Iron Will Arrows

[Bill V]

I'll post another thread with a video and the full story, but I wanted to address a couple questions and comments. On price, we are selling a dozen full length fletched shafts for $189.95 which I think is very reasonable. I wanted to take the best performing vane from the university study and offer it to our customers at a very consistent 3 degree helical. I worked with AAE to manufacture this Hybrid Hunter vane and Easton to machine fletch it. Our cutting and squaring process is more expensive and of course optional. We have a machinist individually chucking up each arrow in a machining center and precisely cutting and squaring both ends of the shaft. This is something I've always wanted for myself to get the best nock to shaft to point alignment and consistent pressure from the string to the nock to the shaft from arrow to arrow. This costs me about $7.50 per shaft, which is the cost I am passing on for this service. We will be selling the vanes in a few weeks so you can build the complete arrow yourself or buy the fletched shafts and finish them yourself to save money. I'm happy to give advice on how to do this.

 

[TheTone]

I'll post another thread with a video and the full story, but I wanted to address a couple questions and comments. On price, we are selling a dozen full length fletched shafts for $189.95 which I think is very reasonable. I wanted to take the best performing vane from the university study and offer it to our customers at a very consistent 3 degree helical. I worked with AAE to manufacture this Hybrid Hunter vane and Easton to machine fletch it. Our cutting and squaring process is more expensive and of course optional. We have a machinist individually chucking up each arrow in a machining center and precisely cutting and squaring both ends of the shaft. This is something I've always wanted for myself to get the best nock to shaft to point alignment and consistent pressure from the string to the nock to the shaft from arrow to arrow. This costs me about $7.50 per shaft, which is the cost I am passing on for this service. We will be selling the vanes in a few weeks so you can build the complete arrow yourself or buy the fletched shafts and finish them yourself to save money. I'm happy to give advice on how to do this.

Thanks and yeah that makes things seem way more reasonable. I might have to try cutting a couple in a lathe myself, never thought of it. Can I send you a pm with a couple questions on it?

 

[JjamesIII]

I'll post another thread with a video and the full story, but I wanted to address a couple questions and comments. On price, we are selling a dozen full length fletched shafts for $189.95 which I think is very reasonable. I wanted to take the best performing vane from the university study and offer it to our customers at a very consistent 3 degree helical. I worked with AAE to manufacture this Hybrid Hunter vane and Easton to machine fletch it. Our cutting and squaring process is more expensive and of course optional. We have a machinist individually chucking up each arrow in a machining center and precisely cutting and squaring both ends of the shaft. This is something I've always wanted for myself to get the best nock to shaft to point alignment and consistent pressure from the string to the nock to the shaft from arrow to arrow. This costs me about $7.50 per shaft, which is the cost I am passing on for this service. We will be selling the vanes in a few weeks so you can build the complete arrow yourself or buy the fletched shafts and finish them yourself to save money. I'm happy to give advice on how to do this.

Thanks for coming on and giving information. BTW-I’ve had success with your 150 grain solid heads, they tune well for me.

A couple of questions, are the university study results on the vane configurations published? How did the four fletch options with vanes set to 2-3 degree helical test in regards to accuracy with iron wills broadheads? Personally, my experience has indicated a better outcome with my set up (using lower profile, four fletch aae max hunter vanes).

I’ve always squared both ends of the shaft as well, but I have never tested them, if there is an advantage , I could not shoot the difference. In the testing, what measured improvements did you find squaring the ends? In theory, it makes sense- that’s why I do this additional step.

 

[5MilesBack]

If your time assembling something is worth nothing then you're only shortchanging yourself

How much is your time watching TV worth? I equate the time for both to be about the same worth, especially when most of my fletching happens in front of the TV anyway. If I'm watching TV I might as well do something productive at the same time.

I've tested a lot of vanes in the past 17 years, and in the end my 2" QS Speed Hunter vanes always come out on top. I just wish they hadn't changed the bases on them from about 10 years ago. Those were the best.

 

[Billy Goat]

How much is your time watching TV worth? I equate the time for both to be about the same worth, especially when most of my fletching happens in front of the TV anyway. If I'm watching TV I might as well do something productive at the same time.

I've tested a lot of vanes in the past 17 years, and in the end my 2" QS Speed Hunter vanes always come out on top. I just wish they hadn't changed the bases on them from about 10 years ago. Those were the best.

Except noise.

Those vanes steered well, but sound like a fighter jet.

 

[Trial153]

I like to build my own arrows. That said if I figured out my time and the material I would way way ahead of had Bill build them or anyone else for that matter

 

[wnelson14]

What happens when you shoot through or tear the vane that was machine attached?

