Trad Gang

Well, a week ago I was in the basement shooting one of my old Bear Kodiak bows. I am lucky enough to have a 20 yard range in the basement I can shoot all year long.  The bow was a beautiful 1966 model.  No stress cracks, no holes drilled in it, just a nice bow pulling 47@28, which is also my draw length.  I bought this bow probably five years ago and have shot it hundreds of times.  Never had a problem with it.  After shooting maybe a dozen arrows, I come to full draw and....POW...the handle brakes right at the grip!  When I pick myself up off the floor, in the pool of blood, and go upstairs.  I let the gash in my forehead continue to bleed in the kitchen sink.  The short side of a long story is, the X-rays didn't show any broken facial bones, my "raccoon eyes" are going away, the swelling on the right side of my nose has gone down, and the gash on my forehead is healing.  Not a clue what made this bow fail.  The B-50 string was in great condition, no signs or sounds of failure in the wood, just POW!  Not sure what I feel worse about, the injuries, or the loss of a beautiful bow.  On the positive side, I still have both my eyes.  It could have been a lot worse.  I'm just thankful I wasn't drawing on a deer from a tree stand when this happened.  I wear a safety belt, but not sure what would have happened.  


  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/ClearFork/BearKodiak002.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/ClearFork/BearKodiak001.jpg)

Wow! I think you are very lucky. Sorr

:scared:    :scared:    :scared:  

OW!!!

That looks NASTY! Glad to hear there was no lasting damage done to you. Bows can be replaced, eyes are for life!

wow that is scary!! glad your sight wasn't effected.

that is a darn shame.....what a pretty bow.

wow!!! i know what that feels like i had a selfbow go bang not a good look. glad your not to hurt to badly heal quick.  :scared:

Ouch!  I feel, sort of, lucky now though.  That's happened twice to me and I was lucky only to get a black eye.  Hope you heal-up real quick and get back to it.  Best wishes.

Wow Steve...glad you're going to be OK.  Were you wearing your glasses at the time?  I know about those facial injuries....no fun.  

Glad you are o.k.!!

Wow!  Speedy recovery for you and hang that bow up for memories!

good reason now to order a new custom recurve!!  :thumbsup:

Gosh- glad you weren't hurt beyond healing.  

If you don't mind me asking?? (If you do-don't answer. . . )  I am curious, what hit your face so hard?  I am trying to imagine a bow blowing out; where all the energy goes and how it would hit a person.  Does your own draw hand whack you, the actual riser,limbs??  Like I said- just thinking here. . .trying to imagine it- not too much though!

Dan

Time for new pants. Glad it wasn't more serious. Had my own bow break up this year and it is no fun.

glad you're OK.

Question - how dry is your basement? Could it be that the humidity level was so low that it dried the bow out too muchand made it brittle? I ask because I store my bows in my basement too and in the winter it is very dry down there due to the wood stove.

Glad you okay.

The first picture didn't load very well so I added another one.  
Goose

Yikes!  My worst nightmare.  How do you get past that and continue to shoot?  Maybe order a bow tillered 5" past your draw length?

been there.....glad you are okay.... it takes a bit of nerves to draw the next one.  I was lucky to not be injured (except the nerves) when it happened to me.

Wow glad your ok.

I have had bows break before too; and I was lucky; I didn't get injured.

What does it look like caused this break?

I am glad your OK  !!

I don't want to see a pic. of the bow I want a pic. of you with the damage. Hope ya are feeling better> Shawn

Glad to here you are OK.  That has to be scary.  I have an old bear mag, and this type of story sure makes me wonder if I shouldn't hang it up for good.

A little super glue and a couple of good nails and it should be as good as new....  :thumbsup:  
  Sorry to see this happen but glad you faired as well as you did. You may be a little gun shy for a while.

Good to know you are all right. The bow can be replaced.

Wow I've had a string break, I couldn't imagine the whole bow. I'm glad your ok and sorry for the loss of that beautiful bow

OUCH! That would be scary.

What hit you in the face - the upper limb or your fist?

I've punched myself in the face a few times when a compound release popped.
I've had a string break on a 60 recurve, but it was on a shot. Not on the draw.

that sounds like it would be painful.well we're all glad that you'r alright,but just imagine the nw bow you can get now.

glad your ok.

Ouch!!! Glad you're okay!! I have'nt had a KB with a trad bow yet but I used to shoot an oneida compound...sometimes it would shoot a limb farther than the arrow... that thing would sling parts all over the yard   :scared:    :scared: .

David

Good Lord! Thats terible. How often does this happen? I split my wigg trying to string my 55# bow one time, I can't imagin one breaking in half at full draw!

good grief goose,glad you came out with only minor injuries,that could've went reeeeeal bad.

I had the same thing happen to me once with a brand spanking new custom longbow. It is one of the most discomboobulating things that can happen in archery. I feel for you, my condolences for the loss of your bow and my prayers for quick healing.

Wow! That's not fun at all.  Glad you didn't have any serious lasting damage,at least physical damage. "Pucker factor" might be a little high for a while  though. ;)

Had a short osage selfbow blow on me once at full draw. I escaped unscathed, but it did get my attention.

WOW!!  You Are A Lucky Man!! I have a Little Question: How Much Longer is Your Draw past the 28" Marked on the Bow?
 Hate to Hear It Happened Though!! Fall Off, Get Right Back On, Right?? Well, Carefully.  :scared:    :thumbsup:

Glad to hear you are OK.

I am new at the trad thing and I have only started shooting last week.  I am always scared to death that this will happen.  For the first few times I pulled my longbow back I was SOOOOOOO cautious that I was not developing a good anchor point.  I would only pull back as far as I neded for the arrow to cover the 15 paces.  I am not so bad now but still a tad nervous.  Hope you get well soon and have a great Christmas.  Dave from Nova Scotia, Canada

Glad to hear you are o.k.  That sure can scare the crap out of a guy.  I once had both limbs of a maple board bow explode on me at the same time...splinters everywhere!  When the dust finally settled I was holding the handle piece with two splintered ends.  I was still finding splinters from that sucker for weeks later around my basement.  I thank the Good Lord I didn't catch any of those in the eye.  I always wear safety glasses now whenever tillering or shooting in a new bow that hasn't been shot much. I must say that that particular expolsion was really kind of neat to see...both limbs let loose at the same time. That sure is weird that that bow let go so suddenly after all these years.   Again, glad to hear you didn't get seriously hurt.  Take care, Matt

Been there and done that....
I glad you have no serious  injuries....
And to bad about your Bow....

Glad you are ok.  You might consider that as a candidate for a takedown?????

Had that happen with an upper limb once.  Fortunately I came away with just a bump.

Now you have to worry about your smart a** friends breaking sticks behind you when you draw!!  Trust me, one of them will do it to you!!!!

While we know that the bow is finished, unless of course you can make it a two-piece takedown !

But we would rather see pictures of the raccoon that got away !  :scared:

Been there. . my old old Wilson Bros Widow blew up on me a couple of months ago. I was lucky. the arrow took most of it, had a bruise on my arm.