ARROW HELICAL

tmeasel · Post by **tmeasel** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:49 pm

Why do some crossbow arrows have a left helical and some have a right?
Is one better than the other.

bait pile willie · Post by **bait pile willie** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:15 pm

is it because a turkey has both a left and a right wing I dont think it matters as long you dont mix them up?

tmeasel · Post by **tmeasel** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:11 pm

It has nothing to do with which wing they come from,Its the direction the vanes wrap around the shaft.

widowman · Post by **widowman** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:09 pm

tmeasel
PostPosted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:11 pm Post subject:
It has nothing to do with which wing they come from,Its the direction the vanes wrap around the shaft.

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With feathers, you have to use a right wing to fletch right helical or vice versa for left wing.

However, it does not really matter if you get right or left helical.

With that being said, use right helical....its the best.... lol

NZ Hunter · Post by **NZ Hunter** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 11:20 pm

I believe right helical your tips wont work themselves loose as easily.

bj · Post by bj » Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:25 am

NZ Hunter wrote:I believe right helical your tips wont work themselves loose as easily.

correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe both the right and left wings of the bird have "both left and right wing feathers...it happens when the feather is split, resulting in the membrane down direction moving to the left or the right...i think i can remember using both sides of the feather to do both right and left ...this of course was a few hundred years ago...

actually footed shaft should be able to set everyone straight here...

Wayne.....

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:27 am

I know a pro-shop here locally that uses both right an left wing feathers to fletch arrows with a right helical for both types and seems to have no problems. Right/left isn't an issue with arrow rests on bows (even a "shelf" on a longbow) or a track/rail on a crossbow. The old left wing feathers for a right handed archer rule came about when longbows were shot with the arrow resting on the archer's hand as he gripped the bow. A right handed archer shooting a right wing feather would soon learn that because of the orientation of the tip of the feather's rib it would tend to dig-in to his flesh as it passed. Yes - I have tried it and it's true! A bloody hand with a definate slash across the web where the arrow rested convinced me it is true!
The right offset or helical does spin the arrow in the direction to tighten the right-hand threads used on the point. This may help in keeping points tight.