3 or 4 Fletchings

I have seen in a number of, older, archery manuals instructions on fletching arrows with either 3 or 4 vanes. Plus I know my fletching jig can be used to fletch 4 vanes as well. This had me thinking...

1. In what situations is it better to use 4?
2. Does anyone actually use 4?
3. Is it still legal in competition to use 4?

I must admit I have never seen an arrow using this set-up, but tempted just to see what happens.
 
R

rgsphoto

Guest
andrew.paterson said:
I have seen in a number of, older, archery manuals instructions on fletching arrows with either 3 or 4 vanes. Plus I know my fletching jig can be used to fletch 4 vanes as well. This had me thinking...

1. In what situations is it better to use 4?
2. Does anyone actually use 4?
3. Is it still legal in competition to use 4?

I must admit I have never seen an arrow using this set-up, but tempted just to see what happens.
1. Can't think of any.
2. Never seen them
3. No Idea.

I can't see it's worth on a target arrow. Best fit bigger fletches if you need more drag. I doubt you will see any difference at a short distance, longer distance may give you too much drag.
 
My bitz jig gives the option of fletching 4 vanes equally spaced or 75x105 degrees so improving clearance. Give it a go next session Andy. ps How's the bruise?
 
Cakemeister said:
Wouldn't you struggle to get clearance? The only option I can think of is a crossbow:)
This is definately in manuals on standard recurve bows, in fact one of them was endorsed by GNAS, so definately not crossbow archery.

I am just intrigued to know whether this was an equipment 'fad' that was only around for a while. But it does leave the question why would jig manufacturers go to the expense of machining parts for both types of fletching configuration if no-one uses it?

So someone out there must be putting 4 vanes on an arrow?
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
andrew.paterson said:
I have seen in a number of, older, archery manuals instructions on fletching arrows with either 3 or 4 vanes. Plus I know my fletching jig can be used to fletch 4 vanes as well. This had me thinking...

1. In what situations is it better to use 4?
2. Does anyone actually use 4?
3. Is it still legal in competition to use 4?

I must admit I have never seen an arrow using this set-up, but tempted just to see what happens.
1. None. I've no idea why 4-fletch was advocated.
2. I've not seen it done for years.
3. No rules I've seen tell you how many fletchings you can have (though the FITA definition seems to imply that you can't shoot a shaft without fletchings!).
 

GeoffT

Active member
Ironman
Last time I shot a four fletched arrow would be about 1965. Guess it was just a fad and there was not as much science involved then.
 

jadlem

New member
Visually impaired archers

We have an archer at our club who is blind. She uses a tactile sight and has 4 fletches on each arrow so it doesn't matter which way round she nocks them. She has very thin shafts which makes it a pain to try and fit all 4 fletchings on them too!
 

Shirt

Well-known member
1) In order to keep the same amount of drag with less vane length on the arrow.
2) Dee Wilde did for a while, suspect he still does indoors.
3) Yes.
 
Perhaps people who shoot 4 fletched arrows are Star Wars fans. If an arrow is fletched 75x105 when viewed from behind it resembles a rebel x wing fighter. Or perhaps it's a dark side thing, compound shooters who use a launcher and shoot cock feather up can make their arrows into an imperial shuttle. long rods become light sabres and they exalt the powers of the dark side,may the draw force be with you. Seriously though I think all archers are Jedi's as we all strive to develop a feel for the shot and shoot without concious effort.
 

Kellog

The American
American Shoot
I've seen long bows with 4, one in particular shoots in our club and is a re-enactor, and shoots arrows with 4 massive square real feather fletches. They sound amazing thru the air, really wooshy! However, they fly at about the same speed as you could throw them.....
 

Meddler

New member
Last time I shot 4 fletchings was when I shot "shark fin" vanes back in the late 70's early 80's...

Like anything else they (four fletchings/vanes) were a fad.

