How many of you have had bows explode ?

[Jim's Mom]

I had a 63 Kodiak Special break a few days ago. About 3/4 of the way back to my full draw, the lower limb delaminated from the riser. Darn!! I had only had the bow a few weeks. No injuries to me. I draw 27" and the bow is marked 25 @ 28". Looking at it after, the glue joint didn't look to good. This is the only bow I have had break.
  I had a wood  bow when I was 12 years old crack lengthwise in the handle, made a creaking noise. I quit using it before it broke. Jim

[Sixby]

I'm going to answer this from a bowyers perspective. I try to build a bow so that I have no comebacks , yet once in a great while there is one.
There are several factors which have been mentioned that have invaribly been the cause. # i is  not being built for the correct draw length of the customer due either to not being given the right draw length or by building the bow with an incorrect string angle for the length being pulled. This is something that a bowyer has to learn by experience. (been there) I have been blessed. I have had two customers break bows, both were risers. One I was given a very incorrect draw lengtn . 38 inches when the customer drew 32 1/2 inches. This overdrew the bow to a point where the string angle was past 90 degrees which puts an unbelieveable amount of pressure on the bow. I replaced it and he broke it again. This time what I considered an unbrteakable riser with five strategicaly placed pieces of phenolic and an I beam. I then had him give me measurements taken by another person of his fingertips to chest length and I came up with a draw length of 32 1/2 inches.
So overdrawing (according to my experience and according to the majority of these posts is the prime factor in breaking bows. Its a matter of string angle. When the string angle is getting close to 90 degrees that is as far as that particular bow should ever be pulled. After that it is putting extraordianry pressure on the entire bow.

Now there are many ways to overcome this with shorter bows for longer draws without endangering either the bow or shooter. Tip wedges will retain the shape of the tip and allow a couple inches extra draw. If the bow is a three piece changing the angle of the limb pads for different draw lengths does the trick. ect ect. Buttttttttttttt
In most of what I have read the bows simply were overdrawn.

the other riser was my fault. I caved in to a customer and made the grip thinner than I felt safe by his request. Luckly , it broke when I tested it instead of breaking on him. I will never compromise that way again. I had terrible thoughts of what could have happened to the customer if that had been him instead of me shooting the bow.

The other thing is caused by sloppiness on the builders part and that is bad glue up Which would include not properly cleaning the lams or them not being fresh ground. It could also include not knowing how to properly use carbon. A couple of cases of that seen on this thread.

Another is bad materials and sometimes that is something no one can tell until its too late. Bad glue, soft place in the wood ect. These are things that are unavoidable. However few of the blowups on this thread were caused by that. Most were caused by people shooting bows that were just a bit overstressed by not being either long enough or not retaining good string angle. Hope some of this helps. God Bless you all and may your bows not blow. Steve

[jarhead_hunter]

I have had 2 'blow up'.

One in 1972 and one in 1989.

It is always surprising when at full draw and 'boom'.

Charles.

[KEG]

Had a longbow where the tip overlays came off when a string broke. When inspecting the string it looked cut in the loop. I am not sure if the string broke causing the bow to be damaged or if a sharp edge in the string groove cut the string. It was somewhat exciting when this happened at full draw.

[StickBowManMI]

I have had five blow up on me over the past 40 years.

[Bowhunter4life]

Me!!!  Third shot from brand new bow, bottom limb let loose at full draw. 70# @ 29", still have the scars to remember the occasion...

[1Longbow]

Have'nt had a bow blow yet ,but a couple of years ago at elk camp ,I had an arrow blow as I released it. I thought it went through my forearm . My partner had this look on his face,and I did'nt want to look down. Luckly the arrow slapped my forearm and left a welt that lasted 2 weeks. My first thought was great ,day before season and here I am with an arrow in my arm. Scared the you know what out of me. I did get an elk though--1Longbow

[hybridbow hunter]

I have 31,5+ inches draw lenght and that 's quite a problem.
I blowed:
-  3 samick recurve bows in 62" AMO
- One pair of limbs 60" AMO on a Fedora Hybrid XTREME and the Fedora's then convinced me to switch for a 64" AMO bow. They kindly replace the limbs at no charge since i gave them my true draw lenght when i first put my order. Now that 64" XTREME is my Magic bow...
- I blowed the upper tip of my Pittsley Predator classic (actually the string "cut" the tip wood overlay at full draw) and i have to send the limbs back for repair if possible.
I cut now all my arrows at 31,75" to avoid overdraw...

[WRV]

Had a string break at full draw once. That was suprise enough for me.....Randy

[Groundpounder]

I just hope if i ever have another one break ,its not during what could possibly be my first ever trad kill

[lpcjon2]

My only experience was a kids bow I made for my little girl,I pulled it back and it snapped! I think I like sanding to much.

[aussieman8]

me

[Andy Cooper]

At least, after reading this thread, I haven't lost the desire to build my own bows...but I might if they blow up on me at full draw!

[dragonheart]

I have had and older Ben Pearson delaminate, and most recently my Scorpion delaminated.  Both older bows no telling how many arrows have been put through them.

[Margly]

Actually today only 30 days from my travel to HogHeaven, the  lower limb on my DAS hunter delaminated              
I have now for months been training and tuning and trained and tuned a little more, and also spent a small fortune on arrows etc.
Yesterday I was training recovery shots out to 50 yards and hitting the 3D pig exactly where I should. So today I was shooting some arrows before I was going to work, and the bow didn't "feel" as usual, and the arrows didn't hit at my spots either. When I looked over the bow I found out that the lower limb had delaminated in the curve.


The bowyer promised to make some new ones, but this really sucks!        

I have other bows as back up, but this has been my go-to bow, and my best shooter!

Margly

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

Had a take-down selfbow upper limb bust yesterday after about 50 shots..dang. One thing good I can make another limb since its a takedown (tube in handle)...!