Odds of exploding arrows?

[Thesquirrelslinger]

If you shoot a rivercane shaft without a point into a 3/4 plywood target it will shatter the end of the shaft. Anyone nearby better duck, cause the frag hurts.

[Pat B]

It broke when I released the arrow. The string slapped my shoulder of my bow arm but the arrow fragments went elsewhere. I was lucky but one arrow in 30 years ain't too bad. I have wood arrows(POC) that have been shot thousands of times and are still in good shape.
 A frozen turd could fall from a leaky airplane and hit you on the head but it is not likely. 

[twisted hickory]

Most trad and primitive bows don't have the speed or power to break arrows in that way, so you don't need to worry hardly at all about that unless you are shooting in the warbow weight class.

But the modern compounds do, so don't go putting your arrows through one of them.

About 3 weeks ago I had a locust 44 lb self bow blow out a nock that was not reinforced That in effect caused the bow to dry fire and a pin knot that I accidently sanded down too far began to blow out down the limb toward the tip, i was like cause that bow was fast , had some character and smooth as butter to shoot.

[kleinpm]

In high school gym class we had one day of archery. I am not sure what the arrows were made of, but the bows were the cheap plastic ones with about 15 pounds of draw.

The kid next to me shot the arrow off his knuckle instead of the arrow rest. Next thing I know his hand is impaled on half of the arrow. It was ugly. The arrow had a splinter that caught his hand and once it started it just kept going.

To this day, I refuse to shoot off of my hand. ALL of my bows have an arrow rest. It might not even make a difference, safety wise, but it makes me feel better.

Patrick

[Pappy]

If they don't have bad grain run off or like was said put it to the top and be sure the spine is heavy enough,and also check them often after shooting especially if someone else is pulling you arrows and you won't have any problems. I check arrows and nocks pretty regular as walking the range or stump shooting. I have shot many thousands of cain and wood and have only had 1 break and that was the first set I tried 35 years ago and they were 5/16 shot out of a 60+lb bow,no idea what the spine was ,but very weak. I have had a few nocks break but that was because I or someone else hit them while shooting and I didn't check them,so I try to look at the regular if I am shooting at a bail with someone else ,the guys I shoot with are nock hunters,they love to bust your nock if they can.
   Pappy

[hurlbri1]

Awesome responses!  Thank you all so much!  I definitely feel better...inspect, flex, inspect some more, shoot, inspect some more--I get it!  Also, if there's some run off, orient the shaft so that the run off points upward.  Got it.  Whew...

If I do impale myself, I promise to add pictures 

[JackCrafty]

Never had a problem with birch dowels.  I get about one good one for every four I purchase online (1:4 ratio).  Be picky and you'll be fine.

[Buckeye Guy]

Most trad and primitive bows don't have the speed or power to break arrows in that way, so you don't need to worry hardly at all about that unless you are shooting in the warbow weight class.

But the modern compounds do, so don't go putting your arrows through one of them.

Dude
Bows are Bows
Gizmos and gimmicks do not make them better !
I have shot a few thousand shots with cedar arrows through them so called "fast compounds ", They don't appear to me to break anymore wood arrows than my slow Primitive bows do !
Just the opinion of one worthless old nut ,that has been there and done that , take it or leave it !
Good arrows are good arrows and junk is junk !!!

[mullet]

I had a POC arrow give me four nights in the hospital along with 3 hours of surgery. It had a crack in front of the fletching I didn't know about. It caught behind the knuckle of my index finger and just kept on splintering coming out of a 60# bow. I had one small piece of wood and fletching sticking out of my hand and about 4" inside of my hand, thus the 3 hours of surgery. The Surgeon said he had a heck of a time getting all of the cresting paint out.

If I even think one is cracked now I go ahead and break it.

[RBLusthaus]

If I even think one is cracked now I go ahead and break it.

Dont blame you at all. 

Damn, that hurts just thinking about it.  All healed, I hope?

[papoints]

Man after reading all this I think I might start wearing a leather glove on my left hand.  Never even thought about an arra coming apart in your hand like that.

[Pappy]

Ya a lot don't realize how much an arrow bends when it is shot,if you ever get a chance watch a slow motion of an arrow of the bow,if they have a flaw the will break,that's why I check them over good when I get them and after they are shot
on a pretty regular basis,if they have a line in them or a flaw or the nock has been damaged I repair them or break them and throw um away. Not wanting to scare anyone but it is something you should keep and eye on just like you do your bow.
   Pappy

[Thesquirrelslinger]

at one point when I had some modern arrows, I put a piece of soda-can alumnium over my left hand and shot off my knuckle. if i had something heavier, it would work quite well. The piece I used pretty much was a scalene triangle with a corner bent over my knuckle. It was to prevent the vanes from cutting me hand.
I think with something thicker, such as maybe 18-20 ga alumnium, it would probably prevent you from hurting yourself with a damaged arrow.

[Bryce]

Most trad and primitive bows don't have the speed or power to break arrows in that way, so you don't need to worry hardly at all about that unless you are shooting in the warbow weight class.

But the modern compounds do, so don't go putting your arrows through one of them.

Not true.

[twisted hickory]

Most trad and primitive bows don't have the speed or power to break arrows in that way, so you don't need to worry hardly at all about that unless you are shooting in the warbow weight class.

But the modern compounds do, so don't go putting your arrows through one of them.

Not true.

Iagree,
see above post on locust bow splitting nock. i have seen bows shooting near 200 fps (simple self bows) .
I am kinda new to this but a primitive self bow made correctly is just as capable as any F@#$% glass bow.
Primitive or simple doesn't = slow by any means. My hickory bow has a point on distance of 48 yards w a 29 inch arrow. So be aware of the hazards of shooting any type of shafting material.
Greg