Check your arrows!

kritz · #1 09-23-2013, 01:27 PM

I do have a warning, Always do some random checking of arrows , the pictures are of my hand Friday morning. All my archery equipment is new last summer, bow and arrows, a lot of arrows shot very little and always stored in the bow case. This one broke as it was released from my bow , went through the back of my hand where I was holding the bow, and the carbon shattered inside my hand.
As I was telling this story at work today, another person here said he was sitting on his treestand, had his bow on his lap, said he was looking at his arrows and notices one had a small hairline crack, gave it a slight bend and it broke, could have resulted in the same if shot.
Pictures are gross!!
hand in.jpg

Hand exit.jpg

Stinky Buffalo · #2 09-23-2013, 01:45 PM

Ouch! Thanks for the reminder.

Hope you heal up soon!

north american hunter · #3 09-23-2013, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

Ouch! Thanks for the reminder.

Hope you heal up soon!

X2. That looks very painful

Arrowhead · #4 09-23-2013, 02:02 PM

Ouch!!!! Can you imagine that happening while sitting in a tree stand in some remote area? Good luck climbing down from a stand without the use of one hand. A good reminder for us all to check arrows regularly.

canadian medic · #5 09-23-2013, 02:06 PM

wow that be a depends moment hope it heals soon and glad to see it wasn't worse thanks for the reminder though

338Bluff · #6 09-23-2013, 03:01 PM

Wow! Over 20 years I have literally shot at least 50 dozen arrows a couple hundred thousand times. I try to be careful, but maybe it's just luck that I haven't had anything blow up on me. Makes a pretty good case for shooting fmj's!

kritz · #7 09-23-2013, 03:35 PM

Yes, I have also been shooting archery for 25 ish years since i was a teenager, I have had two new set up's over the past 4 years, 2010 I bought a whole new set up, bow and arrows, sold it all as a package,2012 spring I did the same thing, New bow and all new arrows. I have shot all the arrows in a rotation so they are not brand new or old sitting around.
If they have hit the ground or skipped off of something i would reccomend giving them a flex test or something.
Just my warning , I never ever would have thought this would ever happen with my equipment.

Stop Staring at my Rack · #8 09-23-2013, 04:33 PM

Ouch!!!! Glad it wasnt worse, hope it heals quickly!!!

Thanks for sharing!! Good reminder to us all!

Red Bullets · #9 09-23-2013, 05:02 PM

YEOW!! Time for a cross bow. Or get some steel shafted arrows. Heal quickly.

Bearbreath · #10 09-23-2013, 06:20 PM

That looks painful. I'll have a look at mine. Thanks

wildcat111 · #11 09-23-2013, 07:02 PM

the same thing happened to my friend markus, hope you heal quickly

jetlynk · #12 09-23-2013, 08:23 PM

Always flex mine before I shoot them.

Kurt505 · #13 09-23-2013, 08:34 PM

This is the exact reason I switched to FMJ's and ACC's.

Thank you for the reminder, sorry about your pain. Hope you get all the carbon out and heal fast. I've never gotten a carbon sliver but I'll bet it stings!

kstats · #14 09-24-2013, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stop Staring at my Rack

Ouch!!!! Glad it wasnt worse, hope it heals quickly!!!

Thanks for sharing!! Good reminder to us all!

X2!! Thanks!

6.5 shooter · #15 09-24-2013, 08:32 PM

We bought those Kevlar gloves ( PROTX) for the same reason. We were at the 3D shoot in Medicine Hat and watched a woman who nearly did the same thing to her hand.

I think they were $30 bucks or so? out of the State and they seem to work very well! The wife and I both like them and wear them all the time whether at the range or hunting.

But still no reason not to test your arrow every time before you shoot it.

Glad to hear your o.k.

L.O.S.T.Arrow · #16 09-25-2013, 01:36 PM

yikes hope it heals full...good heads up...

We have a full color enlargement picture of the one with the arrow still in huge slinters simular to this posted on the pop fridge...everyone see's it and it works most are checking arrows...

Its a gross thing to put up, but it sticks in peoples minds...[ no pun]

Neil

canadian medic · #17 09-25-2013, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L.O.S.T.Arrow

yikes hope it heals full...good heads up...

We have a full color enlargement picture of the one with the arrow still in huge slinters simular to this posted on the pop fridge...everyone see's it and it works most are checking arrows...

