I broke my bow.

[gonzoso]

A few weeks ago I decided to start a board bow using oak. I went to the local big box store, rifled through their entire supply for the perfect board and went through the process. Read the Bowyers bible I and am partway through II.

I wanted to do the first one completely by hand, no power tools. Chisel, hammer, hatchet, rasp, etc.

I had the bow drawn to 55 pounds with the tillering string getting it ready for the correct string.

I strung it and enjoyed it looking like a bow for about 2 minutes.

Then I drew it to 45 pounds and it snapped. It was really loud and I ended up with a good puncture wound on my hand and significant swelling.

I put a lot of time into it, i'm pretty disheartened right now. Anyone have any terrible bow breaking stories to share with me?

[Roy from Pa]

Keith, none of us have ever had a bow break. Never never..........  

Well wait a second, maybe one, well maybe two. Ok, maybe quite a few of them:) LOL

It happens Keith, even to the best Bowyers out there. Yes it hurts, but all you can do is learn from it and start another bow.  

I made a BBO bow to take to Iowa 3 years ago, the boo blew up a splinter 2 weeks before I was leaving. I super glued and wrapped the splinter with sinew. Shot it a 1,000 times the next two weeks, then took it hunting in Iowa.

Welcome to Tradgang, Roy

[Blue EagleBum]

My first attempt at an adult bow was kinda successful. It still shoots to this day. But only 30# @ 28". It is now my oldest sons.
My second was not successful. Red oak board bow, osage riser handle. Backed with camo cloth. 75 - 100 shots in, just had to take one more shot, and BAM! @ full draw. Was going to hunt with it two days later. Oh, well. Lesson learned.


Trial and error not always fun at time of error, but the trip yields great knowledge. And the guys on here are a great source of knowledge and support. I can't say enough about this site!

[okie64]

Broke my first selfbow after around 100 shots. I was out shootin with a couple of my buddies and I was shootin the bow great and everything was goin fine and then I pulled it back on a big elk target and BAM! It split in two at midlimb on the top limb and came back and nailed me on top of the head and I was almost at full draw when it split so I busted my lip with my draw hand. I have to say I was pretty embarrased and disheartened but now I realize thats just part of bowbuilding. I've broken quite a few since that one but have built a lot of successful bows too. Dont give up.  

[DVSHUNTER]

Sorry for your loss. I broke three of my last four. It happens. It gets more fun when you get to save the broken ones.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin' LOL

 The first couple I broke I was extremely disheartened. I learned to get over it pretty quick after I blew up a 150.00 $ yew stave.

 One thing I have learned here is that no effort at building a bow is a failure. Always a valuable lesson to be learned from the ones that don't turn out so great and the ones come apart.

 I have had some blow in my hand and also on the tree. When that yew stave blew at full draw it was pretty spectacular, after I got over it. LOL

 Keep after it!

[broketooth]

all wood selfbows have a life of their own. ive learned this early on. you are making a tool for a certain purpose not an heirloom. tools wear out. when they do, they have to be replaced.im looking foward to the day when i can push the limits of certain woods then we will see some splinters fly.rv

[Aznboi3644]

I've broken a handful...a couple of them broke during tillering and drawing by hand.

Nothing like a SMACK! on the forehead along with a loud crack to wake you up.

Its part of the biz we do my friend.

[KellyG]

yep just broke mine, that finished up not a month ago. Had few hundred shots including 2 misses at a whitetails and one really nice whitetail buck. Was showing it to guys at work and drew it and BAM.

[Shaun]

I thought I was immune and made several osage bows without breaking one. Then tried yew... several spectacular explosions! Lots of joking about wearing full motorcycle gear; helmet, jacket, gloves, etc. for bow testing.

[k-hat]

After a couple of successful flatbows, I had two red oak elb's in a row blow on me.  the first i made way too narrow and deep, blew during tiller (but it sure did bend perty with good poundage).  Sounded like a shotgun went off in the house!

The second I made wider and flatter more like Jawge's designs.  Put about a hundred arras through, very pleased, then on about the 101st, blew in the handle as i approached full draw.  Broke my heart too!  Turned out the wood was dry/brittle.  

Live and learn.  Go make another, and another . . .

[George Tsoukalas]

You shouldn't string it for the first time and then yank it back to your draw length. Proceed at 1 inch intervals on a rope and pulley all the while checking the bend of the limbs. Tillering. Check my site. Jawge
  http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[John Hodgson]

You can minimize the danger of a broken bow by backing your first few tries with inexpensive materials like linen, silk, rawhide. I backed my first few with fiberglass tape. I had a lot of fiberglass tape and epoxy left over from building a boat when I made my first oak board bow--it and the next two broke, but the break wasn't catastrophic because of the glass. You can use fiberglass drywall tape and glue to back it, cheap and easy.

I know, I know, glass is a bad word around here. As someone learning to do this, I feel a lot more confident knowing the thing won't blow up in my face.

[red hill]

Seems like most of us have similar, if not the same, experiences. Haven't had any exciting explosions, but several have broken on me as well.  
One heartbreaker was the first osage board bow I attempted.  I tried to flex it over my knee to check for a "little" bend.  The thing snapped completely in two!
Upon further inspection I realized the grain had porpoise and fishtail action going on.  Should've looked more closely before splicing!
As suggested by several before me, don't give up. Use each bow as a learning experience. As an educator I realized long ago that mistakes can be a great teacher.  

[fujimo]

can someone tell me why , this is the third time i have heard of someone flexing the bow over a knee and it breaking!!??
any input on this??