# Right Helical vs Left Helical



## urbanearl

I am new to the art of arrow fletching and would like some feedback. One person say's a right hander should fletch arrows with right helical and the other say's a right hander should fletch left helical. Which is the best way and why? Any feedback is extremely welcomed.


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## Stihlpro

*Doesn't matter either way.*

It doesn't matter either way. I am right handed and have fletched all my arrows left helical. Thats was the only clamp I had for my Bitz. It had no impact on how they flew. One thing to remember though is Quickspin vanes must be fletched right helical for them to work properly. I use blazer vanes myself and am very happy with the left helical.


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## SonnyThomas

At one time the common rule was for right offset or helical for right-handed shooters and vice versa for left. Today, it is said that it doesn't matter so long as all your arrows are fletched one way to other, not mixed.


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## AKRuss

*Right Wing/Left Wing*

If you're shooting off your finger with a selfbow (no shelf), the opposite wing (left wing for a right hander) has a tendency to keep the quill point away from your finger. Sinking a quill into your finger not only hurts but can keep you from shooting for some time. It appears to me that the opposite wing would give better clearance when shooting off the shelf but having tried both, I could never tell any difference. If you're shooting off an arrow rest, I don't see how one wing would be any better than the other. There is the urban rumor that left wing unscrews points. If you're points are on so loosely that arrow flight or target/animal impact makes them unwind, you've more troubles than your wing, IMHO. Most vanes can be fletched left or right except for spin vanes (?), all of which I've seen are right wing. If you shoot feathers, you may want to check your potential sources as some retailers carry one wing or the other but often not both. Birds use both right and left, lest they would rotate when they fly (couldn't resist).


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## critteracres2

I have both left and right clamps and it seems to me that you get more clearance if you use right feathers (right handed shooter) because the feather turns away from the rest and cables. I think the cables are more of a problem to clear than the rest. As far as accuracy is concerned I don't see any difference between the two but in theory I could see where at longer distances they could impact to different points because the right spin could tend to drift right and vice versa.


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## ramboarhunter

*Right vs left*

I have shot both at the same target up to 60yds and could not see any difference.
The arrow does not leave the string until the fletching has cleared the cables.
When I shot fingers I could get better clearence on the berger button with left helical. RH shooter.
The old theory was left for a right hand shooter and right for a left hand shooter.
High speed photos have shown that the arrow does not start to spin until it is a couple of feet in front of the bow.
Feathers: All birds have the same amount of feathers on both sides.


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## urbanearl

*Thanks to all*

Thanks for the feedback. All are greatly appreciated.


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## redtop

One thing about left helical is that because of the spin direction your points will unscrew and loosen from the shaft when they hit the target each shot. Its annoying enough when shooting into targets but I can't see how it could help penetration while hunting either.


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## CWG

I use LH, a dab of chapstick, my points dont unscrew. Sometimes, but as often as the straight ones unscrew.
Crackers did a test some time back, found LH overall more accurate among three archers during a two week test.


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## critteracres2

ramboarhunter said:


> I have shot both at the same target up to 60yds and could not see any difference.
> The arrow does not leave the string until the fletching has cleared the cables.
> When I shot fingers I could get better clearence on the berger button with left helical. RH shooter.
> The old theory was left for a right hand shooter and right for a left hand shooter.
> High speed photos have shown that the arrow does not start to spin until it is a couple of feet in front of the bow.
> Feathers: All birds have the same amount of feathers on both sides.


Ramboarhunter: If you look at an arrow when it's sitting on the rest you will see that if it's fletched RH with cock vane down due to the offset of the clamp the back of the feather turns away from the cables. If it is fletched LH the feather will turn into the cables (again due to the offset of the clamp) and probably contact them. I don't care when it starts to spin, contact is contact and affects accuracy. Actually if you watch most bows shoot in slow motion (at least the ones that don't have a device to capture the string) the string follows through and the fletching is past the cables before the string ever leaves the nock.


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## groved

*Crimson Talons*

If I am shooting Crimson Talons I want right helix correct? I don't want the two "twisting forces" acting against each other.


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## critteracres2

groved said:


> If I am shooting Crimson Talons I want right helix correct? I don't want the two "twisting forces" acting against each other.


You do indeed want to shoot RH. I believe Rockey Mountain makes a BH that you can offset the blades for right or left.


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## Tracker12

For field points I have never been able to find a difference. I use Rocket Wolverines and the blades are right offset so I have been fletching my arrrows with a right offset. Does it make a differecnce. I don't know if it does but I dd not want the BH and arrow to have offsetting forces so I di it that way.


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## critteracres2

I don't know if it would matter with an expandable head but if it aint broke don't fix it. I'd stick with RH if it's been working for you. I have shot the mini blasters and they sit at a angle also. I never gave it a thought. They shot to the same point as my field tips but I couldn't tell you any more if the arrows were fletched right or left because I've used both.


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