How many of you have had bows explode ?

[lt-m-grow]

I don't like this thread...please close it.

You guys are scaring me.  I have never had it happen and want to believe it never will :-)

[Bill Kissner]

I am a little amazed and surprised at the number of bows blowing up. Some have reported several. In all my years, I've only had 2 to break. I had a 48 inch Bear explode the first time I pulled it back. This was in the mid 1960's. About 5 years ago I had the takedown system on a longbow break while I was at full draw. let me tell you, this got my attention! The top limb put an inch long gash in my forehead and the bottom limb bruised some ribs pretty severely. Made me gunshy for months when drawing a bow. Anyway the bowyer fixed the broken takedown system and the bow is still being shot today.

[Earl Jeff]

Check this out, a old Indian longbow I bought on e-bay. look at the right side of the pic. I received it in the mail found a string for it strung it up and gave her a yank back!! sounded like a rifle going off.   found another pic

[divecon10]

The odd one or three. Something one comes to expect just when a bows sorted and at its best. Trying to break the latest lovely but it won’t play nice. Winced, expecting more pain the other night, when a nock disintegrated.  Fortunately it was only a diaper disposal moment. Might have to try a large fire cracker to replicate the overall pain, noise and shock value that could strike anywhere between the head and knees. Uncanny, with the energy spent, the arrow often just drops at ones feet.

[Doug in MI]

This thread should probably be kept to just the number of bows and probably not the names of the bows.      

[Ray Borbon]

One of my own bows exploded. I knew it had flaws in the limb wood when I finished it and that the life cycle would be short. It lasted about 9 months. No big deal. Just build another one.

[reddogge]

This thread should probably be kept to just the number of bows and probably not the names of the bows  

I see nothing wrong with naming names myself. I've heard too many comments that bows will last several lifetimes so let's debunk that myth here and now.

[Orion]

It seems that the reasons for the failures can be attributed primarily to one of three factors -- bad glue ups/starved joints, old age and perhaps deteriorated glue joints and/or wood, bows too short for the draw length applied to them. For those who can't attribute it to old bow age or bad glue ups, what bow length were you shooting, recurve or longbow, and what was your draw length?

[dan d]

Originally posted by lt-m-grow:
I don't like this thread...

You guys are scaring me.  I have never had it happen and want to believe it never will :-)

I didn't dream this thread I started  would  have 6 pages !
I too am scared ! If you see a guy at the 3D shoot  wearing a helmet and safety glasses, it's probably me !  LOL

[David McLendon]

I had a BW SIW recurve blow at the fade outs on the fourth shot when new. It was pretty violent and when the stringjumped past the grip as the bow folded up it scalped my right hand from the base of the thumb to the first joint. Of course they built me another that never had a problem but I never could get over that and become comfortable with the bow and ended up selling it. Not long after that production was suspended and later the redesigned PSR came out to replace it.

[MEF]

Yep, a hickory selfbow. It took me a second to comprehend what happened but then I realized it.

[Running Buck]

I have had three bows come apart while shooting. The mildest was a recurve that had the top limb tip pulled apart by the string( the company replaced the bow upon return) The worst was a old six wheel compound that the top limb split the entire length at full draw. When that bad boy let go it had my full attention,I had fiberglass,splinters and cables going everywhere. It was like holding a wildcat by the tail and trying not to get bit!

[Jerry Jeffer]

Oh yea! Trying to restore an old lemon wood long bow. POW!!!!!!!! wasn't quite ready yet.

[Big Ed]

I have had 8 delaminate, usually at full draw. Long draws are hard on equipment!!!

[buckracks7]

I had a recurve break in half at full draw right in the lowest part of the grip. That was real interesting. Also had a recurve and longbow fail at the tips.

[twostrings]

Thankfully, I haven't.

[RunninWild77]

2, I dont remember the name of the first bow, but it blew up into about 8 peices, the second was a lemonwood selfbow someone made for me.

[Igor]

Jerry Hill longbow right above the handle - don't know what happen there.

Shakespeare recurve - experimenting with phenolic and FF string on vintage bow....didn't work in my favor - blew the lower tip off after about 200 shots.

A couple of my first board bows....I'm sure that was me...grin...

><>

Glenn

[Greg Gilliland]

Never a traditional bow. I have had 1 compound at full draw break through the handle where I was holding it. Scared the S**t out of me.

Greg

[T.A.C.]

Had a limb on a custom T/D go after approximately 4 dozen arrows. Builder replaced it no questions, but he did want to see the limbs.