This thread may look or seem like a thread that is about accuracy or form issues or misses while hunting, however this thread is a venting thread about the frustrations I have dealt with over the years regarding the physical aspects of my traditional bows that I have used. Two years ago I had my first and only custom recurve blow up on me during hunting season the limbs were destroyed and the bowyer was no longer making bows. It was a nice bow but I had only been using it for around 3 seasons and there went 700 down the drain. I ended up using a self bow that I had made myself for a while it was also a nice bow but developed some compression cracks due to a tillering issue and eventually was retired as well, once again a nice bow but also another one lost; this did not bother me as much because I had made it and am by no means an experienced bowyer. Last season I purchased a used black widow from the big auction site to replace my broken custom bow. It was damaged when I received it. Rather than send it back I decided to have widow fix the damage for me which was a busted up limb tip. It took a while to get it fixed because this tip was stubborn and after a couple tries the widow boys had it patched up with overlays on the belly side. I began shooting this bow well and it has been on several hunts so far this year, however while shooting in the yard today I had one of my arrows slip off the string upon release and pretty much dry firing this bow which ultimately peeled up the overlays that were used to fix the tips to begin with and its a mystery how much damage is actually done by a dry fire. Off to missouri it will go again, I dont even want to mention how much Ive put into this old bow. I guess where I'm getting at is that I dont know if I just have bad luck with trad bows or what but I dont know how much time and money I can keep putting into having to replace or repair the bows that are being damaged by myself. I love trad and I had no intention on ever going back to my compounds but I also never had this much physical issues with the compounds. Sorry if it seams like i'm being whiney but this is getting old especially during hunting seasons. Someone talk some sense back into me :banghead:
Seems like your having a run of bad luck. I really haven't had any issues over the years with any of my longbows. Hang in there brother. I'm sure its just a run of bag luck.
Hang in there.
One of the things I've accepted as a wood bowyer is that due to errors on my tillering may result in having to make another bow.
If you want a more bomb proof bow. Look for some of the tough d designs. One that comes to mind in a longbow is the Bamboo long hunter.
The newer faster designs and I'll put BW in there sometimes can't take abuse.
I can see where you are coming from. If I went to the top and spent that money, only to have the top fail me I could see how you would be heart broken.
I say get the widow repaired and sell or sell as is.
Then buy a working mans bow, a hunter.
Wild game do not seem to be impressed by veneers or name brands.
Maddog archery?
I think you are using up a bunch of bad luck.
The first bow was used, most used bows are fine but you never know if a previous owner dry fired it.
The second was a self bow, I've never had one but read of them failing all the time.
The third bow was a problem from the start, good for BW repairing it but your accidental dry fire killed it.
All in all, a bunch of bad luck in my opinion. Nock on wood but I can say I've never had a bow break on me (laminated). Hopefully you go the rest of your life without any more failures, but they do fail sometimes...as you know.
"The first bow was used, most used bows are fine but you never know if a previous owner dry fired it.
The second was a self bow, I've never had one but read of them failing all the time.
The third bow was a problem from the start, good for BW repairing it but your accidental dry fire killed it."
X2
You can get a used bow cheap don't go for looks but how well they shoot. Hang in there. Stuff happens and your still breathing .
Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see where the first bow was used when he got it. Maybe it was, but I don't read that from the original post.
I agree self bows have a shorter expected life than a good glass laminated bow and that a dry fire on a repaired bow is understandable to fail.
Hang in there. Assuming that the BW is a takedown, a new set of limbs that are taken care of should last the rest of your life.
Yeah, I'd have to agree that is pretty unfortunate.
I've had good success with used bows by well known companies. I've bought two Howatt Hunters here on Trad Gang and my son and I love them. The older one (which is in more "used" condition) was $200 and the nicer one (which was almost new) was $275. They draw smooth, shoot fast and are overall sweet bows. And they last.
Also consider something like a Bear Grizzly or Kodiak. I shot both of them at the local shop and they perform very well. The Grizzly is not a glamorous bow but for $330 new it is a steal.
Stuff happens.
Black Widows are as bomb proof a bow as you can ever buy. I have owned and shot a bunch over the last 10 years and never had a bit of trouble.
I only owned two wheelies in my 7 year run before I turned/returned to trad. One of those had a limb begin to splinter; it had a lifetime warranty, but the manufacturer was no long in business, so.... On the other hand, I've bought three used "custom" trad bows in the past three years (two for well under $300 per) and one production LB, and all have held up well to daily shooting. I'm thinking you're due for some better luck; hang in there!
if it helps any i agree with the bad luck. i know if i dropped 700 on a bow to have it fail i would be pretty angry; having said that the bow i shoot i got new for under 200 and shoots with authority even out to 40ish yards...and is accurate. wild meat doesnt care for name brands or types of wood only people...i bought mine for its purpose to hunt with not to be a work of art...maybe try to find a bow that you know will last but doesnt cost a fortune..idk..its just my two cents...hope all gets better for ya!!
QuoteOriginally posted by Hermon:
Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see where the first bow was used when he got it. Maybe it was, but I don't read that from the original post.
When I go back and read the original post again I think you are correct, not sure how I decided the first one was used. I stand corrected.
Thanks for the input guys, I may try to fix the BW myself and shoot her til she blows up. I'm just frustrated with dropping money over an over to repair and replace my bows, I am just a tight person with money and these type of things dont settle well on my stomach especially in the middle of the rut...
