Got my 4", LW, parabolic feathers from overseas today. They seem a good quality, with consistent quills. One thing I did notice is the quills are thicker.

Fletch up a dozen new Easton powerflight shafts that I got off the auction site for $47. Used dollar store superglue gel. They fly and look good.

With their slightly lower profile and better "feeling" feather and of course cost 50/$14 shipped, I would say they are an improvement over Sagittarius.

My opinion may not reflect yours.

If I can buy a "Made in USA" product vs. something from China, I'll do it every time. We're anything but wealthy, however spending a few dollars more for an American product doesn't bother me at all.

Stix, I mean you no disrespect at all, but to me China is an enemy of the USA in a hundred different ways, and, for me, I will not support them unless given no other option.

Nice looking fletch job. They lay very well.

Typed on a computer made where?

Arrows looking good.

Stix, do you have the link for those feathers from EBay?

We sell both the Chinese feathers (listed as Big Jims Buffalo feathers) and trueflight so customers have the option.

It was a business decision that we had to make. BigJim

Link to the ebay store:

When you copy and paste,remove any spaces the copy & paste process puts in.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.htm l? _ssn=yxw19881212&store_name=yx w19881212&_oac=1&_trksid=p4429 486.m3561.l49496

I like choices.

Good for you BigJim!

Apologies gents..didn't mean to come off that strongly. I've got a houseful of made-in-China products, too (including my keyboard)..seems unavoidable these days.

Big Jim, the people making these feathers are not the CCP, so if it's a good product at a lower price I don't blame you one bit for carrying them along with other manufacturers. I've always bought Trueflight, or cut them myself.

I really like TrueFlight feathers but haven’t been able to afford them for several years. I buy Sagittarius and I don’t care where they source them just as I would buy from Big Jim and not care where he gets his. If you can buy all American products today, my hat’s off to you. I wish I could.

Nice looking feathers.

I'm retired, live on a fixed budget, and spend my money wisely. I have five new bows hanging on the wall. Four are Asian. Do I give a flying hoot where a feather came from? Nope.

I don't have a problem with the Chinese people. Good work ethic and hold their personal integrity with high regard. I do have a problem with their authoritarian gov't. I also have a problem with my empty wallet. If I go to my local shop, I pay a premium for equipment. If I order online from most local retailers I can get same cheaper, but with additional shipping charges that absorb my savings. These feathers, from overseas, along with discounted arrow shafts, and dollar store glue maximize my savings, and give me something to assemble and enjoy a little pride in my own work.

More complaints about Chinese Turkey feathers than Chinese bows…some Chinese bows use Gordon’s fiberglass, how does that fit into the discussion? LOL

Chinese turkeys are anti communist. Just saying. :^) >>>-----> Ken

The USA sells China a lot of grains for animal feed. Billions of dollars worth of grains, those might be hybrid feathers.

Seems like EVERY FREAKING TIME China comes up, there are China Haters coming out of the woodwork pretending they understand how a global economy works…..

I used to work with a guy who had a vision to make clothing in the US. He quickly found out that he couldn’t buy the fabric from anywhere in the US and get the quality that he needed in order to justify the cost of production. I thought he’d gone bust, to be honest. The thing is, after the US textile companies closed up shop, the looms used to make the premium quality denim all got sold to operations in Japan. And come to think of it, I used to know another guy who thought he was going to win big selling made in USA denim, but he couldn’t turn a profit and probably ended up selling his looms at fire sale prices….

But for the guy who wanted to actually make the clothes, Jeans were a hard sell 15 years ago at $150/pair with basically no profit margin. I just looked him up; he’s (miraculously) still out there, selling casual shirts and jeans Made In USA (of imported materials) at $250 for a shirt and $290 for a pair of jeans.

I’m sure there are lots of guys here who’d be delighted to help an enterprising guy out with his mission by buying a few pair and a half dozen shirts…

So it’s ok if the Chinese feathers are sold by Americans but not if they are purchased direct from China!

Been using them for quite a few years and will continue. The price will dictate where I buy them, so far it’s been direct.

My wallet is a big driver for my purchases, weather it be a stateside retailer selling imported stuff, or buying direct. The US is now a financials based economy. In otherwords, most of the wealth is accumulated not by working for money, but having your money work for you, and unfortunately in some cases accumulating wealth from the govt.

I'm a big feather user & use Truflite, Gateways & several others from where ever made. I do tend to get my Truflites when I see them on sale as most others too. The China ones I have had have always been decent base & shape.

I I just tried Ozarks feathers.they are just as good has gateway in my book.

And where are the Ozarks actually made/birds raised??

We are way past being able to buy American. It is impossible. Besides China owns us.

The Chinese love American, Japanese and European products.

I buy the Ozarks from Lancaster. I believe they are USA in Carthage Missouri. Big Jim sell them also.

