Why did this happen?

[Bruce M]

It's a hickory self bow, 56#@28", 66.5" ntn, limbs are symmetrically even w/3" fades.
You can see in the pic where the handle separated at a ring?
It was tillered to 1/16" negative tiller, I'm shooting 3under, and I have shot at least 250+ arrows out of it.
It doesn't travel the full length of the handle just kind of popped up on that side, bottom limb.

[Hamish]

I have seen similar cracks on bows that have been heat straightened, or reflexed, at or near the handle. I don't know if this is relevant to your case, especially if it was never straightened.

It doesn't look too bad. Flood the area with thin superglue, let it sink in for 10-20 seconds then brace it which will act as clamping pressure.

[Bruce M]

Yes this bow was dry heat treated at the handle while trying to center the string through the handle.
Thank you for the tip on glue up at brace, I was going to do the exact opposite, glue it at rest.

[superdav95]

I have seen similar cracks on bows that have been heat straightened, or reflexed, at or near the handle. I don't know if this is relevant to your case, especially if it was never straightened.

It doesn't look too bad. Flood the area with thin superglue, let it sink in for 10-20 seconds then brace it which will act as clamping pressure.

Good advice here. 

[Woodbear]

Cracks like that are one reason I have come to favor long gentle fades of the bow handle into the limbs.

I have fixed similar cracks by wicking Tightbond-3 into the crack. Apply a (single small) drop of water to the crack then a bead of glue holding the bow so the glue runs "down hill" into the crack. Work the crack by gently flexing the limb until you see glue coming out the whole depth of the visible crack. Then clamp with as many clamps as you can fit. Bracing the bow also seems good, but I have not tried this.


Dave

[Muskyman]

Curious if you ever got your bow fixed?  Hope it went well for you. I had something similar happen to one once and I never fixed it. I thought about taking it completely off and gluing a handle on it but never did anything with it.

[Bruce M]

No I haven't glued it yet and am not too sure I am going to because the bow had tremendous hand shock despite being one of the best tillering jobs I have done so far in my short bow building experience.

I think now, and maybe I'm wrong, is that the fades are ramped down too sharp as woodbear eluded to. Thinking this is what was the cause of the severe hand shock and maybe contributing to the cracked handle as well, idk just mulling it over.

Anyway that bow has been put up on the "to be continued" rack.