Pyramid bows breaking at fades

[bradsmith2010]

if the bows are breaking there, then there is too much bend there or the wood is not thick enough..  you will need to rethink the design for the heavier bows,,

[make-n-break]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll be applying you guys' recommendations to the next one.

[mikekeswick]

  I somehow get the feeling that the fade is too short, but the stiff inner limb section is too long.  Fades should be long enough that the limb isn't starting to bend until well out from where the handle starts to narrow.  But, in a pyramid bow, you really want the limb bending as soon as the fade ends, to accomplish your cirular tiller.

  My best thinking on this tells me that, in trying to protect the handle, you have actually stiffened the first few inches of the limb so much that the handle, right where it narrows, is experiencing more strain than it can take.  Your stiff inner limb is forcing the handle to bend slightly.  And rememeber, it could be trying to bend slightly to the side...

  Try hard for that circular tiller, make the fade end 1.5" past the handle-shoulders, and see what happens.

+1

[Gordon]

The cut in from the limb into the narrow part of the handle is far to steep - that's just asking for trouble...