Bohning Index nock failure

[buckeyebowhunter]

If anyone read the thread that I posted back in November entitled "losing patience with my trad bows" knows that I have had some bad luck recently with my bows, well unfortunately that bad luck streak has not run out yet. However the problems I need some help with in this thread are not problems I have had to deal with before.

Today my BW SAII suffered its 2nd partial dry fire in less than a full month, after having a damaged tip repaired. This bow has been through several freak accidents since I bought it. Needless to say I'm not sure how much life this bow has left, and not extremely worried anymore about this at this point. I hadnt shot my bow for a while and decided to head out into the single digit weather to loose a few arrows before I froze. I always check my nocks before I shoot and none of my arrows nocks were damaged or cracked, in fact most of my arrows have brand new Bohning index nocks on them. On about my 5th shot I hear POWW and see my arrow land about 6 yards in front of me. Now this is not the first time this has happened to me and I already know what has happened. When I pick um my arrow the index nock is completely split in half and one side is gone while the other is still attached. This brings me to several questions.

Did the cold weather cause this plastic to break? I know that some materials cannot handle extreme cold after sitting in a warm environment. If this is the reason my nock blew then I'll be finding another nock to purchase soon.

Did I recieve a bad batch of nocks? This is not the first nock from this batch to break but all the others I have caught before they were fired and replaced them. I like to check my nocks out before I shoot and make sure there are no cracks. This one was fine when I started shooting today and it was the only arrow I actually fired today. I did notice that when i received these nocks they were a dark orange color and nearly all of them have quickly faded to a light peach color. Could these be a bad batch of index nocks?

Is the glue that I'm using causing them to be bittle? I have used krazy super glue for bohning index nocks for a long time and over several years I have only maybe had a couple break like this one did today and those were old nocks that had probably been hit by other arrows. These nock are however fairly new and have not been hit by other arrows?  

These freak accidents give me a heart attack damn near every time they happen. Unfortunately they seem to be happening too often lately causing me to question my equipment too often as well. I believe that you need 100% confidence in your equipment each time you take to the field. And with these recent streaks of bad luck i have lost nearly all confidence I ever had in this set up to begin with. It's unfortunate but I constantly look for answers to these issues to hopefully get some confidence back, hopefully you guys can help me out! Thank you        

[Jim Wright]

I am in Louisiana so I never shoot much below freezing but I shoot wood arrows and the same nocks as you and have never had a single failure. I run the nock taper through a 3 rivers taper tool after sealing the shaft exposing raw wood and put a thin line of Duco around the area,   slide on the nock and rotate it 360 degrees for information's sake.

[jrchambers]

I would say assume its a bad batch and replace them. I used to use the goldtip lock nocks with the little set screw in them.  one day my nock broke on the shot and the nock cut my string in two, the bow went from full draw to unstrung, really scary.

[tiur]

Hi,
You mentioned color has changed- ??
Usually a UV stabilizer is added to the plastic  to stop reaction to light exposure- could cause color change /brittle - lack of strenght.
I would scrap these and purchase a different make of nocks , cheaper than a new bow and safer.
Asgeir

[LittleBen]

Here's a question that will blow your mind .... what color are the nocks?

The dye/pigment added to plastics to get different colors can have an effect on not only the strength, but the brittleness, flexibility etc.

I can't remember where I read that so don't ask, but maybe someone with alot of differenct nocks in different colors wants to test this out.

Anyway, I have found that some of the transparent color nocks (red, green, yellow clear) seem to be more brittle than the white color nocks or other opaque nocks. I use all white mainly cause I like the look, but  I also think they are a bit more flexible/resilient. Should help in cold weather.

[Jim Wright]

Again, for information's sake after the last post, I only shoot White nocks.

[Boomerang]

"Is the glue that I'm using causing them to be bittle? I have used krazy super glue for bohning index nocks for a long time"

I have noticed that using super glue type glues does cause my nocks to be more brittle.I haven't split any but I have had several crack.

[buckeyebowhunter]

What kind of glue would you guys recommend?

