Author Topic: Broken Bow  (Read 153 times)

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Offline Arrowbuster

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Broken Bow
« on: January 15, 2026, 08:26:35 pm »
Can this be fixed?

Offline Arrowbuster

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Re: Broken Bow
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2026, 08:28:52 pm »
Back hasn't been violated. I was wondering if I could glue this back and it stay together?

Offline sleek

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Re: Broken Bow
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2026, 09:13:40 pm »
Oof, thats a rough one. Without seeing the rest, its a hard thing to guess. But Id say its possible as long as the glue goes into all the spaces and that the wood is clamped well enough, but you avoid whats called a dry joint, where too much glue squeezes out.
Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

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Offline bjrogg

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Re: Broken Bow
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2026, 09:36:17 pm »
Strange one there. I think it’s worth a try. Might try a good wrap of some kind to.

Is it a delamination? Or is it damage from a dry fire or something?

Bjrogg
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Offline Arrowbuster

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Re: Broken Bow
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2026, 09:36:50 pm »
I thought about going ahead and trying to pull apart so I can be sure to get glue covering everywhere. It happened while bracing it, bottom loop popped off after I got it strung, I just set there for a minute saying what the hell happened. It was an awesome bow. Reason I am wanting to fix it. I actually won this bow in a charity auction for Dire Wolf. Arvin made it. Best shooting bow I have ever owned.

Offline Hamish

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Re: Broken Bow
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2026, 10:25:00 pm »
 Need more photos. Does the crack go right through to the other side? If it does then you can use a vacuum to help suck the glue from the other side.


I'd glue it up, then wrap the handle in epoxy soaked thread, like bjrogg suggested.

Also make another string with a smaller loop for the bottom limb.
What method of stringing are you using?

Offline sleek

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Re: Broken Bow
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2026, 10:52:48 pm »
I thought about going ahead and trying to pull apart so I can be sure to get glue covering everywhere. It happened while bracing it, bottom loop popped off after I got it strung, I just set there for a minute saying what the hell happened. It was an awesome bow. Reason I am wanting to fix it. I actually won this bow in a charity auction for Dire Wolf. Arvin made it. Best shooting bow I have ever owned.


I KNEW i recognized that handle design! Lol Arvin is on here as Selfbowman if you weren't aware. I would not pull it apart any further. How far up the handle into the limb does the damage go?
Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

Dont seek your happiness through the approval of others

Offline superdav95

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Re: Broken Bow
« Reply #7 on: Today at 12:06:46 am »
yup. ive got one of his bows.  I would do like sleek says.  i would also use a good 2 part epoxy like west sytems or ea 40.  I would heat up the crack area just a bit with a heat gun and also warm up the glue to get it more runny to get down into the crack deep and fill all the voids.  then I would clamp it and leave it overnight.  I think it would be fine so long as the crack didnt migrate into the limbs.
Sticks and stones and other poky stabby things.

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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Broken Bow
« Reply #8 on: Today at 06:27:07 am »
I thought about going ahead and trying to pull apart so I can be sure to get glue covering everywhere. It happened while bracing it, bottom loop popped off after I got it strung, I just set there for a minute saying what the hell happened. It was an awesome bow. Reason I am wanting to fix it. I actually won this bow in a charity auction for Dire Wolf. Arvin made it. Best shooting bow I have ever owned.
I think you are right. If you can pull it apart (carefully get a thin blade in and tease it along) you can then glue the whole break. Otherwise it's almost impossible to get the glue right into the split.
I had a similar crack open up on a Yew ELB, it went diagonal from grip to 2/4 along one limb.
See this video at the 2:00 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0DxAZGxz2M&list=PLBz2tD9476KQrsVT5EV9735gvIor1uw77
I split it apart, glued and bound it.
Its held up fine.
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline simk

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Re: Broken Bow
« Reply #9 on: Today at 07:47:00 am »
there's a simple trick boys!

dont pull it apart and don't use epoxy like west sytems or ea 40. those are artificially thickend with thixotropic agents.

use a casting resin suitable for wood. these normally are used for making laminations of fiber cloth and they are designed to creep.

pour it in that crack and it will quickly displaces ALL of the air and automatically creep into every crack. no heating required, room temp is just fine. use one that has a open time of at least 60 min and clamp after 30min. If the crack goes all through seal it well on one side with super adhesive tape - ducktape does not work, the epoxy creeps underneath!

cheers
« Last Edit: Today at 07:53:19 am by simk »
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