Importants of flexing arrows!

[rowdycwby1]

Not sure if this is the right place to put this so if it needs to be moved do so as needed. I learned a very valuable lesson two weeks ago on the importance of flexing arrows before shooting. I just up graded to a Hoyt faktor 30 first of March had the bow shop set it up with all my stuff and took it home and sighted it in and shot 3d and was really impressed. The following weekend I was fine tooning and had issues with my drop away rest the string got slack in it and wouldn't cock and wouldn't drop forcing my arrows to knock it down causing my arrows drop and hit the ground. I figured out the problem fixed it and went back to shooting shot 6 arrows fine retrieved them and shot 4 more on the 5th arrow I pulled back and released and the arrow exploded course my bowstring to derail and splintered my bottom limb. I got lucky it only messed up the bow and didn't get me!! So for all the new guys and even the veteran bow hunters remember the importance of flexing your arrows on a regular basis or anytime you hit something that's hard.

[Swede]

Thanks for the reminder Rowdy. I know the instructions we get with new shafts and arrows say to check them after every shot, but I rarely do. I guess I will need to pay closer attention.

[pointysticks]

Glad your were unscathed. Scary.

[Fridaythe13th]

Glad to here your not hurt, buy flexing you mean bending the arrow? good to know

[rowdycwby1]

Yea it had me gun shy for a little bit after that I'm just glad I had my PSE to shoot until I got the Hoyt back. Yes Fridaythe13th take your arrows and flex them till they have fairly good arch in them then rotate a quarter turn and do again until you've done one complete rotation of the arrow. If the arrow is bad you'll hear it cracke or it'll completely break in your hand. After it happened I flexed all my arrows and had 3 more break just flexing them.

[Toby]

Rowdy, thanks for the reminder, glad you were not hurt. I have seen some nasty pictures of guys that weren't so lucky. Flexing is a good habit to get into, especially after slapping shafts in a tight group or hitting something hard, don't forget to check your nocks as well.

[pointysticks]

After it happened I flexed all my arrows and had 3 more break just flexing them.

Is it okay to ask? What arrows?

At the range irbid habit for me to flex arrows on the walk back from retrieving my shots.

[rowdycwby1]

GT's 2 expedition hunters I've shot for 2 years and 2 XT hunters I bought in September. I know for sure one of them nicked a cinder block a little behind one of my targets and the others tree branches the metal rod that's in the leg of my 3d target, slapping them on each other in tight groups. I know for now on if hits anything other then a target it's getting flexed before shooting again.

[Toby]

GT's are pretty tough arrows, but all carbons can fail. I now shoot GT's as well, but used to shoot Beeman ICS Hunters and had three fail from slapping each other, something made me flex them.

[erichunter14]

This is new to me. How far do you bend them? I am afraid of bending them too far and breaking them myself.

[JJ Overkill]

this was when I was playing with my current setup, I was running a 200gr head which weakend the spine. I was afraid id run into this problem this arrow came apart in my hands. I bend and slightly twist my arrow in opposite directions (twist nock clockwise, point counter clock wise) ive had a couple snap on me in my hands during testing. almost all are due to my errors, IE to heavy of point, hitting arrows with broad heads, hitting rocks after missing a target just to name a few. ive found that just bending them sometimes doesn't reveal a damaged arrow. but slightly twisting them when bent will show a flaw real quick. ive used this method a lot and only the weak arrows pop, its something like 1 in 500 bend test ive done if I had to put a number to it. thanks for the reminder though. id rather snap one with my hands than have to go get an arrow removed from my hand

[jmez]

Glad you weren't hurt. Another reason to shoot FMJ's!

My cousin had an arrow break and went in right above the thumb and came out his palm. Had to go have it removed, like the pictures you see traveling around the internet once in a while with an arrow through the hand.

[pointysticks]

This is new to me. How far do you bend them? I am afraid of bending them too far and breaking them myself.

Just give them a gentle bend. Listen and feel for cracking.

Not sure I could flex an arrow to failure. They are so strong and I have girl hands:)

[ST52V]

^^^^+1 why I like my FMJ. I'm glad you came out unscathed and you can shoot again without that effecting you. I don't think most people could shoot the same after an event like that.

[ferris bugler]

I never shoot at the same spot on a target for that exact reason.

[Indian Summer]

I have always had a little fear of all carbon arrows. That's why for as long as I can remember I've been shooting Easton ACCs and now AC Slims. With the aluminum core there's no chance of arrow explosions. Not only an awesome arrow with the lowest tolerances on the market (and unfortunately a price that reflects that) but also very safe to shoot.

And yes... this is the place for your thread bud.

[zpd307]

I am glad I eventually read this thread! one of my last shoots I retrieved an arrow from the target in which the last quarter of the arrow was exploded. no other arrow was near it, so I knew it didn't happen from getting hit by one.

[westaner]

This will give you reason to flex after every shot!

[rowdycwby1]

OUCH

[pointysticks]

Remember that guy that pinned his hand to the bows wooden grip? He had to drive himself to the hospital with his bow and hand held out the car window. Awesome thread! That guy had true grit.

[quarbles]

pictures like that gave me anxiety when i decided to leave fmj and go to a carbon axis.... probably overboard but i flex them religiously every time after i remove them from my target.... found a few that made that crunchy crackle sound..... usually i could hear when they slapped each other after the shot broke....

[PREZ]

I won't shoot carbons. I shoot Easton FMJ and ACC Pro Hunters.

[Trophyhill]

My buddy found this out the hard way. Arrow exploded and ended up in the top of his hand. He thinks he still has small slivers in there 2 years removed.

[COElkFreak]

I had a arrow shatter on release and go inbto my hand at the base of my thumb. & years later still have little feeling in my thumb and pretty sure still come spinters floating around in there. So all.....please check those arrows often.