About to start making up some arrows and finally bought a feather chopper.

My question is, how many 4" parabolic feathers can you get from a full length feather? Hoping 2 or I might have to return it.

Thanks,

Maybe 2 and the quill will be wider on one of those .

Depends where you buy the feathers. I do the same thing. I have found full length feathers from Sagitarius to be longer than those I have received from other makers such as True flight and Bearpaw. I typically get 170 to 180 cut 4" feathers from 100 Sagitarius full length feathers. What is left I use for feather rests. I have also made some spliced feathers with the scraps.

2 for sure

What CStyles said.

2nd What CStyles said.

RonL

topGUN, why would you return it? Most full length feathers are 10 to 12 inches long, if your careful you can get two cuts from each feather. If you hold the feather up to light you will notice the oil line that travels above the quill. Where the oil line is the highest is the best part of the feather, but that means only one cut, what's left over is for flu flu arrows or kids arrows.

smrobertson,

sorry wasnt real clear. I bought the chopper for 4" feathers and then was going to buy full length feathers and it got me to thinking I hope I can get 2 out of each one.

I would only return to get a 3" chopper so I could get 2 out of a full length feather.

Sounds like from the above replies I should be able to get 2 out of my 4" chopper.

Thanks all for your replies

Also, had never heard of Sagittarius feathers until now. I’m going to give them a try.

Also, had never heard of Sagittarius feathers until now. I’m going to give them a try.

You have to call them to order, no website very old school. Great prices, great colors. 720-202-4910

My mistake, they do now have a Website: https://www.sagittariusarchery.com/

The last 300 full length feathers I’ve bought were from Sagittarius. Been quite happy with what I’ve received from them.

Steve

Sagittarius might see a BOOM in business? ( I HOPE?)

You should have no problem getting two out of full length feathers. I get two out of most of my Osceola feathers and this bird is generally a good bit smaller than easterns.

I bought a 5 inch cutter. I could get two fletchings from my wild turkey feathers...but The first one would be stiffer and an arrow fletched with the stiffer fletch would fly quiet an arrow fletched with the "softer" back end of feather flies with a slight sound of a flu- flu? Both arrows fly good and my target doesn't care about a little "swoosh" noise!

True flight you get two four inch feathers maybe 70% of the time. Gateway maybe 75-80% of the time. Wild feathers 80%+ on primaries much less on secondaries.

I modified my 5" to 3". All I need now. Usually get 3 feathers from a full length.

I tend to agree with Charley. Turkeys are butchered at such young age anymore that they don't live long enough to fully develop their flight feathers. They used to average 10-12 inches, now it's more likely 8-10 inches. I can't speak about Sagittarius feathers. Never tried them. I can just about always get two 4-inch fletches out of wild turkey feathers.

IF you can source, or raise your own turkeys, you do no have to harvest them quite so young and let their feathers fully mature, then send the wings to Stykz. He will grind the the feathers, and I usually get at least two fletching using my 3" chopper plus left overs and sometimes, if the feather is large enough I have gotten 3, but one of those is not a good quality fletching, and goes on the shaft with a blunt.

-Bones

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