arrows,shapes,sizes,colors,fletching types,tappers and different woods 2 fletching would like painting my Harley pink! Its great till your friends see yea

That is funny Mountain Man. I have bamboo and stained wood with natural barred wild turkey feathers and self nocks. No bling. Besides I first saw 2 fletch on an antique Indian arrow in a museum. Now come on that isn't like a Pink Harley. By the way I ride too but I am bike less at the moment. You have a great day,riding & shooting. Maybe not at the same time. >>>----> Ken

I dont think Gordy Mickens or Jim Neaves,,use em to make a social statement....Gordy had been using them,for quite a while,when he showed me about them..

Not uncommon and has been used successfully by many different races of people for many hundreds of years.I will say that most peoples from all over the world have tended to go for 3 feathers more.The indian 2 fletch is unconventional and turkey tail feathers are used.Done right on the a suitable arrow they work real good.Here is some primative fletching alternative styles and methods

Another style

I tried it last summer just for something different to do, made them bigger than normal and used the 4 fletch setting on my Bitz. Took them out stumping with my self bow no real difference inside 20 yrds but with the bigger cut there was noticeable difference at longer distances. Might try some longer Pheasant feathers with a lower profile tied on with more twist around the arrow. Fun to play around with that stuff sometimes.

More

Neet experiments, nice history lesson. Folks that can't or won't tune will continue to need a 1/2 turkey to stabilize their arrows. the very best archers don't. Check any field of target archery you like and count the 4 fletch and 5 to 5 1/2 inch feathers. There are very few and they are concerned with wind and accuracy more that most. Have a good day just keep shooting.>>>----> ken

And it's still about what you want to shoot. Luckily there are no hard and fast rules about what you should use.

All of the posts about what target archers shoot or don't shoot are irrelevant because they're not shooting broadheads.

I have tried 2 fletch, just out of curiosity, using 4" feathers. I got consistently good broadhead flight, even with 1.5" wide broadheads. However, when I wetted the feathers, group size opened up more than 3 fletch -- not surprising.

I’ve used 2 fletch a little, and saw no difference out to 30 yds compared to 3 fletch. Limited experience with it, but going to continue to experiment.

I've been shooting two fletch for three or more years now. Started when I couldn't get the clearance right in a certain bow with the normal 3 feather 5" fletch. Since I had the feathers attached with tape and had already tried everything I could think of, I ran in peeled the 5"feathers off a shaft and reset them two fletch style. it solved my problem and I've been shooting them that way ever since. On my own river cane shafts, hand planed wood shafts and carbon. 3", 4", and 5" they fly great for me in several different bows including long bows and recurves. I've also tested them with several different broadhead styles and widths up to the big tree sharks without issues. It just works for me and I like the looks too. I have no complaints hunting with them either. You really can tell a big difference in a cross wind between the two fletch and the three or four fletch. Makes sense to me though since with two 180 degree fletched feathers on an arrow theres two points in each rotation that doesn't have Wind pushing negatively against its tail end. Three and four fletch there's always wind to fletching contact pushing more against its tail and forcing it more off path.

Shortbow Thank you so much. That is the experience I spoke of. My findings exactly. No clearance problems,less wind resistance and they nestle together so neet. We can still shoot anything we want to. Flu flu's are lots of fun too. >>>----> Ken

Two fletch.........worked fine for the big blue chick in Avatar. RKK

Just do what you like . New Guinea natives don't use any fletching at all.Their arrows are extra long and weight forward.That combination works as the extra weight up front and extra length create sufficient drag to stabilize arrow flight.These natives have been known to shoot Rusa deer at ranges of 50 meters so shorter 2 fletch are more than adaquate to shoot well OSR

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here