[Hobow]

I agree with all above and will second Jim Wright and make sure to twist the nock 360 degrees and then reverse twist into final alignment.  I've broken nocks from incomplete glue coverage.  I really like NPV adhesive from Saunders.

I'm glad that you are back at it after your setbacks!

Brad

[buckeyebowhunter]

I'll get the saunders and give it a try. Never had this problem before with the index nock and i have used krazy glue for years. Not sure why but when bad luck comes my way it comes in big streaks, cant wait for this one to end so I can have confidence in my trad bows again like i used to. Will this black widow ever die? or is it indestructible?

[Jim Wright]

Robert, there are far worse things that can happen to a bow (especially one you love) than dry fires, don't ask me how I know, it hurts to talk about it.

[buckeyebowhunter]

Jim I know you said not to ask but it sounds like you've had something happen to a loved bow similar to what happened to me in 2011.
 

I need not say more. However, this was the beginning of my paranoia over bows, anything and I mean anything that happens to a bow that could hurt it has made me extremely "gun" shy or should I say "bow" shy after that day. The bow pictured above was dri fired once and then around a year later this happened. I just get freaked out easily man; some people say its only money but it truly isnt when your attached to your bow.    :(    :(

[buckeyebowhunter]

BTW I contacted bohning and the representative that I talked to said it could possibly be a bad batch, and I was asked to send a couple of the nocks to bohning. I'll also be receiving a new pack of index nocks. This doesn't really fix my anxiety of the dry fire but its better than nothing.    

[Jim Wright]

I had a 66" Super D that I sent back to Dan Toelke for a different grip. I am a sucker for a really pretty bow and this one was gorgeous with a Black and White Ebony Riser and Bocote Veneers. It got there D.O.A., probably from the heavy steel door on the back of a delivery truck as it crushed the end of the heavy carpet tube and clipped the tip off the lower limb. I look at pictures of the bow occasionally, still a heartbreaker.

[30coupe]

I've always used Duco cement to glue nocks on woodies and never had one break...unless I shot it with another arrow.      

The CA glues may make the plastic brittle or they may just not be completely filling the void between the nock and the arrow taper, which could also cause a nock to break perhaps.

[Stumpkiller]

Check them frequently.  ANY nock.

This is what I found on the floor.

 

A snapped Bohning.

This is what I had in my hand.

 

 

The death of a pre '65 Red Wing Hunter.

 

All it takes is a nock struck with another arrow - and that happens a lot with terrific bows like the Red Wing Hunters and Browning Explorers.  Shoot a couple and recover or switch targets.

[buckeyebowhunter]

stumpkiller, thats exactly what mine looked like. Luckily my tip didnt end like yours did, I'm sorry for your loss of the red wing tip. Was it beyond repair?

[Stumpkiller]

It sits as it shows.  I have had suggestions it could be fixed - for throwing $200+ into a bow I paid $100 for.  Instead I just bought another first generation Red Wing Hunter for $120.  ;-)  That last image is the replacement.  They have teeney tips but, boy, do they spit out an arrow.

 

I love these bows - the originals and the Head Ski era as well.  I keep my eyes peeled for R.W. Hunters at a good price.  The best thing about hunting with 1960's era bows is that in the event of a disaster a solution is relatively cheap.  That is the only one I have lost in a long line of vintage bows - and who knows how prior owner(s) treated it?  I've had Mercury and Bohning nocks shatter before with other bows and no harm appears to have been done.

[hunting badger]

i've quit using bohning classic nocks here in Alaska! I have been having a horrible time with them breaking and just coming off the arrow. I use Duco exclusiely and never have had any problems like this before, I don't think it's a bad batch, I just don't think their plastic is durable. I've gone back to the old reliable mercury nock. I can't afford to lose a bow when I'm in the Alaska back country!

[Tall Paul]

Same problem here.  I've been shooting the Index nocks for years, but went through a period of time where they were breaking on me. This was about 4-6 years ago, when I was shooting the yellow ones.  I switched to white, strictly for the color, and have had no problems since.

I only shoot one arrow at a time, go pull it and shoot again.  I've been doing this for at least 15 years, so I know the breakage is not due to me hitting the nocks.