Purpleheart tips

[DC]

Anyone have any problems using purpleheart for tips. I just had one come apart on a low brace. The string just peeled it away. I've used PH for foreshafts and it splits very easily, do you think that's the problem?

[Pat B]

Even though purple heart is very hard it is also quite brittle. If the grain is oriented correctly is should be fine for tip overlays but If you have trouble with it, don't use it

[bowandarrow473]

PatB is right. If you have problems with it, don't use it!

[jeffp51]

I have never had a problem with overlays, which makes me ask, what us the best grain orientation for them? Have I  just gotten lucky so far?

[hunterbob]

Yea I would like to see some diagram or something that shows the grain orientation for tip overlays.

[Pat B]

Flat grain or edge grain I guess. I've never had one break.

[DC]

This is my first in 15 or 20 bows. I took a close look at the PH and it seems very stringy, kind of crumbly. Hard to describe. Anyway no more of that for overlays. I replaced them with Kingwood

[PEARL DRUMS]

Ive seen a lot of PH overlays. Id say if it broke you ethier had a nasty board end, or the grain was totally wrong, and even that wont let it break that easily. Especially under 60#. I had one overlay explode and it was zebra wood, that was stupid on my part. A marshmallow is tougher than zebra wood. That was a very heavy hickory stick 2-3 years ago. Id guess all of 70-75 when the bow was braced.

[Arrowind]

I've had the same thing happen to me with black walnut overlays once.  I was shooting in a 58# bow and all off a sudden it snapped!   Or so I thought.  It happened so fast and violently I thought my bow broke....In fact it flew out of my hand.  When it landed on the ground I looked at it really quick and realized the bow was fine.     Then I thought maybe the string broke..... nope.  I finally saw one of the overlays had popped off.

The very first thing that came to mind was that the glue must have failed.....NOPE.  The glue (I had used TBIII) had held just fine.  The overlay peeled off along the grain line of the overlay.... I slapped some horn on there and haven't had any issues. 

I think it just had the exact right angle of force pushing on a weak spot on that piece of wood WITH the grain and POP!

Not to go on and on and on but when martial artists break boards they are careful to align the board in such a way that the are breaking the board "with" the grain not against the grain.  Why?  because they want to look cool  and break a board instead of their hands. 

I have not used PH but I believe what you have described could happen to many kinds of wood given the right circumstance.  I don't think it is the kind of wood you are using.  But that is just me brainstorming based on my one experience above.  I think when you talk about "PH splitting easily" you are on the right track.  We don't split wood against the grain.  right?  why? the same reason martial artists don't break boards against the grain.  Chuck Norris could do it but he doesn't split boards. He splits entire forests. So we need to throw him out...

I think grain orientation is the issue.  Maybe that piece was particularly dry? 

[bushboy]

I always glue them with riff or quarter sawed.i once glue on one flat by mistake and a. Gentle tap broke it at the early wood to late ring where it is the weakest.simple grain delamination.hope that makes sense.straight lines from tip to tip, same as picking a board stave is the best imho.