Does left or right offset/helic matter?

[Scottyboy]

From what I gather (what I would consider questionable resources with my google search) the general consensus is that it doesn’t matter if you do a left or right offset/helical with your arrows.

What’s your opinion if you do left or right? I’ve heard right because your head won’t loosen upon impact but I’ve also heard to shoot with no fletching to see what direction your arrow spins and fletch accordingly.

For those (me) that are uneducated, where do you see if you need a 2* offset of full helical etc? I do not have the ability to build my own arrows so will be using black ovis. I gather that a “full” helical will be slower than a 1 or 2* offset, but where does the average person land. Let’s assume a 29 1/2 draw at 65lbs right handed.

I’m sure I’m over thinking this, but don’t we all when it comes to gear

 

[2blade]

How can you tell which way your arrow spins when bare? I mean, I will shoot bare shafts to 30 to 50 yards for tuning but they're going so fast that there is no way I can tell which way they spin? I'm just looking for straight flight. I then fletch them up right helical and it doesn't make any difference on field points coming loose, they still do.

I apply as much helical I can get on a 5mm shaft and still have solid vane contact with the shaft so they stay on that shaft. I like the control for my fixed blades and if it slows down the arrow, it can't be that much, they still blow thru everything.

 

[justin davis]

How can you tell which way your arrow spins when bare? I mean, I will shoot bare shafts to 30 to 50 yards for tuning but they're going so fast that there is no way I can tell which way they spin? I'm just looking for straight flight. I then fletch them up right helical and it doesn't make any difference on field points coming loose, they still do.

I apply as much helical I can get on a 5mm shaft and still have solid vane contact with the shaft so they stay on that shaft. I like the control for my fixed blades and if it slows down the arrow, it can't be that much, they still blow thru everything.

You shoot your bareshaft a like a foot
Or 2 and see what way the arrow is rotating

 

[ozyclint]

if you use single bevel BH's it matters. you should match the fletching direction with the BH rotation governed by whether it is left or right bevel.

 

[doverpack12]

I'm going to test this out and currently have some fletched up with left helical compared to my standard right helical. I'm also going to experiment with differing amounts of helical and offset and fletching type and number. My setup shoots well but I feel like I'm over correcting my broadheads and then the fletching and broadhead start fighting eachother when the arrow slows down too rapidly and the front starts walking around (braodhead then controls momentarily). I have been shooting AAE Max Stealths fletched with an Arizona EZ with the 3" arms. Bohning Heat vanes were looking good last year with the same but ran out of time to test so stuck with AAE. My arrows spin left on both of my bows. I also have a Bitzenburger with straight and helical clamps just liked the convenience and hard helical of the EZ fletch.

To check spin direction make a mark on top of the arrow when nocked and shoot it at maybe a couple yards and you will be able to tell which way the mark rotated.

 

[2blade]

I have tested right verses left with field points and broadheads and can't see any difference. I am not shooting single bevels, I prefer 4 blades.

 

[Wellsdw]

Some of the Left vs right talk comes from is availability. I shoot trad mostly, and for what ever reason Right feathers are easier to find. So most shoot right. Also beveling like the guy said above is the only thing that truly matters.

 

[dkime]

There’s a hypothesis that exists in the Archery World that states that the direction in which your string is twisted while being built, dictates the direction of natural rotation that your bare shafts have. To be honest I’ve spent zero time thinking about it or attempting to figure out if it has any merit or not. I’ve seen no measurable difference as of yet in either left or right


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[Zac]

I use to think it did until I listened to a Tim Gillingham on BEECAST episode number 28, they discuss the topic towards the beginning of the podcast, it is an epic listen all the way through.

 

[Coastiehunter2]

There were some pro shooters doing it last year but haven't heard much about it this year. Usually what happens is they don't notice a difference so the idea disappears, my arrows spin left I shoot right helical and they pound!

 

[Jakey_boy001]

I'm going to test this out and currently have some fletched up with left helical compared to my standard right helical. I'm also going to experiment with differing amounts of helical and offset and fletching type and number. My setup shoots well but I feel like I'm over correcting my broadheads and then the fletching and broadhead start fighting eachother when the arrow slows down too rapidly and the front starts walking around (braodhead then controls momentarily). I have been shooting AAE Max Stealths fletched with an Arizona EZ with the 3" arms. Bohning Heat vanes were looking good last year with the same but ran out of time to test so stuck with AAE. My arrows spin left on both of my bows. I also have a Bitzenburger with straight and helical clamps just liked the convenience and hard helical of the EZ fletch.

