test subjects

[Carnivorous]

Up early this morning. Will be doing some long range testing as soon as we gave a calm day...

2" blazers
2 & 3" silent nights
Spynal Tapp arrows.

[wildcatter]

That won't tell you which work best in field conditions. I did this same test 2 years ago, I was very pleased with the SK-300's and thought they may have had a slight advantage over the blazers. But in the wind I found them 3" SK's were way more affected by the wind than the Blazers,,, this is where I need them to perform the best in real world conditions.

I never tested but would like to see if the SK-200's will be as affected by wind blowing them off course as the Blazers. But I found the SK-300 vains were going to be blown off course much worse than the blazers, so for now anyways mine are all guided by blazers.

I will be watching to see the results you get with the SK-200's but until they addressed in the wind, really ain't where they need to perform for me. It would be nice to see how you think they perform in hunting conditions. I'll be watching, but for me ideal conditions are seldom how I shoot or hunt.

[Carnivorous]

I like the SK design and I noticed the glue channel is not as deep as the blazers. I m still a Newbie arrow smither but so far so good. The 3" vanes only have a one degree offset and the 2" inche vanes have an aggressive helical. This is all I could do with the fletching tools I have.

As an added bonus I have an excuse to shoot a bunch more..

[racking up points]

I'll be running the same vane tests this spring on 18.5" spynal tapps, out to 100y.

I have been shooting the sk200's a lot and I like them. I haven't done any side by side comparison with the sk300's or Blazers yet, but I will say the sk200's are definitely quieter.

[Spike Country]

Be sure to try them with broadheads also. I plan to test some more this summer but was very disappointed last fall when I put broadheads on my arrows and they were way off.

Look forward to your review.

[wildcatter]

The SK's are quieter, but that is one thing I don't put much thought in, I shoot a recurve!!!As fer the glue flange, yes it is small and is stiff, making for close attention when assembling them, the ones I built to try with a helical were a real pain in my back side.

The helical I won't build anymore, but have a clamp fer the bitz if I need it. I use a slight offset, but the more you use, the more wind will affect them. I think from what I have seen, if you use to light a spine, the helical will help, or if you are not spine indexing, the helical is more forgiving, but a strong helical will loose speed faster, shooting with more trajectory. With Spynal Tapps I have proven they are stiff enough fer even the 405's I had without an aggressive helical, finally if you want quiet,,, you don't want helical, like I said that don't concern me but wind having more effect on POI does.

as fer the vanes and broadheads lining up, this is where the double wall spynal tapps shine,,, this is all I use anymore, and have the 55 grain Loc 'n' Load inserts so if I want I can set any broadhead where I want it.

[jody5252]

I, also use SK 300, using a Bitz' jig. I used the clamp that came with the jig. Not sure what degree it is. might be 1*... I have the offset clamp also. best accuracy was with the first clamp. The SK's are challenging, indeed to get them to stick. Highly recommend using the primer first. (Available through SK. Check out there web-site, if you have not already done so.) Then a good quality glue. (I used Goat tuff) Vanes will not come off, unless you cut them off... By all means test with BH's also. I had minimal difference in POI with field pts., and the BH's, out to 40yds.

[Carnivorous]

I cleaned the vanes with acetone and q tip. This was recomended to me and they seem to have stuck really well. I used the gorilla blue top glue. I will find out real quick if I did it correctly when I shoot them....

[racking up points]

Jake's Archery online had Zing! primer @ $3.49/bottle.

[wildcatter]

I cleaned the vanes with acetone and q tip. This was recomended to me and they seem to have stuck really well. I used the gorilla blue top glue. I will find out real quick if I did it correctly when I shoot them....

That's all I use to prime,,, but after using bohning, gorrilla, loctite, goat tuff and two kinds regular and premium, along with many other premium glues and super glues,,, I talked to Jerry at South Shore,,, bought his glue and unbelievable, 15 seconds and their cured,,, you won't pull em off with pliers, shooting cleat thru targets you'll tear the vanes but you will never get the glue flange loose from the arrow,,, the only way is to cut em off, and sand em clean!!

[SEW]

I started preliminary testing today with Blazers & SK200s in helical and SK300s in offset. Field points only so far. A bit windy, M405, shot to 60 yds. SK300s marginally better than Blazers followed by SK200s. No real data yet. Just recording speeds with different arrow weights, selecting strings to be used(380,405, Bulldog 400, and Vortex). Obviously, whichever fletching has the most control should win the broadhead test. But then, that's the entire purpose of this testing. 300s averaged a little under 1 1/2" 3-shot groups in lightly variable wind - but too much wind for meaningful results. 200s were between 1 1/2-2" gps.
More later.

[wildcatter]

I started preliminary testing today with Blazers & SK200s in helical and SK300s in offset. Field points only so far. A bit windy, M405, shot to 60 yds. SK300s marginally better than Blazers followed by SK200s. No real data yet. Just recording speeds with different arrow weights, selecting strings to be used(380,405, Bulldog 400, and Vortex). Obviously, whichever fletching has the most control should win the broadhead test. But then, that's the entire purpose of this testing. 300s averaged a little under 1 1/2" 3-shot groups in lightly variable wind - but too much wind for meaningful results. 200s were between 1 1/2-2" gps.
More later.

It would be interesting to see your results with the Blazers and 200 with the same offset instead of helical,,, I have been thinking of trying the 200's with the same offset I have been using with the blazers, about 1*, I talked with Jerry about this the other day and it looks like since the sk's are a tad shorter and same length, they may be a tad more resistant than the blazers,,,, keep mus informed sew, the info is always welcome.

Accuracy was great with the 300's but in the wind they drifted farther from POA than the blazers, that was what I didn't like.