I knew one guy who liked to experiment. If I remember he also did things like glue vanes on backwards to see if there was any discernible effect. I think he also tried six fletchings...
 

joetapley

New member
With broadheads you need to either spin the arrow or install a lot of direct back drag (a small parachute) on the arrow to counteract the planing effect from the point (or both at the same time). Hence the four (large) feathers or helically fitted feathers.
 

Macbow

New member
A couple of the most respected American arrowsmiths advocate 4 feathers with a 60/120 degree mounting when shooting a tradbow off the shelf. This configuration does allow for excellent feather clearance off the shelf and supposedly allows a lower nocking point. It's mainly bowhunters who use it for better stability with a broadhead. Common thinking is three five inch feathers or four four inch. I've tried using four three inch feathers versus three four inch but never noticed any difference so stick with the usual three.
 

Tuck

New member
4 fletch was used in the 70's , using a 120/60 degree format, ie using a standard fletching jig and not putting on a cock vane, then reversing the nock for the second pair of vanes.

This gave the same clearance as standard fletching, and no indexing problems.

This was used to make an arrow using very short dumpy vanes giving a good low drag long distance arrow before spinwings were around. The vanes I used were shark finned shape, about 15mm long and 10 mm high.

Don't forget in those days we didn't have carbons so any way to improve sight marks at 80-100 yards was welcomed!
 

5CardBLAZE

New member
the late 70s --- shark fin fletchings

Last time I shot 4 fletchings was when I shot "shark fin" vanes back in the late 70's early 80's...

Like anything else they (four fletchings/vanes) were a fad.
I was very, very happy with my "Shark fin" fletches in the late 1970s tooooo.:stirthepo
They were awesome in the rain tooo.

What are member's thoughts on these shark fins ? ? ? ? ?
Why did they only have a short commercial life-span ? ? ? ?
Can they be bought any more ??? {second hand and/or new}
 

Tuck

New member
I have seen in a number of, older, archery manuals instructions on fletching arrows with either 3 or 4 vanes. Plus I know my fletching jig can be used to fletch 4 vanes as well. This had me thinking...

1. In what situations is it better to use 4?
2. Does anyone actually use 4?
3. Is it still legal in competition to use 4?

I must admit I have never seen an arrow using this set-up, but tempted just to see what happens.
1- when you want to use a smaller or shorter fletch but similar drag and arrow correction is required, or if you want a parachute effect arrow with large feathers , up to 6 fletchings are used.

2- Yes for short distance shooting, or commercial have-a-go operations, no wrong way to nock arrow.

3- Yes

I used this arrangement with small micro fletches in the 70's , used a standard 3 fletch jig , no cock fletch used and reversed the nock to add as symmetric fletchings. Clearance is the same as 3 fletch.


Eat, Drink, Shoot, Enjoy.
 

Will Spalding

New member
Yes I use 4

I have seen in a number of, older, archery manuals instructions on fletching arrows with either 3 or 4 vanes. Plus I know my fletching jig can be used to fletch 4 vanes as well. This had me thinking...

1. In what situations is it better to use 4?
2. Does anyone actually use 4?
3. Is it still legal in competition to use 4?
1. Nock Tuning. the reason I use 4 is for Precision Matching my arrows, Nock Tuning them. Wooden arrows need to be Precision matched because wood of being variable grained, I test all my arrows by (Nock Tuning)rotating them through 360 degrees. to find which gives be the best grouping. Please read this excellent article.

Precision Arrow Matching

By using 4 fletchings I can rotate the arrow to 4 different positions by turning the nock on the shaft 90 degrees to find the best position for each individual arrow.You have to try this to see juust how much difference it makes to your grouping. Number your arrows and noticed how one of your arrows always goes higher/lower/left or right of your group, very often by shooting that arrow Cock In instead of Cock Out it will change the arrows strike point.Take the nock off and rotate it 90 degrees and try it again ( don't worry about fletching clearance just the once).
2. Yes I use 4 fletchings as it gives be more Nock Tuning positions
3. We have a Top Class Judge in our club and he has passed my 4 fletched arrows at tournaments.

Hope this helps you as much as it has me.
 
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