Cracked bow disaster

[steve58]

Just got my bow out to polish it and wax the string and found a crack across the lower limb about half way down. Seemed to shoot OK on Sunday. Will be ringing the bowyer (Pip Bickerstaffe) tomorrow and wondering what to expect? Anyone had a similar experience? How was it handled? Bow is just over a year old and has always been treated with care and respect. All a bit of a disaster as I have to shoot for Notts at the start of September and do not have a spare of this draw weight, and my other bow will not reach 100 yards (the round is a York).

[English Bowman]

I had a crack in the upper limb of my Bickerstaffe bow which was a few years old. I took the bow to him and he repaired it for a very reasonable rate, it was back within a couple of weeks and shoots as good as new. If he says that he can fix it, then he can and it'll be a good repair, at least mine was.

Daniel

[cuddles]

Originally Posted by steve58

Just got my bow out to polish it and wax the string and found a crack across the lower limb about half way down. Seemed to shoot OK on Sunday. Will be ringing the bowyer (Pip Bickerstaffe) tomorrow and wondering what to expect? Anyone had a similar experience? How was it handled? Bow is just over a year old and has always been treated with care and respect. All a bit of a disaster as I have to shoot for Notts at the start of September and do not have a spare of this draw weight, and my other bow will not reach 100 yards (the round is a York).

Hope you get your bow sorted out in time for the Thorsby.I will see you there as i am one of the organisers,i will be on target 1

[Ceri Jones]

Had this appear on a longbow i was using during a comp not long after i started, noticed the poundage dropping then bow broke on release on the last arrow.
Have seen a few longbow failures last summer (06).

Is the crack on the inside or outside of the limb? It may just be the varnish cracking

[TimS]

Steve how do you string your bow ? If you use the 'step through' method prepare yourself for a firm bollocking from the forthright Mr Bickerstaffe as this sounds like a possible problem from that !

The good news is that Pip will almost certainly be able to repair it and return it to virtually as new - I have seen him do 2, my current bow which showed a crack within a few weeks of purchase (not as a result of 'step through') and one of my my club colleagues which definitely was. First one free and absolutely no quibble - second one very reasonably priced and free bollocking!

[steve58]

I was at work today so my wife very bravely took the bow to Bickerstaffe's for me. It will need a whole new belly, but may be back by the end of the week with a bit of luck, certainly should be done and shot in ready for the Thoresby. Cheaper than a new bow thank goodness.

I only ever string it with a stringer, so that was not the problem. Does anyone think it could be caused by shooting light arrows? My Sitka Spruce ones are only 29 grammes, are they heavy enough?

Looking on the bright side I took the indoor bow up the field and shot it to see whether it would reach the full distance for a York. It would, just about, (although I don't think it would cope on a hot humid day) so now I have the perfect excuse to whip up a set of arrows so I have a spare. I was surprised how well it shot with an old set of random arrows, I guess my technique must have come on this year.

[English Bowman]

Best person to answer that question is Pip himself, but you've got to remember that wood is a natural material that isn't 100% predictable, so you will always get the occasional bow that will have a hidden weakspot and break or crack for no apparent reason.

Daniel

[steve58]

Originally Posted by English Bowman

Best person to answer that question is Pip himself, but you've got to remember that wood is a natural material that isn't 100% predictable, so you will always get the occasional bow that will have a hidden weakspot and break or crack for no apparent reason.

Daniel

Not sure I dare ask though! Would be gutted if it were my fault for using lighter arrows in pursuit of a decent score at 100 yards.

[Zanda]

Originally Posted by steve58

Not sure I dare ask though! Would be gutted if it were my fault for using lighter arrows in pursuit of a decent score at 100 yards.

chicken, I guess you could do what I would ? get the wife to ask ! lol

[alanesq]

As said earlier wood is very unpredictable and longbows breaking/exploding/cracking is all just par for the course

If there was a problem with your arrows being too light I would imagine you would be getting a lot of hand shock from the bow
the problem being that the arrow isn't heavy enough to take all the energy from the bow so lots is left over to go through your arm instead

I have accidentally shot my bow without an arrow (when the nock fell off the string) and you really know about it I can tell you !