WARNING: Unsafe Modifications to my Hawk Heliums

[Matki15]

Guys, I noticed a lot of flex this evening in one of my modified sticks. I didn’t notice it when I finished the first stick, but i had a buddy with me today showing them to him and was paying more attention. Will they work, probably. But, It’s more risk than I’m really willing to accept. I may continue to practice with them JUST TO SEE, but I don’t know if i really feel comfortable with them now. I’m concerned that repetitive flexing in the same spot on the stick will lead to a failure. I’m glad I bought a second set, cause I may have to chalk these up as a loss! Cutting the sides down reduced the side to side rigidity of the stick more significantly than I thought it would. I wanted to post here to update. If you decide to cut your Hawk sticks shorter, PLEASE DO NOT CUT THE SIDES AWAY!!!


Todd Perkins
-Regional Prostaff Manager for Mossy Oak
-Arcus Hunting Field Staff member
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I understand that those particular sticks can’t be shortened anymore because of that mod, but if the stick was shorter (maybe 18-20 inches instead of 24) wouldn’t that significantly reduce the flex?

 

[Bbrewer]

The engineers jumping in here are correct!

Repetitive flexing will fatigue aluminum. When it fails it will often be sudden and catostrophic with little to no warning.

I like the ingenuity, but please stay safe!

 

[fbwguy]

Guys, I noticed a lot of flex this evening in one of my modified sticks. I didn’t notice it when I finished the first stick, but i had a buddy with me today showing them to him and was paying more attention. Will they work, probably. But, It’s more risk than I’m really willing to accept. I may continue to practice with them JUST TO SEE, but I don’t know if i really feel comfortable with them now. I’m concerned that repetitive flexing in the same spot on the stick will lead to a failure. I’m glad I bought a second set, cause I may have to chalk these up as a loss! Cutting the sides down reduced the side to side rigidity of the stick more significantly than I thought it would. I wanted to post here to update. If you decide to cut your Hawk sticks shorter, PLEASE DO NOT CUT THE SIDES AWAY!!!


Todd Perkins
-Regional Prostaff Manager for Mossy Oak
-Arcus Hunting Field Staff member
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I give you a thumbs up and round of applause. Thank you for posting what you observed. Your experience with seeing the flex was an expensive lesson, but potentially a lifesaving one. Not just for yourself but for others who might have followed suit with the cut away. I’m glad to see you post these results instead of just putting them away and going another route. This is another example of great people on this forum with a genuine concern for safety and care of fellow hunters. Thanks again and I’m glad you have another set to safely use.

 

[SWVAturkeyhunter]

I give you a thumbs up and round of applause. Thank you for posting what you observed. Your experience with seeing the flex was an expensive lesson, but potentially a lifesaving one. Not just for yourself but for others who might have followed suit with the cut away. I’m glad to see you post these results instead of just putting them away and going another route. This is another example of great people on this forum with a genuine concern for safety and care of fellow hunters. Thanks again and I’m glad you have another set to safely use.

I appreciate that. But we all need to be aware that people may try to imitate modifications and techniques that we post on here. After all that why we’re all on here, to try to learn a better way to do something we enjoy. This sport carries inherent risks that we all individually assume for ourselves. If something you or I do and tell others about is later determined to be risky than first thought, we owe it to the members here to disclaim that it was a bad idea and to not try it.

“Don’t try this mod at home, kids!” Haha


Todd Perkins
-Regional Prostaff Manager for Mossy Oak
-Arcus Hunting Field Staff member
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SWVAturkeyhunter]

After thinking about the metal removed, I would say side to side flex would be increased which is probably irrelevant.
Front to back flex should not change since the main support metal in that direction was not removed.

That’s exactly what happened. The flex was lateral, not front to back.


Todd Perkins
-Regional Prostaff Manager for Mossy Oak
-Arcus Hunting Field Staff member
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bj139]

Unfortunately this is not true. The sticks are built like an I beam. The majority of the bending load is carried by the outside flanges, not the center section. Cutting away the flanges severely weakens the stick with respect to bending in the front to back direction.

