# Flatband breakage



## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

The Thera-Gold bands on my Pocket Shooter finally broke. The band is a 3/4" x 8" straight cut. I should have kept track of the shot count because it was pretty high. I'm guess at least 1500 shots so I'm not complaining about the life.

My Therabands usually have common wear marks before they break (OTT attachment). The top side of the band never seems to change in appearance but the bottom side grows horizontal wear lines. One band split at one of these wear lines. I'm guess that the wear lines are from friction with the fork tips, although the tips show no finish wear. Maybe it happens when the bands bounce back to the frame after the shot? About 8 or 10 lines started to appear a while ago. Is this typical for flatbands with OTT attachment?

Thanks,
Northerner


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## John-Boy (Oct 15, 2010)

I have had that chaffing before but never a break!! They usually go pouch end first with theraband gold, but on occasions when shooting really fast bands like what torsten uses they have split right up the middle from pouch to fork (sore on the fingers







) without any signs of wear before hand!!


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

These are my first straight cut Therabands. The breakage was around the middle of the band, between pouch and fork. I found that the tapered bands often break closer to the pouch.

Cheers,
northerner


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

I have had very good luck with straight cut bands. However they seem to still break at the pouch for me.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

I ain't never seen that before. But then again I've never even approached 1000 shots with TheraBand.


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## John-Boy (Oct 15, 2010)

Dayhiker said:


> I've never even approached 1000 shots with TheraBand.

















like never?? I do it weekly (well maybe not weekly), but most bandsets just scrape 1000


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## bikermikearchery (Sep 30, 2010)

I shoot a bb shooter dayly. The bands are cut 3/4" x 1/2" and 9" from pouch to fork tip. I don't think I have gotten over 500 shots with a set of bands yet. They always break at the pouch end.


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## dragonmaster (Dec 24, 2009)

I got that on a set of gum rubber. There's a lot of shot's on that set not sure how many but no tearing or breaking.


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## NoSugarRob (Jun 3, 2010)

I have the exact same marks when using Thera Gold on my Dankung Cougar.


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

That's about the limit for conventionally tied OTT TB-Gold. You could roundover and polish the tips, but you're best off just swapping them at the first sign of wear.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

bikermikearchery said:


> I shoot a bb shooter dayly. The bands are cut 3/4" x 1/2" and 9" from pouch to fork tip. I don't think I have gotten over 500 shots with a set of bands yet. They always break at the pouch end.


Exactly my experience.


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

I've had similar wear on a set of Tex Express bands that I had on for a long time. Nothing lasts forever. Any wear close to the fork and I change them up. Most times they go at the ppuch end.
Philly


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## Brooklyn00003 (Feb 28, 2010)

Northerner said:


> The Thera-Gold bands on my Pocket Shooter finally broke. The band is a 3/4" x 8" straight cut. I should have kept track of the shot count because it was pretty high. I'm guess at least 1500 shots so I'm not complaining about the life.
> 
> My Therabands usually have common wear marks before they break (OTT attachment). The top side of the band never seems to change in appearance but the bottom side grows horizontal wear lines. One band split at one of these wear lines. I'm guess that the wear lines are from friction with the fork tips, although the tips show no finish wear. Maybe it happens when the bands bounce back to the frame after the shot? About 8 or 10 lines started to appear a while ago. Is this typical for flatbands with OTT attachment?
> 
> ...


Yes it is typical ! (if you get that far without breaking at the pouch first)

When I get wear marks like that I turn the bands over so the side that has the wearmarks is facing up. 
I recommend to use some fine sandpaper on the tips even if you dont feel it with your finger there is something surely.

How is your pouch end tied Picture maybe?

Thanks


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Also curious of the material used to tie to the pouch.


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

As recommended by Flatband (Gary), I use *100% cotton #3 crochet thread* for tying at the pouches. On this particular frame I have been using the same thread at the forks. The bands are 3/4" straight cut so I fold them prior to tying at the pouch. A constrictor knot was used with a square knot to lock it up.

The fork tips were sanded with 60-120-180-240-320 grit paper. The forks are rounded front to back. Several coats of Danish Oil was applied.

Attached are pics of the replacement bands. They are tied the same as the previous set that broke.

Cheers,
Northerner


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