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.  


 

Wow! I think you are very lucky. Sorr

         

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.  

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!!  

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