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How do I fletch a Soar's Battle shaft?

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OlaP:
Hi all,
I'm a newly registered user on this forum, but have nevertheless been following your discussions for a while. You may have touched this topic before, if so please tell me and I'll be happy to read about it, if not well... tell me your opinions and I'll be happier!

I've recently started to make my first battle shafts and I've reached the fletching stage. I reread Soar's "Secrets of the English War Bow", chapter "Battle Shaft", pp. 97-100. And to give you a short re-cap:
First he tells us how to insert a 2" horn slit to strengthen the nock, and after that a descrition how to make a 1/4" deep string groove.
Then on to the fletching:
"We will settle on 6-inch-long fletchings, so cut a strong piece 7 1/2 inches long"
"...you must now draw a line extending from 1 inch below the base of the groove for 7 inches parallel to the shaftment"
"...remove the barbs for 1/4 inch from each end of the rachis."
"...carefully place your fletchings, their barbs angled toward the string groove, along the datum lines and hold them fixed for a minute or two."
Then follows a short description of binding the with silk thread.

Now the questions;
1. Am I misunderstanding the description, or will this not give a 7" fletching?
Pictures of fletchings in this chapter, e.g. on p. 99, shows fletchings starting at the lower end of the horn slit, so
2. Will not "...1 inch below the base of the groove..." give a rather small space to place your fingers?

Well, that's my questions. If you find any interest in them, please let me know, and if you could tell me where you approximatley start the fletchings on your battle shafts would be greatly appreciated!

/Ola

stevesjem:
Hi Ola
A 7" Fletching is much closer to the MR and the Westminster Abbey arrow, these were just under 7.5".
The fletching would start about 1/8" from the base of the horn insert. this will give you 1 and 5/8" space for your fingers to go.

I hope this helps

Steve

adb:
Something like this...

7" feathers, silk wrapped
31" bobtailed poplar shaft, 1/2" at head, 3/8" at nock
2" horn re-enforced self nock, 1/8" wide X 1/4" deep
hand forged short bodkin head
900 grains total weight

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D. Tiller:
At what weight of bow should you start using the horn insert? I am now up to 80#'s on my bow. Can one get away with just wrapping the shaft up to the base of the nock for added strength?

Nick:
Nick Birmingham uses wrapped nocks including horn reinforced nocks on his arrows and his bow is 123lbs.

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