G'day Botech
Got a note from Don, Don't know if I can help. Having broken many bows does not necessarily equate to being any wiser as to why, tho the experience does set u on a path of satisfaction in knowledge, as now one deems to have rectified the problem.
I appreciate u’r situation may appear exasperating as u want to definitively know why but there r probably always a combination of factors at work. Murphy has a lot to answer.
I found the following to be true. None would intentionally steer u wrong and tho many have fine experiences with particular bows, so will obviously recommend them to u in the hope u may distinguish similar experience. It may not be the case in the heavyweight version.
Regardless of the best intentions of what others perceive shoulda, coulda, woulda and what works for them on the matter, does not make it so in anothers reality. On reflexion u are probably not doing anything much wrong and misuse is subjective. Yet again there are some base principles bought out already that obviously apply and u have made the logical reduction in checks. Here’s that thread from when my breaks became intolerable. U might gleam some from it.
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=087740;p=3 However I do not imagine u will find finer bows than the laminated wood n boo ones out there so perhaps in retrospect an time u may reconsider relinquishing sound trad values of a well tuned natural instrument of pursuit in the unsatisfying hope of better alternatives. I try only to raise some lateral awareness in hope.
It appears u are likewise hard on bows, so u might be relieved to know I can’t kill the ones I use now having tried since, happily in vain. From that run of breaks I gleamed much from a couple PM’s sent me from some willing wise with regards durable heavy weights and quality of craftsmanship and materials used. I have acquired a couple of proof recurves and was thankfully provided with a longbow proper and find preference now in these. A real learning curve and acquired delight in progress made more so as that gentleman has maintained some consideration in dragging me through despite some ignorance.
So too perhaps some bowyers are still learning and antithetical issues are compounded somewhat in heavy weights. Even though it’s a series of lams an glass there are many factors that must be got just right in the process, everyone has an off day, mixed batch of resin etc.. U might be an unwitting recipient.
Have u tried a little longer bows? R all the faults with the top tips/fade always breaking down or top limb invariably?
I found a longer bow to be comparatively conducive to 70# weight. Then again @ 26”draw would ya reckon otherwise?
I did find that less than a 70# bow, for me at least, was a somewhat futile exercise within particular feel & function processes and believe this may have been a criteria to failure in lesser ones but as to the heavier ones of good report I’m still a bit miffed and again I find difficulty in reconciling them. Indeed they were not on my end list of durables. A new set of limbs requires accessing for one broke bow, tho the limb length reckoned to be the problem, has been repeated in this remake!
How many shots are u putting through these limbs/session and is there a period of this when u fire in quick succession?
I still off 80+ odd shots/session approx average 4 days/wk and it may be the bows that broke did not like the quickness of succession that was sometimes applied in the latter stages of longer sessions. Energy = Heat etc. Is integrity loss compounded to existing condition?
How long are u holding u’r draw for?
A thought was, perhaps I sometimes held the draw too long, both as an exercise an discipline in fatigue after many shots, 150+, consequently this combined with the previous mentioned rapid shooting may have been an issue. Still my present bows remain unaffected by this activity but on advice I believe now the cast of the arrow may be altered, thus more consideration is given to smooth draw anchor and release.
Hysteresis = lag in effect, the delayed response by a object to the changes in the forces acting upon it. One can imagine how the fibers in the limbs under torsion might be affected by holding the draw longer, the instant springy recoil must be distorted some by holding fibers at stress longer. I had wondered about this but did not know there was a name for it.
I tried 3 under but also found this untenable in heavier weights and no use, for my part, on a longbow. Perhaps this is not so for u & others but It wasn’t my cup a tea. The stress a fore mentioned by Don merits if it’s the same break.
De-stringing & stringing may not cause any problems as care is taken with seating in the string grooves. I note from recent contributors, emphasis on proper stringer. In our high humidity I will not leave a bow strung if it is not being used within 7 days. Just a precaution.
Then of course **** happens sometimes.
The thoughts expressed here are my own imperfect opinion drawn from limited comparable experience than most, except perhaps in breaking bows and am happy to be corrected by views of wiser and voice of more experienced reason.
Along with everyone else an unlike the stones, I hope u get some satisfaction.
Topic: Tired of replacing wood bows! (Read 2611 times)
