2 fletch question

[21st century archer]

Has anyone used this style of fletch before? Not an eastern woodland 2 fletch but a 2 fletch using 2 split feathers. Can the feathers be laid out straight or do they have to have some degree of twist to fly correctly?

[Scottski]

I have only made one this way. Put fletchings on straight and it flew just fine. Hit my target where I was aiming. Hope this helps you out.

[Pat B]

Like these....


Most are 2 fletch. One or 2 are 3 fletch.

[Aaron H]

What a great view you got there Pat.

[Pat B]

Thanks Aaron. Surrounded by woods and no other houses visible...and we've been here 24 years. 

[Buck67]

I have gone to 2-fletch for all my target arrows.  I put a little helical spin on the feathers to help make up for not having the 3rd feather.  If you do go to 2-fletch, you will probably want to use a slightly bigger feather than a standard die cut.  You need some square inches of feather to get the arrow to rotate quickly.  I adhere the feathers with 2-sided fletching tape and then wrap them at the front and back.

[Pat B]

The feathers on these arrows were attached the same way, Buck67, and I use a feather burner so I can adjust the fletch height as needed. I prefer taller fletching on most of my arrows anyway.

[Buck67]

I have been pleasantly surprised at how well the 2-fletch arrows work.  At first it was a "make a few just see how bad they were" kind of thing.  Then I noticed how much easier it was not having to mess about with making sure that the cock feather was right side up.  Then I noticed that the 2-fletch were just as accurate as the 3-fletch.  Many of the arrows shown in Jim Hamm's Encyclopedia of Native American Bow, Arrows and Quivers are 2-fletch.  That says that people that depended on the arrow for food and defense felt the same way.

There are a lot of good reasons to use 2-fletch.

[Hrothgar]

The last year or so I've been experimenting with some of the fletching styles in  Jim Hamm's book, including a straight 2 fletch.  Sometimes they are dead on accurate, then out of the blue, way off target. And also a little disturbing is the lack of rotation--kind of like trying to hit a knuckleball. I'm sure both problems can be alleviated by adding just a little helical spin.
The ease and speed in making 2 fletch is nice though.