graphic photos of carbon arrows.

[bigbadjon]

I quit shooting carbons for this reason. They develop cracks behind the points and nocks and then close back and are difficult to see.I'll take a few more broken arrows of something else that is easier to see a break.

[smilinicon]

There is a fine line between high-performance and catastrophic failure.

[Don Stokes]

I was shooting 3D years ago with a friend shooting a compound. His carbon arrow blew up, literally, and we never even found a piece of it! I feel wood is safer.

[GO Rogers]

So do you check them before each shooting event? And what method do you use to make the safety check?

[bigbadjon]

Something like that could happen regardless of material. Wood is usually easy as a crach is usually visible or you can bend it a little to open it. I 've never seen aluminum split, and a broken alloy shaft is usually visible. The problem I've had with carbons is they split next to the insert and the glue doesn't let the break open up. You need to check your arrows frequently while shooting.

[benny]

I was told by a arrow manufacture rep. that most of the problems with carbons breaking were from compound shooters. They shoot at 20 yards praticing. Alot of guys see how tight of a group they can shoot. The arrows "side slap" each other. Carbon arrows are made to take frontal impact...not "side slaps". Lucky for me I don't have that problem at 20 yards  

[tradtusker]

Simple Always flex your arrows After shooting, my shooting and hunting is to valuable to have that happen, if i hit something hard, or one arrow hits another, skims a rock, stump etc etc Always flex the arrows and inspect them.
iv have several that iv thought ah looks ok and then flexed it and POW!

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

Originally posted by landman:
Yeah...how does something like this happen??

Gap shooting

[wapiti1997]

I don't think any of these pics occured from traditional gear.

[Killdeer]

Look at the bow in the picture posted by bofish.
Tight groups and dinged shafts are not the sole domain of compound shooters.

Killdeer

[Huntingnut]

Nasty stuff...

[Don Stokes]

I routinely slap my arrows (woods) against my thigh while target shooting. You can hear it if they're cracked. I inspect them closely, especially if I'm shooting well and the arrows make contact at the target. Many of my target arrows have dents from a glancing hit, and these I watch closely. If no cracks develop I keep shooting them. I have even repaired "robin hooded" shafts that split in the top with super glue. Foolish or cheap maybe, but I do use common sense and don't try to save the worst ones. I also don't let anyone else shoot the ones I repair. I have never had one break in the bow, in many, many thousands of shots. I shoot yellow poplar exclusively, which is a very homogeneous wood with indistinct rings and MUCH tougher than the softwoods like POC. I wouldn't repair an arrow with distinct rings, like Doug fir. Those distinct rings represent weaker areas, and they can separate at the earlywood/latewood juncture when the wood has been overly stressed. Yellow poplar doesn't do this.

I've spent a long career of around 35 years working with and studying wood properties, so don't try this at home.

I just noticed this is post #1948, the year I was born.  

[jsweka]

When you see stuff like that, or bows that break, it makes you realize that what we do is not a game to be taken lightly.

[30pointbuck]

Man what a wake up call.

[Sixby]

One reason I only use good woods or aluminums. I believe aluminums are the safest by far. Its hard to beat xx75s or xx78s.
God bless you all, Steve

[Daz]

Wall thickness, and methods of construction will play a role in carbon failure, as well as exposure to heat. The older, cheaper  carbons had thin walls, and fewer re-enforcing weaves. If you look at the construction of some of the heavier, premium carbons there is a considerable difference in quality and construction.

Aluminum will shafts will work harden and become brittle over time. Just the nature of the material. That's why aluminum mountain bike frames break after a few years of heavy use.

 I had an autumn orange Easton 2018 split in the middle when i was a kid. It was one of four arrows that i owned at the time, and it had been used for three years and LOTS of shots prior to it's demise.

I can't say a lot about wood, as i've only ever used Lam Birch, and have never had a problem.

At the end of the day, we are all responsible for our gear and our safety.

[Plumber]

I wonder the danger of cap wraps hideing cracks.I do use them but often wonder

[WVeer]

Wow...........I had a feather quill lodge under my skin on the top of my thumb but this picture is painful to even look at.

[LongStick64]

I respecting my aluminums alot more now.

[Doug in MN]

Originally posted by tradtusker:
Simple Always flex your arrows After shooting, my shooting and hunting is to valuable to have that happen, if i hit something hard, or one arrow hits another, skims a rock, stump etc etc Always flex the arrows and inspect them.
iv have several that iv thought ah looks ok and then flexed it and POW!

Exactly !!

 I have gotten into such a habit I flex them every shot. I have had the same expereine as Andy, just flexing an arrow out of habit and "POW".