Spineless fletching?

[loon]

The spine is the hard part of the feather, of which the quill is the part of. As far as I know the quill is the thicker part of the spine, opposite to the tip of the feather.

According to a certain archery shop, spineless feather fletchings have the following advantages:

1) eliminate turbulent flight from inconsistent feather spine
2) reduce weight and increase speed
3) increase FOC for faster paradox recovery
4) reduce arrow deflection/paradox (thumb draw)
5) reduce wear and tear on arrow pass (thumb draw)

Perhaps the advantages are minute to irrelevant, especially at shorter ranges with heavier arrows?

I wonder which would be the best/most efficient ways to make spineless fletchings, maybe through stripping feathers by hand? And about potential difficulties in gluing them.
Do any of you use spineless fletching?

Thanks

[turtle]

I used to use stripped turkey feathers. I found them harder to fletch with than the stiffer split ones so I quit using them. Now I mostly do eastern two fletch.

[bjrogg]

I strip mine by hand then trim sides of quill with sissors. all I have of the quill is the "skin" right under vains.
bjrogg










'

[koan]

Like Turtle i do 2 fletch mostly now.. But i have used stripped feathers. Its very easy when feathers are still green.. I think they shoot better personally but they are easier to damage imo... As far as lost fps, paradox etc.. I really couldnt say for sure.. I dont like grinding the quills or breathing the noxious smell that comes from it.... Brian

[Pappy]

I prefer grinding them, just for reasons mentioned above[easier to put on the shaft] but I do take the quill down very thing when grinding. I assume the 5 things you mentioned are correct, just in the big scheme of things  the way I shoot they really don't matter. Except for # 1 and I don't have a problem with that or I would do something different.
 Pappy

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

Sounds like marketing mumbo jumbo to me...

[BowEd]

Correct-a-mondo Urufu.

[Tracker0721]

I strip my feathers, put it in a clamp and cut to the size I have marked on the clamp, then apply fletch tape, and put it on the arrow. Works great with my blitzenburg jig. I also wrap with artificial sinew so the tape doesn't lift and the tape makes it so no air is whistling under the feather. I like primitive but the goal is meat in the freezer so I'll use modern stuff where needed.

I don't wanna mess with the dust when grinding not to mention the time it takes.

[Pat B]

I prefer to split and grind. I like a more rigid base.

[loon]

Thanks for the replies, good info.

[stickbender]

     I don't see difference in whether the fletch is stiff or not.  If it is glued, and or wrapped, it is tight against the shaft, and is not in the air path, so how would it cause a problem?  Just get down to a neat, trim, and glue it on.  Just my opinion.
                                                                                          Wayne