Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: stuckinthemud on December 30, 2019, 09:23:03 am

Title: leather fletchings?
Post by: stuckinthemud on December 30, 2019, 09:23:03 am

Can you use thin leather for fletchings?  If so, then how would you go about it?  Presumably you groove the arrow?

Thanks in advance,
Andrew

Title: Re: leather fletchings?
Post by: Mr. Woolery on December 30, 2019, 10:42:52 am

I’m not at home or I’d go through my back issues. One of the articles about museum treasures showed what I think was a Turkish arrow (I could be totally wrong about the Turkish part, but it surely was an arrow) with leather fletching.

When you think about the characteristics of thin leather and modern plastic vanes, I don’t suppose it is all that different. For that matter, a lot of people seem to be using duct tape for vanes.

I’ve not tried leather, but I know I like feather fletching better than plastic vanes.

Patrick

Title: Re: leather fletchings?
Post by: Hawkdancer on December 30, 2019, 02:05:35 pm

I would think the leather has to be stiff as well as thin.  Grooving and wrapping along with glue, perhaps.
Hawkdancer

Title: Re: leather fletchings?
Post by: Pat B on December 30, 2019, 04:35:01 pm

Once the arrow has been launched I don't doubt leather fletching would work fine. Getting around the bow might be a different story.

Title: Re: leather fletchings?
Post by: Strelets on December 31, 2019, 12:34:10 pm

Although leather was often used for fletching crossbow bolts in the Middle Ages, I have never come across any reference to it being used for arrows. I would not shoot a leather-fletched arrow off my knuckle.

Title: Re: leather fletchings?
Post by: EdwardS on January 01, 2020, 02:23:26 am

Parchment I've seen.  It works very well.

Title: Re: leather fletchings?
Post by: Deerhunter21 on January 01, 2020, 03:27:37 pm

I think thin rawhide would work! Wet it and mold it and sew it or glue it!