To check spin direction make a mark on top of the arrow when nocked and shoot it at maybe a couple yards and you will be able to tell which way the mark rotated.

I know this is an old tread but I wanted to know if you actually finished your testing? And what the outcomes were?

 

[406unltd]

It doesn’t loosen your heads on impact. It also doesn’t matter which way you fletch. I choose to shoot whatever the bow spits them out as. I’ve only checked it on my last two bows and they have been left so i fletch left. It does have a cleaner flight from start to finish but my skill level cannot say one is more accurate than the other, even with BH.

 

[BucksNBulls]

I think it matters. Levi Morgan thinks it matters. I can show you some high speed video that might make you think it matters. There is a reason Kudu point has started making left bevel Broadheads. Just saying.

 

[takdrvr]

I shoot a bare shaft from about five feet and see which way the nock turns coming out of my bow and whichever way the nock turns that’s the way I fletch my arrows.

 

[7-Pointers]

I'm in the camp that it matters, and I match the direction of my fletch to the direction my bare shaft naturally spins. The magnitude of the angle to fletch at is primarily determined by how much correction your arrow needs, which is primarily influenced by 1) how tuned your bow is, and 2) how big your broadhead is. 3 degrees has been reported to be the ideal angle for Blazer vanes with broadheads based on some experiments I'm too lazy to reference here but you can probably find with a Google search.

For what it's worth, fletching at known angles turns out to be pretty difficult (other than 3 degrees right on Helix), and nearly impossible on the Bitzenberger. I recently made a bunch of adapters for my Bitzenberger straight clamp that allow fletching at any degree of helical (or offset), right or left. Here's a link to info on the adapters if you're interested.

WTS - Adapter for Helical Fletching at Any Angle With Straight Bitzenberger Jig

I recently got frustrated with the lack of any 3 degree left helical fletching jig, so I made this set of adapters for my Bitzenberger Straight jig that enables perfectly accurate fletching at any specific degree of right or left angle, from 3 degree helical to completely straight. The set...

www.rokslide.com

 

[Zac]

Also in the camp of it matters. I am not going to post the article by Stallone again, but that is what convinced me. I ended up buying a Vane Master Pro in order to do some crazy helicals and ended up hating it. I now have a Firenock which really doens't give you much more than about two degrees. I think I will probably just end up going back to the bitz with a basic helical.

 

[Swampcruiser]

I am in the camp that it matters, if only in my head. The Stallone test referenced above is pretty solid. It’s not a huge amount with clocking but it’s enough to make me feel like it’s worth it.
I like to cut the blitz clamp end off to get a little more helical with offset for shorter vanes like MaxStealth and Blazers

 

[BucksNBulls]

Also in the camp of it matters. I am not going to post the article by Stallone again, but that is what convinced me. I ended up buying a Vane Master Pro in order to do some crazy helicals and ended up hating it. I now have a Firenock which really doens't give you much more than about two degrees. I think I will probably just end up going back to the bitz with a basic helical.

What did you hate about the Vane Master? I love that thing. I have 2 Bitz's that I'm thinking about selling after I got the VM

 

[OR Archer]

There’s a hypothesis that exists in the Archery World that states that the direction in which your string is twisted while being built, dictates the direction of natural rotation that your bare shafts have. To be honest I’ve spent zero time thinking about it or attempting to figure out if it has any merit or not. I’ve seen no measurable difference as of yet in either left or right


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Paige Pierce has an interesting video out of her shooting two different nock types from the same bow. One spun left. The other right. That changed my thoughts on the whole serving and string twist theory.
As far as if it really matters is up to the individual. For the vast majority of shooters they’ll never be able to really tell the difference between right or left helical.

 

[Billy Goat]

Put me in the camp of I do it and don't think it matters.



I have yet to shoot any of my arrows and have them turn clockwise (right). I have shot Rogue strings which of course are twisted backwards, but I still rotate CCW. I think your hand position with your release plays into it. Pretty easy to rotate a loop with your hand position. I shoot a pretty level hand (off the knuckles flat) compared to a lot I see. I imagine the s shape of the bowstring at launch can play into it a lot.

So that's why I think it does it, anymore I start to wonder if you are better off to fletch counter to the rotation. The point of fletching is to create drag. I wonder if creating drag as early as possible leads to better accuracy as the arrow won't travel so far off course before corrected.

Then my head explodes.