Its a gross thing to put up, but it sticks in peoples minds...[ no pun]

Neil

better a thought stuck in the mind then an arrow in the hand

catnthehat · #18 09-25-2013, 09:10 PM

OUCH!! That pic has a whole bunch of hurt written all over it!!

Cat

L.O.S.T.Arrow · #19 09-26-2013, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadian medic

better a thought stuck in the mind then an arrow in the hand

lol...Perfect...might have to use that!!!

Neil

Dogwalker · #20 09-27-2013, 10:47 AM

We're they able to get all the carbon slivers out? You may be plagued with surfacing pieces for years.

L.O.S.T.Arrow · #21 09-27-2013, 12:01 PM

yup ...beauty thing about carbon is that it cant be picked up by X-ray or other methods so diggin around with a scapel is in order...he he

A shooter put a broken arrow in the shops garbage barrel [even thou there is a sign saying not to and we have a special containor for broken arrows]...at the end of a nights shoot I was stuffing used paper targets into the barrel..felt a slight jab of pain like a mosquitoe bite...but never thought anything of it...

the next day WHOLLY WTF...everything I touched shot pain in my hole arm...I could see the piece in there and went to the doc...several needles later and digging around with a scapel he pulled out a 1/4 inch piece...I said thanks but didnt even know that one was in there ...so back he went...till he found this one inch piece...

...had to get several stiches too

dang that hurt...so I can feel somewhat for ya...

be careful out there

Neil

nekred · #22 09-27-2013, 12:07 PM

Often those cheap used arrows you found on the internet.... may not be such a great deal!...

kritz · #23 09-27-2013, 02:07 PM

3rd pictures shows the spread out carbon. You are correct xray does not pick it up, and it is not smooth pieces to pull out, and yes alot of digging when it is in the meat of your hand.

Hand Photo 3.jpg

Thinlizzy · #24 09-28-2013, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kritz

3rd pictures shows the spread out carbon. You are correct xray does not pick it up, and it is not smooth pieces to pull out, and yes alot of digging when it is in the meat of your hand.

Attachment 79391

OMG that looks painful!

Please keep us updated as to how your hand is doing.

mike.t · #25 09-28-2013, 08:53 PM

Ouch, thanks for the reminder, hope it heals quick
Cheers
Mike

kritz · #26 10-21-2013, 11:11 AM

An Update.

These were not cheap internet arrows, as stated by someone earlier, Carbon Express Mayhem hunters, ( Not the arrows fault, I believe) These arrows are new in the fall of 2012, I shoot alot and it could have been hit in the target by another arrow when shooting tight groups, Shooting gophers into the ground, could have been shot at a chicken into the dirt or bounced off a tree/stump, Like we all do when bowhunting, I will never know. I have flexed every arrow that I own and no other faults, but it only takes one, and I hope it never happens to you!

After 3 weeks, I am very lucky to say I have full function of my hand and thumb, Minor numbness along the edge of my thumb, Has some pain when lots of pressure using my thumb to push with or lifting, getting better every day.

A couple of good scars that will probably never go away.

Throughout the 3 weeks minor pieces of carbon have come to the surface ( like an ingrown hair) Just today a have a pain point and can see a sliver in there coming to surface.
I am very lucky and the alternative could have been very bad, lost thumb function forever, and/or the middle finger that was nicked also.

FLEX your arrows, I never thought it would happen to me either!

Full Curl Earl · #27 10-22-2013, 10:18 AM

Glad to hear your hand is doing good! Has anyone ever heard of an arrow flex test resulting in a failure? I know I haven't yet, I have seen a few failed arrows entering hands on the World Wide Web though. I am wondering if its a good test or not? Been bow hunting 20 years and shooting carbons ever since they came out. Recently I purchased a Kevlar fingerless glove, and more recently Full Metal Jacket carbon/Aluminum shafts. Won't need the glove anymore hopefully.
Keep on healing Freind !

L.O.S.T.Arrow · #28 10-24-2013, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Curl Earl

Glad to hear your hand is doing good! Has anyone ever heard of an arrow flex test resulting in a failure? I know I haven't yet, I have seen a few failed arrows entering hands on the World Wide Web though. I am wondering if its a good test or not? Been bow hunting 20 years and shooting carbons ever since they came out. Recently I purchased a Kevlar fingerless glove, and more recently Full Metal Jacket carbon/Aluminum shafts. Won't need the glove anymore hopefully.
Keep on healing Freind !

Seen several arrows snap clean on test...look on shooters face say's it all when they realize what could have happened...

I have disgarded a few just by sound of weak spot cracking..

Neil