I bought 50 , then bought 100 more just in case they changed the color or profile. Seem to be fine.

Chinese feathers as well as Gateway and BearPaw which used to be pretty good, all have big thick quills with uneven grinds that take too much of my time to fix, when they can be fixed. I have gone back to Trueflight, the arrow is the most important part of my set up.

David, when you say uneven grinds, are you referring to the flatnesss pf the arrow side of the quill?

What is pf?

Trueflights are more expensive but last time I tried the G brand the quills sucked pond. I'll pay more for quality.

If I need to compromise on the price, I won't use barred feathers for cocks. (Even though I still love that look.) I use solid/solid combos on my indoor winter arrows.

David,

Fumble fingered, should be 'of', not 'pf'

Is uneven grind referring to the flatness of the arrow side of the quill?

I've heard that term before and don't know what it's referring to.

Stix, that flat side can have some rougher parts to it, meaning it's not glued snug onto the shaft. I used to work them straight and smooth on a piece of sandpaper laying on a flat table.

Thanks Mike. I guess that's where a gel super glue of fletching tape will come in handy? If fills any micro voids between an uneven grind and the shaft?

gel super glue or fletching tape*

Another fumble finger on my phone.

Mike B X2

Putting them in a straight clamp and cleaning up and truing the shaft side of the quill on sandpaper. Takes a lot of time and sometimes a feather is not salvageable which shorts your dozen and requires the purchase of more feathers. In those cases, it is cheaper, and better to pay a little more for Trueflights.

China has been making good stuff for 30 years to serve the low paying Americans thanks to Walmart and others. Chinese people are not the Problem but their government is just like our government is a problem to Americans. Love those Risers they copied on the Black Hunters! Made Archery affordable again like these feathers. :)) Keep buying Chinese copies until their people are making good wages like Americans and we will maybe be able to compete in manufacturing again.

My question is, would using a gel type superglue or fletching tape allow you to effectively use feathers, even with an uneven grind, due to the fact the gel (or tape) will fill in th voids created by the uneven grind?

80 grit sandpaper glued to a flat surface. Put feather in clamp swipe across paper & glue it on. It takes less time than it did to type it. But I am used to grinding my own.>>>----> Ken

I agree with Mike B

Ken, did you build a jig to grind feathers?

Stick, I'm not sure about super glues, but good old fashioned fletching cement will do a good job gluing down an unperfect feather.

Steve

I bought 50-5” white LW feathers from this supplier. The quills are fine on my 50, much thinner than Gateways quills. I prefer Trueflight feathers over any others, they are better, especially on their barred feathers.

shortdraw Yes. Email sent >>>-----> Ken

“So it’s ok if the Chinese feathers are sold by Americans but not if they are purchased direct from China!”

I do look at it this way… If I can buy the same product at the same price from someone in the US, then I’m out nothing at all, and there are a few bucks staying in the US economy which would otherwise escape.

Speaking of which, I’m not seeing Jim’s “house brand” feathers on his site…. But I would feel better buying a product he’s reviewed and chosen than buying blindly from overseas. And if that costs me a couple bucks, I’m pretty OK with that. Stress- free that way. Shipping is not a deal-breaker, but it’s always better to stock up, right? ;)

I remember when Japan was their selected trade enemy.

"Speaking of which, I’m not seeing Jim’s “house brand” feathers on his site"...I bet if you email them or call they will explain why.

I'd get'em while you can if I were you ... If you thought the US sub prime crash was bad, wait 'till the China property market implodes ... you'll be able to see it from space.

I fletched up the arrows in the pic above , easton powsrflights $47/dz, with these feathers $14/50, dollar store supeglue. They fly just as good as GT hunters, with Sagittarius feathers, bohning fletch tape.

Not sure whar I wouldhave gained with more expensive components.

We are working diligently to get the feathers listed on our website, but there just isn't enough time or people here to get the work done. Try as I might, I can't seem to find anyone to come in here to work and show up on a regular basis ... besides my core group of employees.

We are getting ready to attend the Tennessee Classic and it is taking up most of our time besides the everyday business.

I must say that this constant struggle trying to compete with all the lowest bidders and an inability to hire reliable employees has me questioning my future. It is now 1:AM and I still have a dozen arrows to fletch. Most of the grips have been installed for this evening and I have hit my self-imposed limit of libation.

I love what I do, but I have to keep asking myself why.. :( .. at the end of the day, I, like everyone else will just fade away and be replaced by the next guy with cheaper whatever. Bigjim

You are a good man and doing it right.

Steve posted about the feathers he received..I didn't see where he asked about what we think about where he purchased them from.

I now buy all my feathers from Amazon. They come from China and I get free delivery. I've always been happy with the quality and their value for money.

That has to be frustrating BigJim. People Just don’t seem to want to work anymore. I am sure glad I am retired and don’t have to deal with today’s workforce.

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