Broken arrow, has this ever happen to you?

[Pon]

I just purchased a new dozen of woodies, 60-65 surewoods BEATIFULY crested and fletched, cut them and installed field points and here I go to the range all hyped up because of the new arrows, I started shooting and was pleased with the flight, on the 3rd or 4th round I went to the target to take out my arrows and when I pulled of them only half of it came trough and the other half stuck on the target      I was like WTF ????       I did not bend them nor hitted with another arrow, check the target for nails or anything Hard and found nothing, what could have happened?

[Margly]

Yep I have experienced that sometimes.
It`s highly important to check all the arrow properly before you shoot, if not you could experience a really dangerous part of the "archers paradox"

Probably the arrow had a damage or weakness from the start, or done in the mail(if they were sent).

Or maybe you hit the target heavily but in an angle that "twisted" the arrow in the impact.
I`ve done that as well on a target (foam) that had a lot of soft-spots(many holes after arrows)
and I found it out when I put the arrow back on the self for on more go, and I did see a crack downward the shaft.

Could be dangerous stuff.      


Margly

[Bjorn]

That can happen, although rarely.........bows and strings break sometimes too.

[bornagainbowhunter]

Originally posted by Bjorn:
That can happen, although rarely.........bows and strings break sometimes too.

They sure do, and it is a NIGHTMARE!!!

[Don Stokes]

The type of break can tell you something. If there are long splinters, the wood was probably sound and got damaged somewhere along the way. If the break is splinter-free and across the grain, the shaft had "brash" wood or severe cross grain. Brash wood comes from abnormal growth or from using the juvenile wood near the pith center, which is weaker than the mature wood put on by the tree in later years.

[Pon]

it was a clean break splinter free.

Thanks for you comments to all

[bosteldr]

Not resently, but I had the same experience about 10 yrs ago when I shot at a new target butt designed for compounds.  It was so hard my arrow broke after penetrating the target only a few inches. The target butt was very hard.  Took me 3 arrow to decide it was the target butt and not my arrow.

[Flying Dutchman]

Normally, when you hit properly the target, the arrow stays in one piece. Probably it had a weak spot, as already expained.

Since I shoot a lot of pretty difficult 3D tournaments, I make my own arrows. Some tournaments real "arrow-destroyers, due to the many branches and trees. I buy the bare shafts and crest, lacquer and fletch them myself.I also put the nocks and fieldpoint on.

If an arrow breaks, I take it home. I take the fletching, point and nock of and put it in a box. When I am starting with a new batch, I re-use the stuff. In this way, a new arrow only costs me 2 bucks and some time...

[Orion]

I agree with Don.  From what you describe, the shaft might have had some serious cross grain.  But that would be extremely unusual for a Surewood shaft. Their shafts are very high quality, and all I've seen had very straight grain. (You can check for grain runout on the piece of shaft you have left.)  Doug Fir can sometimes be a bit brittle.  I don't understand the chemistry or dynamics as to why, but I do know it occurs.  You just may have run into a brittle shaft.

[Pon]

I will post pics of the shaft tonight however the end that got stuck on the target is now damaged since I had to use pliers to get it out

[Don Stokes]

Cross grain can't always be seen by looking at the growth rings. If the cross grain is in one direction, it shows in the growth rings, but if it's 90 degrees to that it doesn't show in the rings. Expressed another way, just because the shaft is cut with the rings properly aligned down the shaft, it doesn't necessarily mean the shaft doesn't have cross grain. Even experienced shaft makers can be fooled, which is why it is a good idea to cut your own wood from straight, clear logs if you're in that business. It's the only way to be sure of optimum grain control.

Brash, or brittle, wood can show up unexpectedly in wood that otherwise seems normal. Brash wood will normally not survive the straightening process, because it tends to pop across the grain when bent. Very few such shafts will make it through the manufacturing process, but it can happen. It's spooky when one pops in your hand, seemingly for no reason.

These are some of the reasons that experienced archers inspect their arrows regularly, and "stress test" any that are suspicious. Any cracked shaft should be broken through, to be sure it doesn't get shot again by accident.

The same goes for any arrow material, not just wood. A minor flaw in any material can become major in a heartbeat. Very few products are meant to be stressed the way arrows are, every time they're shot!

[eric-thor]

i think your ? is well answerd if not excessively ....fact is projectiles break sometimes and wood is a natural and imperfect thing . its a let down no doubt but at least u have 11 more. arrows are an expence ,and ihave hundreds of broked arrows of all materials from over the years someshot once some 100 times. just look your shafts over from time to time .
and be aware of odd noises form either release and impact.its all you can do .

[Killdeer]

Pliers?
What the heck does a target have that holds an arrow that tight?

I only have to use tools when I hit the frame or a tree.

Killdeer

[sagebrush]

If they never broke you wouldn't need a whole dozen. Only when you lost one. I don't worry about broke arrows, I just throw them away and grab another. I've gone out stump shooting and broke five in one session. It depends on what you are shooting at. Gary

[KSdan]

Solution: carbons     :D

[Pon]

thanks to all again

Im not whinning, just wondering if this is common and btw I do check my equipment every time before shooting

killdeer, the problem was not how tight but how deep in the target the broken end was buried

[Grey Taylor]

KSdan, that's like saying if you don't want to get divorced, don't get married.
If you don't do it you'll miss out on all that beauty, love, understanding, fun, and companionship.
Same thing with wood arrows.

Guy

[eric-thor]

ksdan : yes your right cause no carbon arrow ever broke, ever!!!  

[s_mcflurry]

One of the risks and excitement of handling a weapon as I guess. I heard about that a couple months ago.  A wheelie guy in a shop was shooting a carbon and, not sure if it was a damaged arrow or not, but it snapped upon release, the broken back half went into his had and there was blood everywhere.

As much as it sucks to have something new just break on you, I'm glad you're okay and not having to write a "So, a funny thing happened to my hand the other day...an arrow shaft went through it!" thread...that would REALLY suck!

EDIT:  I also heard that carbon splinters are a b****!!  Hope I never learn that first hand!

[lpcjon2]

Just use the broken arrow to make pegs for  a nice bow rack and move on.I break tons of arrows that are brand new, mine keep splitting the nocks of the others.