The end of the Journey

[A Lex]

Well it's a sad day for me, my all time absolute favorite bow, my 75lb take-down longbow that I called "The Journey", has developed some terminal fractures in the shelf area.

I was shooting it this evening after work (as I do most days), but after 40 odd shots I noticed it was making a funny/different sound. I thought maybe the string was catching my shirt a little (past experience) so I got a little more cant happening to ensure enough string clearance. Had another 20 or so shots, but the same odd sound was still there. I had had a pretty big day at work and I was tired, but I was still shooting it pretty well concidering. I  just thought the sound was due to me being tired and my less than ideal (read "average") form.

Anyway, after another 20 odd more arrows I decided I'd had enough, so I went back to the house. I wanted to change the shelf rest as it was pretty knackered. I peeled off the old rest and started to clean the area ready for the new one.

Horror of horrors, I found a crack in the shelf. Running a fingernail over it, it was very noticeable. Looking closly I found 2 other smaller cracks as well. If I eased the string back, I could feel the main crack flex a tad.

I gently de-strung it, and feeling very sad, I carefully placed it back in its rack, more than likely to never be shot again.

This has been a fantastic longbow, a very consistent friend and an absolutely outstanding shooter. A great many wonderful memories were created with it in my hand. Along the journey, many things from Rabbits to Buffalo this bow has put down for me, and very seldom was more than a single wooden arrow ever  required. I have been so so confident with it.

Now this bow has been used a lot, and I mean a lot. I bought it new a bit over 5 years ago, and I'd normally shoot around 300 to 400 arrows a week. Often many more.

Just over 3 years ago a nock failure caused sort of a dry fire, and one other time about 6 months later, somehow (don't know how) an arrow fell off the string at release. That was a dry fire. A very careful inspection both times showed no obvious damage. Nothing else un-toward has happened to the bow.

Before then and since then, many thousands of arrows, all wooden and all 750 grains or more have been shot from this bow. I have never ever had the slightest problem with this bow.

I've been the problem a time or two, but never the bow

Unfortunately a few longtime dreams have also died with the demise of this bow.

I would certainly like to replace it, with an identical one too if possible, but circumstances being what they, I won't be able to afford it for quite a long long while.

This has certainly taken the gloss off an otherwise excellent Christmas

Feeling pretty sad

Lex

[Orion]

Always a bummer when a bow wears out/fails.  Might it be possible to drizzle some epoxy in those cracks and clamp it, or perhaps reinforce the area another way with a wooden plug epoxied into place.  Or both.

[GCook]

Hate to hear that for you.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[nineworlds9]

By what you wrote Im guessing its a 2pc??  If 3pc you could have a new riser built for the limbs?  If 2pc then yes a bummer but perhaps it can be salvaged?  I dunno, I feel for you and a trusty bow is a trusty bow but perhaps its a golden opportunity to try something new and fall in love all over again? 

[hybridbow hunter]

show it to the bowyer bench here with pics. Maybe it can be fixed.

[WVbowhunter]

Hate to hear that man it's always a sad day when a bow you trust is forced into retirememt.

[Sam McMichael]

That is certainly bad luck. A favorite piece of equipment giving out is a real disappointment. Luckily, I have never had a bow break, but other major items have proved to be a hassle, so I feel for ya, buddy. Good luck with finding a suitable replacement.

[pdk25]

Sorry for your loss.  Maybe you cold post a few pictures of the bow that has been so good to you?