Trends/Trendlines and channels

Schiff pitchfork

An Andrews pitchfork whose median line starts from the middle of the first swing, which makes it flatter and sometimes a better fit.

Trendlines and channelsBest on 6M, 1Y, 3YAlso called Schiff fork

Illustration of the Schiff pitchfork shape. It is a sketch, not real price data.

What it shows

The Schiff pitchfork uses the same three points as an Andrews pitchfork but moves the start of the median line to the midpoint of A and B. The two parallel lines are drawn through B and C as before.

Moving the start makes the median line less steep when the first swing is large. Charting platforms differ in how they place the start, so it can look different from other tools.

How we find it

The same code that draws it on your chart follows these steps, with the same result every time.

Find three alternating swing points: A, B, C.
Place the start of the median at the midpoint of A and B.
Draw the median through the midpoint of B and C.
Draw parallels through B and C.

Starting values: Points 3 alternating swings; Start midpoint of A and B. These are proposed and will be tuned on real price data before launch.

How to read it

The gold dot at the midpoint is where the median starts.
The lanes are flatter than an Andrews pitchfork on the same points.
The same lines are used: median, upper through B, lower through C.

Status labels you may see

Label	What it means
Between the median and the lower line	Lower half.
Between the median and the upper line	Upper half.
Outside the fork	Beyond the outer lines.

What cancels it

A close beyond the outer lines for several bars.

What traders check next

Whether price used the median line as a floor or a ceiling.
Whether the Andrews version fits better.
Whether a different choice of points changes the picture.

Limits

Same limits as an Andrews pitchfork.
The choice of start is a convention.
Results differ across charting platforms.

Try it in forecastviz

Open any ticker and choose Trendlines and channels → Schiff pitchfork in the left menu.
Switch between 6M, 1Y, 3Y to see how the picture changes.
Compare with Andrews pitchfork and Pitchfan on the same chart.

Open on a ticker

Questions

When would I pick Schiff over Andrews?

When the first swing is large and the Andrews lines look too steep for the next bars.

Is it better?

Neither is better by itself. They are two ways of drawing the same idea.