Shattered carbon arrows !!
04-29-2010, 08:49 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1
Shattered carbon arrows !!
Hi all, am relatively new to archery. Having been shooting for only a few months and currently using Easton aluminium arrows, find that they bend rather easily. Been thinking of switching to carbon arrows cos they remain straight throughout their useable lives but if mishandled, can seriously injure, as the pics below show! 
Warning - graphic pics
http://www.texasarchery.org/images/Overdraw/dangers.htm
http://forums.cabelas.com/showthread.php?t=3246
(Quote from the link above)
"I met a guy at the bow range who had a fragment of a carbon arrow do the same thing to him but it went into his arm and caused carbon poisoning. He had to have his forearm amputated. He had a special arm designed for him to shoot his bow so he's still out there. He must really enjoy it (who doesn't?)."
Video
http://www.youtube.com/user/grttaxi#p/u/1/tzEAp32rntQ
Have also read manufacturers' warning labels online about twisting/bending them after every shot to ensure they are not damaged to shoot with.
My question is, although a rare occurrence, however, given the disconcerting fact that they do break and nasty accidents do happen,
1) why are people still at ease shooting carbon arrows?
2) How do you deal with the fact that every shot that you make could be your last?
3) Just how common are such accidents?
4) Point is I am totally worried about using carbons after seeing the damage they can cause but aluminium ones just wont do as they bend too easily.
What do I do? Can any seasoned archers here advise?
Warning - graphic pics
http://www.texasarchery.org/images/Overdraw/dangers.htm
http://forums.cabelas.com/showthread.php?t=3246
(Quote from the link above)
"I met a guy at the bow range who had a fragment of a carbon arrow do the same thing to him but it went into his arm and caused carbon poisoning. He had to have his forearm amputated. He had a special arm designed for him to shoot his bow so he's still out there. He must really enjoy it (who doesn't?)."
Video
http://www.youtube.com/user/grttaxi#p/u/1/tzEAp32rntQ
Have also read manufacturers' warning labels online about twisting/bending them after every shot to ensure they are not damaged to shoot with.
My question is, although a rare occurrence, however, given the disconcerting fact that they do break and nasty accidents do happen,
1) why are people still at ease shooting carbon arrows?
2) How do you deal with the fact that every shot that you make could be your last?
3) Just how common are such accidents?
4) Point is I am totally worried about using carbons after seeing the damage they can cause but aluminium ones just wont do as they bend too easily.
What do I do? Can any seasoned archers here advise?
04-29-2010, 09:21 AM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
I have shot carbons since they came out in the 80's. Looking back they have caused me more trouble than they are worth.
A carbon will never beat an aluminum arrow at straightness and consistent spine.. You cannot heat up a tip or insert to rotate or replace. Some do, and I used to by heating up a long field point and pulling it out. But learned by experience that you might get away with it a few times, but disaster will strike.
so why use carbon? You will never get the correct spine with the lightness of carbon. Everybody wants to shoot 300fps. Needed? No, but a great advertising point. Bad part about alum is it loses spine quicker than carbon. Another is, aluminum will lose energy faster due to its ossilation properties. They bend easy, and need replaced often.
I use alum for trad exclusively and use cedar for my selfbows. But still use carbon for compounds.
A carbon will never beat an aluminum arrow at straightness and consistent spine.. You cannot heat up a tip or insert to rotate or replace. Some do, and I used to by heating up a long field point and pulling it out. But learned by experience that you might get away with it a few times, but disaster will strike.
so why use carbon? You will never get the correct spine with the lightness of carbon. Everybody wants to shoot 300fps. Needed? No, but a great advertising point. Bad part about alum is it loses spine quicker than carbon. Another is, aluminum will lose energy faster due to its ossilation properties. They bend easy, and need replaced often.
I use alum for trad exclusively and use cedar for my selfbows. But still use carbon for compounds.
05-09-2010, 03:27 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Grass Lake, Mi.
Posts: 181
BTW check your aluminum arrows also. Asmall bend where the flex is, after the shot, could cause the arrow to break or bend. I do not twist the shafts! That might cause the carbon fibers to break on the inside. But I will never use a carbon arrow that has been hit by another, nor will I use one that has any split or carbon weave loose.
05-09-2010, 04:35 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
1) By and large, people are at ease with shooting carbons because ignorance is bliss. That encompasses probably 25% of the bowhunting only, carbon shooting community. Now, there is another 25% that is smart and careful enough to never shoot at the same spot twice. If your arrows are not impacting a hard target, then the chances of something major happeneing are very remote, especially if you check your arrows before each outing. If you hear a crack, or your nock flies out of your arrow upon target impact.... then you need to carefully check that shaft and perhaps even disgard it in the name of precaution.
2) Quite simply, every time I drive could be the last time as well. I still think archery is safer than recreational driving.... road accidents being the leading cause of accidental death in the US.... by a good margin too. When you are careful and take precautions, your odds improve drastically regarding the arrow issues you are concerned with.
3) I've worked professionally in the archery industry for almost 7 years now. I have only ever personally seen one arrow that completely broke on the string at release. And at that, I didn't see it happen. It happened at our range while I was at work. The shooter, a good customer of ours and avid archer, had a nasty bruise but was other fine. Lucky perhaps. He wasn't entirely sure what caused it.
4) If you are not comfortable shooting carbons... then don't! Archery is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Safety is always first. If your safety meter is running in the red shooting a carbon, I'll tell you personally that an aluminum will punch the X or kill a deer everybit as dead center and stone dead as a carbon will.
2) Quite simply, every time I drive could be the last time as well. I still think archery is safer than recreational driving.... road accidents being the leading cause of accidental death in the US.... by a good margin too. When you are careful and take precautions, your odds improve drastically regarding the arrow issues you are concerned with.
3) I've worked professionally in the archery industry for almost 7 years now. I have only ever personally seen one arrow that completely broke on the string at release. And at that, I didn't see it happen. It happened at our range while I was at work. The shooter, a good customer of ours and avid archer, had a nasty bruise but was other fine. Lucky perhaps. He wasn't entirely sure what caused it.
4) If you are not comfortable shooting carbons... then don't! Archery is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Safety is always first. If your safety meter is running in the red shooting a carbon, I'll tell you personally that an aluminum will punch the X or kill a deer everybit as dead center and stone dead as a carbon will.
05-10-2010, 06:14 AM
#6
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 14
This is the reason I shoot CAA arrows. Gold Tip doesn't make them anymore, but Easton makes a ACC arrow that's really good. At least you have a little piece of mind this arrow won't blow up on you with the aluminum core. I think the full metal jacket that Easton makes would make a good alternative to a completely carbon arrow.