I’m by all means no expert or claim to be a great shot, but I literally am Replacing vanes weekly it seems like. This is even on field points.

 

[Billy Goat]

What happens when you shoot through or tear the vane that was machine attached?

I’m by all means no expert or claim to be a great shot, but I literally am Replacing vanes weekly it seems like. This is even on field points.

Bill said they would be selling the vanes in a few weeks.

In terms of matching the previous fletch configuration, guess that will depend on what you have for fletching.

 

[wnelson14]

Bill said they would be selling the vanes in a few weeks.

In terms of matching the previous fletch configuration, guess that will depend on what you have for fletching.

Gotcha, So are they selling a jig that matches their helical offset to attach a new vane

 

[Billy Goat]

Gotcha, So are they selling a jig that matches their helical offset to attach a new vane

Not that I'm aware of.


It's usually not too difficult to match a factory fletch, just easton putting the vanes on.

 

[Bill V]

If you need to replace a vane, we will be selling just the vanes also in a few weeks. I've been able to match the 3 degree helical pretty well using a Bitzenburger with a right helical jig. Bond strength is excellent on these and I haven't lost any hunting yet through several animals, but I'm sure it can happen.

 

[5MilesBack]

Except noise.

Those vanes steered well, but sound like a fighter jet.

I've heard a lot of people mention their noise over the years, but I've never heard much of a difference between most vanes down range. Most of them, including the QS's just sound like a hiss to me. But more importantly, I've never had an animal react to the sound.....even a little bit, so not sure if sound is even an issue. It is interesting to hang out around the 40 or 50 yard mark while someone shoots the 60 yard target, listening to the arrows and different vanes in flight. The only vanes I've ever heard from the bow while shooting were the Flex Fletch SK's with a decent helical.

 

[Billy Goat]

I've heard a lot of people mention their noise over the years, but I've never heard much of a difference between most vanes down range. Most of them, including the QS's just sound like a hiss to me. But more importantly, I've never had an animal react to the sound.....even a little bit, so not sure if sound is even an issue. It is interesting to hang out around the 40 or 50 yard mark while someone shoots the 60 yard target, listening to the arrows and different vanes in flight. The only vanes I've ever heard from the bow while shooting were the Flex Fletch SK's with a decent helical.

Elk don't care about a loud arrow. Whitetail, and especially Coues, are really jumpy. Mule deer never seemed to care for what I could tell either.

 

[5MilesBack]

Elk don't care about a loud arrow. Whitetail, and especially Coues, are really jumpy. Mule deer never seemed to care for what I could tell either.

Moose or sheep either.

The interesting thing to me is that none of the arrows seem to have a lot of sound, until they're passing me.

 

[cnelk]

I would say that good new arrows hold their value longer than a good new bow would.

 

[doc holiday13]

The only vanes I've ever heard from the bow while shooting were the Flex Fletch SK's with a decent helical.

Blasers are fairly loud if you ever have the chance to listen. I've used blasers up till this past year and never really noticed the sound until i shot them and compared them to max stealth vanes. My wife noticed it without me even asking her to listen to the difference

 

[Swampcruiser]

Blasers are fairly loud if you ever have the chance to listen. I've used blasers up till this past year and never really noticed the sound until i shot them and compared them to max stealth vanes. My wife noticed it without me even asking her to listen to the difference

Especially with a hard helical, just not stiff enough

 

[Keener22]

I did some rough math on building a dozen arrows from IW vs buying all the components from GoHunt and building them myself. I have none of the tools/components required to build my own arrows, I only own a jig to re-fletch arrows.

Depending on what arrow building tools I choose (Last Chance vs Blitzenburger, etc.), it looks like I would have to build 4-7 dozen arrows to come out "ahead", then I would be in the green. I used retail prices to come to that number, so the actual number is lower when you consider sales/discounts.

Considering build time and the precision that I’m sure IW’s machines and builders are capable of, coupled with the time of building the arrows yourself (and learning to do so)- I’m not so sure they’re that overpriced

 

[CMF]

Any recommendations for:
Online retailer, to order 4mm arrows built with Iron will components?
Best jig to replace the helical fletchings?

 

[RockyMountainWest]

I don’t see that they’re doing anything different than I can do with my setup.
Just another flavor of Koolaid. Another piece of overpriced, over hyped equipment. I sometimes wonder how in the world we were able to take down game 40 years ago, Hoyt ProHunter bow, XX75 arrows and Thunderheads.

You cant cut and square an arrow as precise as a machine designed to do it can. You also can’t fletch an arrow as precise as a machine designed to do so can. That’s what’s different. I see what your point is though