# What kind of feathers are best for fletching? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 3, 2014, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920 "2014-06-03T13:47:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/1 "2014-06-03T13:47:18Z")
Assume you had to make arrows from scratch. Is there a specific kind of bird you’d want to get the feathers from? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/2 "2014-06-03T13:50:18Z")
I always used turkey. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/3 "2014-06-03T13:54:55Z")
Whatever feathers you have a ready supply of that are of the right size and structure. I think traditionally chicken, turkey, goose, and other domestic fowl feathers have been used by folks who have domestic animals. Other folks used the feathers of wild birds, obviously. Modern fletching often utilizes things like plastic. Strictly speaking, it doesn’t have to be feathers, just something of the right stiffness, thinness, and size but feathers are a handy raw material for the job. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/4 "2014-06-03T14:58:29Z")
Traditionally goose feathers. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/5 "2014-06-03T15:16:06Z")
Obligatory _Sir Nigel_ reference: > [@](#): > > What of the shaft? > The shaft was cut in England: > A long shaft, a strong shaft, > Barbed and trim and true; > So we’ll drink all together > To the grey goose feather > And the land where the grey goose flew. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/6 "2014-06-03T15:41:36Z")
Paging **HoneyBadgerDC** , in case he does vanity searches. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/7 "2014-06-03T15:56:50Z")
You know, I totally misread the last word in the title. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/8 "2014-06-03T16:43:30Z")
You don’t want feathers that are too big, or they’ll cause too much aerodynamic drag and they’ll slow your arrows down too much. You don’t want feathers that are too small or they won’t give the arrow enough spin to keep it stable in flight. The feathers should have a slight curve. Feathers from a lot of different birds will work, though stiffer feathers are better. That usually means making sure you get feathers from the wings, as those are stiffer than feathers from elsewhere. You want all of your feathers to come from the same wing, either right or left. Right wing feathers will curve in one direction and left wing in the other direction, so you want all of them going in the same direction. Which one you pick (right or left) will determine whether the arrow rotates clockwise or counter-clockwise, but otherwise doesn’t make a difference. You don’t want to mix and match left and right wing feathers on the same arrow though or they’ll fight for which direction they want to make the arrow spin, which will make the arrow fly very poorly. While a lot of different feathers will work, some hold up better than others. Chicken feathers for example are fairly delicate, where turkey feathers can withstand a bit more abuse. If you treat them well and keep them dry, you won’t have any problems regardless of the bird type. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/9 "2014-06-03T16:46:05Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > You know, I totally misread the last word in the title. At least you’re willing to be the first to admit it. I’ll be the second. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/10 "2014-06-03T17:15:50Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > You know, I totally misread the last word in the title. A hollow feather. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/11 "2014-06-03T17:17:45Z")
Some of the Abenaki I know swear by duck. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/12 "2014-06-03T18:03:21Z")
Interesting. So to some extent a feather is a feather. Yes, I was thinking about duck, just for the waterproof qualities. And I’m guessing peacocks are right out. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/13 "2014-06-03T19:24:50Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Assume you had to make arrows from scratch. Is there a specific kind of bird you’d want to get the feathers from? My first choice would be adult turkey primary, or secondary, wing feathers. They would be the best choice for durability. [http://www.customfeathers.com/gallery2.htm](http://www.customfeathers.com/gallery2.htm) The feathers will have to be split and then tied/wrapped with thread or glued in place. It also depends on what you’ll be using the arrows for. Short range, flying targets? That’s what flu-flu fletching was designed for. Extreme long range with target points? Two feathers placed place on opposite sides of the shaft but in-line with the shaft. Hunting with potentially wind plaining broadheads? Three or four feathers with a 1 to 5 deg. offset fletch or a helical fletch to overcome any possible front end steering. Spinning the shaft also overcomes any imbalance in the arrow shaft. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/14 "2014-06-03T22:15:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > You know, I totally misread the last word in the title. OOO! You too? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/15 "2014-06-03T23:19:16Z")
Turkey primary wing feathers are pretty much standard, most durable and stiff. Goose feathers are also desirable as they are more water resistant and great for hunting but won’t hold up as well for target. For my flight shooting I use very small fine feathers like pigeon or dove. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/16 "2014-06-04T22:47:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > You know, I totally misread the last word in the title. Me, too. That said, I think the answer would still be _goose_… ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/17 "2014-06-05T16:17:31Z")
Feathers from large birds of prey were a stunningly common first choice for fletchers in both the Old and the New World, from foragers to professional warriors. One can always doubt that superstitious beliefs were the cause here, but nonetheless they were widely and successfully used. Not only eagles and noble hawks passed the muster, buzzard feathers were also commonly utilized, by the Arabs, for one. Even the English thought eagle feathers were the best, although goose feathers prevailed due to practical reasons. Noted archery champion & historian Robert Elmer stated, that, objectively, eagle and buzzard feathers really are a superior fletching material. As eagle feathers are not exactly an easy material to procure in great numbers, many peoples in Central and Northern Asia raised eagles in captivity for this purpose, and the pracice dates back to the Early Iron Age, if not even older. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/18 "2014-06-05T17:19:07Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > You know, I totally misread the last word in the title. > [@running\_coach](#): > > At least you’re willing to be the first to admit it. > I’ll be the second. > [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > OOO! > > You too? > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Me, too… Add me to the list. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-feathers-are-best-for-fletching/689920/19 "2014-06-05T17:22:52Z")
I found a road kill crane one time and cut off his wings for the feathers. I was at a 3-d shoot and was paired up with a fish and game warden who inquired what type of fletches I had, he recognised them and advised me I could be in trouble for possessing them. He believed where I had aquired them and acted as if he didn’t see them. I use to strip the wings from road kill owls and sometimes buzzards but quit the practice now.