When your Bow Decides it’s had Enough

what a tiller bolt looks like when its in one piece

Archery kit is, in theory, pretty resilient. It has to be, given we insist on bending it, unbending it, and rattling it 200 times a night like it owes us money. Every shot loads the limbs with potential energy, releases some of it as kinetic energy, and leaves the rest behind as hand shock aka vibration. Hand shock put another way .... you loosed the arrow and everything seemed fine, but then the riser messages you via your wrist muttering about your brace height choices. You’re wondering where this is going. Don’t worry, this isn’t a physics lecture. This is a cautionary tale. A fable. A parable. A “what the hell was that noise” moment. Because last night, one of our bows decided it had simply had enough.

The Moment of Failure

Post‑shot, Euan’s bow… fell apart.

Not in a dramatic Hollywood explosion. No slow‑motion fireball. No heroic music. More in a “clunk… thud… oh no… OH NO” sort of way. The head of one of his tiller bolts sheared clean off. Just gave up. Clocked out. Handed in its notice. Poor Euan was left holding about two‑thirds of his bow like a man who has just realised IKEA instructions are not optional. The remaining limb and string lay on the ground, clearly having decided to take annual leave.

All this happened while the arrow was still in flight.

So What Actually Happened?

Simple metal fatigue. That's the weakening of a metal part caused by repeatedly bending, stretching, or twisting, leading to microscopic cracks and eventual catastrophic failure. Or, if you like: “after thousands of shots, the bow got fed up”. A physicist would note energy left behind post shot rattles around stressing the bow so causing the fatigue. The tiller bolt is the first thing that energy hits on its way into the riser. However, after years of loyal service, this one apparently said: “I’m done with this nonsense.” And promptly exited the chat.

What Now?

Fortunately, Euan was already thinking about upgrading to a 27" Win&Win Wiawis ATF-DX riser — something more suited to his height, which is frankly unreasonable. No one should be that tall. At full draw indoors he’s basically tension‑testing roof beams.

Now replacement tiller bolts do exist, and for Win&Win they’re about £12, so a quick fix would have been possible however the limb pocket was damaged as well. So if your bow ever decides to disassemble itself mid‑shot, check everything. Then check it again. Then maybe check your life choices, its likely your fault. ................. Just saying.

A Dignified Farewell

On returning home, Euan raised a glass of special whisky to honour his riser’s years of selfless service. A quiet ceremony. Respectful. Bagpipes played in the distance. The riser is survived by two limbs, a string, a sight and a button that absolutely did not deserve any of this. The family have requested no flowers, instead please donate to AGB.

So farewell, old friend. You served bravely, you held together longer than you had any right to, and you only fell apart after the arrow left — which is more than we can say for half the archers in the club.

Lessons Learned

Check your kit. Check it again. Don’t be tall. If your bow decides to disassemble itself mid‑shot, at least make sure someone is filming as material for this website doesn't write itself.  And finally, always keep emergency whisky in the house for any equipment‑related bereavements.