Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: TRACY on April 03, 2009, 12:45:59 pm

Title: Fletching with silk?
Post by: TRACY on April 03, 2009, 12:45:59 pm

I see folks with arrows that are hand fletched with silk thread spiraled through the feathers for attachment. I've never fletched this way and I'm interested in giving it a try.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you , Tracy

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: Little John on April 04, 2009, 10:45:27 am

I am no expert here but I can get then done. Best thing I can sugest is just to get after it and learn from your mistakes. Nothing lost and you will get better soon. I have used fletching jigs and then added the thread also Processed the feathers by hand then hand fletched then wraped with string and all inbetween. I once took raw arrow materials on an elk hunt and made a few around the campfire durind the middle of the day and hunted with them that afternoon.  Kenneth

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: TRACY on April 05, 2009, 07:45:01 am

Thanks LJ. I've been getting a lot of experience with turkey feathers and sinew on cane and really enjoy/appreciate the end result. You're right, I'll just have at it and learn by my mistakes. Too many interests and not nearly enough time ;D

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: DanaM on April 05, 2009, 07:57:22 am

I glue the feather down first, make sure the quills are nice and flat on the front and back so the silk will lay nice.
You can measure and mark the shaft so the spacing is even but I just start wrapping and do it by eye, I use a tooth pick to
seperate the barbs as needed. I also loosely clamp the shaft in a vice so I can rotate it. Have fun eh :)

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: TRACY on April 05, 2009, 08:01:06 am

Thanks for the info Dana, I'll give it a try.

Tracy

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: Pat B on April 05, 2009, 11:02:25 am

Tracy, a few yours ago someone posted pics of a simple jig for hand fletching shafts. It may have been Jamie.  It is basically a small piece of cardboard(or another similar material) with a shaft size hole in the middle and slots radiating out at the appropriate angle(ie. 120 deg for a 3 fletch). This jig holds the feathers as you wind the thread.  There was also a jig for holding the shaft while working on it.
   Do a search to see if you can locate that thread.

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: Little John on April 05, 2009, 11:26:46 am

I think I will make a simular jig to mark the location of the fletches for hand fletching, to get them equally spaced around the shaft. Good Idea.    kenneth

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: Hillbilly on April 05, 2009, 11:57:34 am

I often use a little cardboard thingy to mark the fletching evenly on the shaft. As for wrapping through the feathers, it helps me if I say a lot of cuss words while I'm wrapping them and unwrapping and re-wrapping.

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: DanaM on April 05, 2009, 07:06:58 pm

Quote from: Hillbilly on April 05, 2009, 11:57:34 am

I often use a little cardboard thingy to mark the fletching evenly on the shaft. As for wrapping through the feathers, it helps me if I say a lot of cuss words while I'm wrapping them and unwrapping and re-wrapping.

Been there before Steve :D Think I may have invented a few new curse words in the process ;)

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: TRACY on April 06, 2009, 09:09:25 am

Does it make any difference if you start at the nock end and wrap towards the point or vice versa? I'm left handed and rarely in my right mind ;D

Thanks Tracy

Any preference on silk thread, heavy or lite?

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: DanaM on April 06, 2009, 12:14:52 pm

Never tried working backwards ??? As for the silk I use the stuff 3 rivers sells as I can't find any real silk thread anywhere else.

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: Diligence on April 06, 2009, 01:43:34 pm

this might be the link referred to for the simple fletching jig

http://www.primitiveways.com/fletching_jig.html

D

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: Pat B on April 07, 2009, 12:26:15 am

That's the one D. Thanks for finding it.

Title: Re: Fletching with silk?
Post by: TRACY on April 07, 2009, 09:33:57 am

Thanks Dana, Pat and Diligence.