Martin Rebel crack is it still safe?

[blake711]

Picked up this Martin Rebel. It has a small crack on it. Is it still safe to use? Limbs are strait and it looks good otherwise. Thanks in advance.

[cyclepath]

It doesn't look like it goes into the riser. It may just be in the finish but I would be careful either way.
You could put the bow in a stringer and pull the bow slightly and feel if it is a crack.

[Destroyer]

Draw the bow back and get someone to look at it and see if the crack opens more.

[blake711]

It doesn't appear to to have that crack anywhere but in the black part which I am guessing is fiberglass. My main concern is I got it for the misses and don't want it blowing up on her and hurting her. If its just the black part could someone repair it? Tonight I will have someone draw the bow and then take a look at it then also.

[Destroyer]

My main concern is I got it for the misses and don't want it blowing up on her and hurting her.

Recurve's don't have the level of energy stored like compounds so they don't tend to explode the same when they break. Not saying it won't happen but its unlikely to cause harm imho. I've had a recurve break on me at full draw and it just went limp.

If the crack isn't opening much you could use a full strength epoxy to fix it, might work.

You could put the bow in a stringer and pull the bow slightly and feel if it is a crack.

Not a bad idea cyclepath, sorry I didn't read your reply well enough to see it before.

[bfisher]

As Destroyer says, when recurves break they just break. The limb would just kind of collapse and go dead. There wouldn't be any explosion. This crack, although not good, doesn't seem to extend into the working part of the limb. One thing I would do is to stop it from spreading. To do that you need to take a small drill bit, find the end of the crack and drill a hole through the fiberglass. About 3/32" or 1/8" will do nicely. Then fill the hole with epoxy. Next check it out by drawing. If it seems OK then let her shoot it.

[cyclepath]

It doesn't appear to to have that crack anywhere but in the black part which I am guessing is fiberglass. My main concern is I got it for the misses and don't want it blowing up on her and hurting her. If its just the black part could someone repair it? Tonight I will have someone draw the bow and then take a look at it then also.

Didn't know the bow was for your wife.
You also didn't mention the poundage for the bow.
Beings it is for the wife I would guess not very heavy.
Knowing her draw length would also be useful.
If she is only pulling 23 or 24" she won't be stressing the bow enough to worry about it.

[blake711]

its a 35# at 26" which is about what her draw is.

[blake711]

got a bow stringer and was able to give it a good look under pressure the crack is just a small hairline. Doesn't open at all when its under pressure. So looks like it is just cosmetic. Also sent a message to Martin support and they said while its unsightly its perfectly safe to shoot. So I feel ok about that. Thanks for all the responses.

[Destroyer]

Doesn't open at all when its under pressure.

All good then.