Just my 2 cents, but if I remember rite, you posted a pic of you and a buck and how happy you were. Just hang in there and take the bad with the good...jmho and all my best.
QuoteOriginally posted by Rustic:
Just my 2 cents, but if I remember rite, you posted a pic of you and a buck and how happy you were. Just hang in there and take the bad with the good...jmho and all my best.
Rustic you are right, traditional bows make me extremely happy and hunting with them is the best, but man it seems like I cant get a bow to last longer than a couple seasons :( gonna try to keep at it and hope for the best, or just keep on buying bows lol
Hang in there. I've had a bunch of trad bows and no real trouble with any of them. I shot Widows for years and always thought they were as bombproof as they come.
I would avoid an all-wood bow, unless I wanted to become a bowyer. Then I would make about 10 bows for myself so when one breaks and they will, I would have another. I got tired of breaking wood bows including composite bows. there is a reason they put glass on bows.
The most dependable bow I have used is a glass Hill style longbow, well made. Thick, narrow limbs. Just about bomb-proof. No twist to limbs, glass protection and durability.
Get one longbow, learn to shoot one bow, one that is dependable, and get accurate. Hate to hear of your run of luck. :(
I have never had a recurve or long bow self destruct in my hands. I had two compound bows and my wife had one compound bow self destruct. Hmm and they were all of the same manufacture.....
ChuckC
Chuck, I wish I could say the same, Its not a good feeling. I have seen a compund bow self destruct from dry fire; but it was repaired. I dont know how well trad bows can handle dry fires today was the first time I have ever done it. I have seen it done to others and they seemed ok, but it often makes me wonder when I buy used bows how they were treated before coming into my possession.
Is the BW a take-down? Can they make just one limb? I am guessing that they could? probably the most economical option to have a very bombproof recurve. If it is a one piece I apologize in advance.
I saw "cadet member" and thought that meant a young person, so I checked out your profile and see that you're 23? Not exactly young, but still have most of your life in front of you (I hope). My advice to you at your age is to follow your heart. If it takes you in a different direction, follow it. If traditional bow hunting is in your blood, it will call you back when you're ready for it.
Buckeye I have had your same problem. I thought it was my draw length. Maybe it is just the bad mojo of south east ohio. Hope you find an answer.
QuoteOriginally posted by ESP:
Buckeye I have had your same problem. I thought it was my draw length. Maybe it is just the bad mojo of south east ohio. Hope you find an answer.
ESP my draw length is short so maybe it is bad "juju" in southeast Ohio. Its about time for that to change I believe.
Thanks for the encouragement everyone, trying to keep my head up. I posted a thread about fixing the widow tip "how can i fix this". Gonna see if I can fix it myself and then maybe hunt that bow to death.
You could have the widow bows build you a new set of limbs, I know it will not be cheap, but it would be like a new bow then.
Good luck!
Charlie,
that would be fantastic, but not an option at this point in time while trying to finish up school, but perhaps down the road! :thumbsup:
Robert
Pick yourself up and keep at it. You should visit Primitive Archer Online, those guys are bowyering nuts they break hundreds of bows, goes with the territory. Make sure your nocks aren't too loose. It's a run of bad luck, don't let it ruin your passion. The glory is just an arrowshot away!!
If I lived closer, you could borrow one of mine. Maybe someone local will lend you one so you can finish this season. No one should have to sit out the rut.
I'm having Mike build me a Mad Dog longbow. His bows are strong and not real fancy but plenty good enough. And the best part is, his prices are very reasonable.
Better luck is coming to you soon, sir.
I wish I could "talk some sense into you" as you asked, but I feel every word of what you wrote. I just had a similar experience to yours: my string caught my sleeve during a practice shoot and pulled the arrow off the string, resulting in a dryfire. This was with a custom recurve I put $1400 into, and the dryfire cracked the riser. It's not repairable, per the bowyer, who is a truly great guy. I don't blame him at all, but it's a huge disappointment.
After this, I simply cannot justify putting so much money into a custom bow. Can anyone here really justify the extra $300-$700 (or more!) that a custom longbow or recurve costs over a "factory" bow? Is it worth so much to tighten your groups up by a half an inch (if that)?
I can't accept the cost anymore. With the amount of money I poured into this bow, I could have bought a top-of-the-line Hoyt or Mathews, accessorized it to the max, and had cash left over for other things. Or I could have bought a factory tradbow and had plenty of cash left over for the mortgage, car insurance, etc.
It's sad to say, but an episode like this leaves me with little desire to shoot trad. I blame no one but myself for the dryfire and resulting damage, but that still does not leave me inclined to continue shooting trad.
Well I hope you stick with it and I hope your luck turns around...
I think Macbow has it right,if you want a real bomb proof bow go for the American style longbows (with glass). They are more apt to survive dry fires, backing over with your truck or whatever you want to do to'em. As I understand it the Reflex/deflex and recurve bows are a bit more fragile. Also you can get into a D for relatively cheap.
Good luck.
I had a custom ILF riser blow-up on me just drawing it back in the living room right out of the box! I had a kings ransom into it. All decked out. The bowyer stood behind it,and the next one...Micarta re-inforced. My new Widow is a solid riser as well. It just makes things tough,and I like the mass it offers. Just thought I'd mention it. Dry fires are tough,you never know how it's going to affect a bow. But,if you
like nice,nice trad bows...your gonna'spend a very fair amount of money. rat'