Westminster Abbey and Mary Rose replica arrows

[swotavator]

I noticed that your goose fletchings look much thicker than your swan fletching.  I have handled only turkey, and as someone who intends to make many more arrows, this is something I am trying to understand. Turkey always felt flimsy and thin to me (and these are the specially prepared ones - 3Rivers - for fletching).  Based on images I have seen, I would suspect that goose feathers would hold up better.  Is that borne out by your experience?  Also, when ordering them (I suspect my sources will be more limited in the US than where you are), what length are you looking for in the overall feather to get something serviceable when cut down?
Thanks!

[stuckinthemud]

I'm not sure arrows were single use, I'm sure that battlefields were picked clean of everything of value, archers would certainly retrieve arrows as soon as they could, especially while on campaign when resupply couldn't be guaranteed?

[WillS]

I noticed that your goose fletchings look much thicker than your swan fletching.  I have handled only turkey, and as someone who intends to make many more arrows, this is something I am trying to understand. Turkey always felt flimsy and thin to me (and these are the specially prepared ones - 3Rivers - for fletching).  Based on images I have seen, I would suspect that goose feathers would hold up better.  Is that borne out by your experience?  Also, when ordering them (I suspect my sources will be more limited in the US than where you are), what length are you looking for in the overall feather to get something serviceable when cut down?
Thanks!

Must be the photo!  The swan is actually quite a bit thicker than goose.  Turkey is quite thin, and I try to avoid it if possible. The advantage of turkey feathers is that they're usually a good 9-11" long which can be tricky to find with goose feathers.  Swan feathers are quite often around 10" long, so they suit longer fletchings better.

I don't buy feathers, I pick them up during the molting season but just order whatever length you need I guess?  Most turkey fletchings come at around 9-11" which is plenty long enough for whatever you want to make.

[WillS]

I'm not sure arrows were single use, I'm sure that battlefields were picked clean of everything of value, archers would certainly retrieve arrows as soon as they could, especially while on campaign when resupply couldn't be guaranteed?

Agreed.  There's no evidence of arrows being reused other than theories based on the two peak average lengths of the MR arrows (the shorter perhaps being repaired/re-headed longer ones) and the fact that the Westminster Abbey head doesn't fit the shaft properly so could have been for a slightly larger shoulder but numerous repairs have brought the head further down the shaft taper.

Theories aside, it's a fact that arrows were expensive.  You don't waste expensive things, whether that's chucking them in the air hopefully, or leaving them when they're available to collect.