Today I decided to shoot my hickory selfbow. I had shot a few arrows through it already. I drew back to my 29 and a half inch draw length and BOOM!!! My forehead hurts and time for a new bow!
please post images no wider than 640 - thank you!
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk108/mfacas/bow1.jpg)
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk108/mfacas/bow2.jpg)
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk108/mfacas/bow3.jpg)
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk108/mfacas/bow4.jpg)
Stuff happens! Be happy no one was injured-thanks for taking us along! :bigsmyl:
Sorry about your bow. Take a couple of goody powders and try again.
Just inquisitive. How long was your bow. In the pix,it looks pretty short for a 29 1/2 draw. Glad you weren't seriously hurt.
I wish I could say that has never happened to me. :banghead:
I have had more than 1 bow come apart in my hand. It is a really bad feeling.
Sorry for your loss but now you get to get a new bow.
Bisch
Ouch!
Sorry to hear this man.
Glad your ok though.
Time to make a new one huh.
Glad your ok. That has to be a real heartbreaker after all the time invested in making it.
"No Blood, No Foul",right?? Glad it wasnt an Eyeball or something Important Like That!!
It does happen, just ask Gray Buffalo...lol That said, it's never much fun when it does.
It can hurt physically and mentally... I'm glad to know that you'll survive without any long lasting harmful effects.
When you decide its time to build another I would suggest trying a different bow wood.. say Osage. But if you make another of hickory keep it long for your draw length or make it really wide. Then make sure you don't take the moisture level down too far. Hickory and other white woods can be over dried.
Again I'm sorry for the loss of your bow and I thank God you're going to be ok.
God bless,Mudd
Thanks the bow was 64 inches nock to nock.I must admit though that this bow was given to me as a gift from my grandfather a few years ago and I have been shooting it fir several years with no ill effects. With my draw length I am thinking I should probably shoot an all wood bow that is around 68 or 69 inches ntn.
I resized the pictures so they are within the acceptable size limit.
You were lucky to get a few years from a 64" selfbow and a 29.5 inch draw. You would do well to go to the 68 to 70 inch bows. Glad you are okay.
Thanks and I actually have 4 75 inch long smooth maple staves drying as we speak.
I agree with George.
Thats why every time I see someone get a new stave, they get 2. All part of the game, I shot a 40 target 3-D one Sunday with a Osage self bow, The next day I went out to shoot for fun and blew up one the first draw. Made me gun shy for a week....big lump on my forehead as well. Get busy and make another....
Painful to look at......at least you wasn't bearing down on a P&Y.....Were Ya? :D
that's to bad. Sorry for your loss. I broke one already this year too. We can only make more right! Happy building
That is an awfull big draw length for a selfbow.Most guys I know that shoot them have 25"-28" draws
Lol I was shooting in my basement when it blew up. The reason I draw back so far is because I have a 73 inch wingspan.
Keeping a bow in the house in winter many times dries them out and this happens. Not saying just saying. I keep my selfbows outside in an outdoor shed after a rash of this type of thing several years ago, has not happened since.
Mike
Hmmm maybe that is why it exploded with no warning.
Hmmm maybe that is why it exploded with no warning.
yup i know what thats like!!
Sorry for your loss.Glad your o-k. I hate bow funerals.Had one last year.We were close.
Was that a selfbow or board bow ? The break appears to have started with some grain runout. And yes, that's a bit short for your draw.29x2 plus the handle section of say, 12" and you have 70"
It was a hickory stave selfbow and there were no lifted grains or splinters on it. I am guessing that the stress the limbs finally took it's toll.
Double post
Bummer. Sorry that happened.
Sorry about the bow and the fact duct tape won't fix it! And glad you are not physically hurt.I feel your pain emotionally.
Thats exactly why I keep at least 3 staves drying all the time! When I start on a new one another stave gets put up for drying. Luckly haven't had one go BOOM in the last few years!
Got to love that Osage! Maybe one year I'll try a different wood, maybe not.
Get to work on another one. Hunting season is comming!
Glad you weren't hurt.
Hate it was one given to you by your grandfather. I'd peice it back together, and hang it up, just for the memories!
Johnny/JAG
How wide were the limbs? I've made a couple of hickory bows in the 66" range that were tillered to 30" They took some set but none broke yet. You can probably get by with that draw length in that length bow by making the limbs a little wider. Mine are 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" in width to mid-limb then tapering to around 1/2" tips. But I've only made a few and they may blow sometime.
Aaron