I see what you mean. The ground off flanges would carry a lot of the load. I would be terrified to do this to my Heliums and then climb with them. They are light enough as is. Notice in post number 3 my first question was, "Is this safe?"

 

[SWVAturkeyhunter]

I see what you mean. The ground off flanges would carry a lot of the load. I would be terrified to do this to my Heliums and then climb with them. They are light enough as is. Notice in post number 3 my first question was, "Is this safe?"

At first, I 100% thought it was. But upon further inspection, I absolutely don’t believe it is. I cannot recommend that this modification NOT be done strongly enough.


Todd Perkins
-Regional Prostaff Manager for Mossy Oak
-Arcus Hunting Field Staff member
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ImThere]

Honestly if it’s that bad I would suggest you ask it be deleted.

I would think it would bend before it broke. I climbed with a 3/4tube 1/16 wall it never broke but it sure would bend.

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[bj139]

Honestly if it’s that bad I would suggest you ask it be deleted.

I would think it would bend before it broke. I climbed with a 3/4tube 1/16 wall it never broke but it sure would bend.

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Deleting your mistakes means that others will not learn from them.

 

[SWVAturkeyhunter]

Deleting your mistakes means that others will not learn from them.

Exactly. @ImThere I wanted to give an update on this so that way others can see not to do this. @redsquirrel is there a way you could maybe pin this thread as a warning to other to not do this ?? I think there’s value in leaving this for learning.


Todd Perkins
-Regional Prostaff Manager for Mossy Oak
-Arcus Hunting Field Staff member
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tapeworm]

Deleting your mistakes means that others will not learn from them.

How about edit the Title to indicate that it is “potentially unsafe” or “modification safety alert “ or something similar ?

Then fellow SH can read with the advanced warning & can learn from it


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[SWVAturkeyhunter]

How about edit the Title to indicate that it is “potentially unsafe” or “modification safety alert “ or something similar ?

Then fellow SH can read with the advanced warning & can learn from it


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Don’t know why I didn’t think of that! Haha. Just took care of it. Good idea.


Todd Perkins
-Regional Prostaff Manager for Mossy Oak
-Arcus Hunting Field Staff member
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tapeworm]

Don’t know why I didn’t think of that! Haha. Just took care of it. Good idea.


Todd Perkins
-Regional Prostaff Manager for Mossy Oak
-Arcus Hunting Field Staff member
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That looks good


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[ImThere]

How about edit the Title to indicate that it is “potentially unsafe” or “modification safety alert “ or something similar ?

Then fellow SH can read with the advanced warning & can learn from it


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Even better.
At least someone can look and see someone already made this mod and it didn’t work out.
If they lead the search feature! Lol


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[Newhunter1]

This needs to be a STICKY at the top.

 

[rakbowhunter]

I don’t have a weight yet. I hope to be able to finish my other two shortly. I may cut another set down to have a 20” step spacing just for kicks and giggles. As far as to whether or not it’s safe, I my opinion I think it’s plenty safe. I’m 265 lbs and tried it on a forearm sized tree and a volleyball sized tree after I finished it. It felt rock solid with me bouncing on the steps, so I’m very confident with the changes. I like the thinner profile of the post with the foam around it. It makes it fit your hand well and on a chilly morning you’re not touching cold metal, plus it dang near silent. Of course I don’t recommend anyone do this as you void the warranty and assume all the risk and all that yada yada.


Todd Perkins
-Regional Prostaff Manager for Mossy Oak
-Arcus Hunting Field Staff member
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was looking at a thread with the new OOAL sticks which were in an I-beam type of configuration. I thought I had remembered a thread on here about Heliums being modded to a similar fashion. I understand that at 265lbs and a total stick length of 26", but @Matki15 posed a fair question that went unanswered.

I understand that those particular sticks can’t be shortened anymore because of that mod, but if the stick was shorter (maybe 18-20 inches instead of 24) wouldn’t that significantly reduce the flex?

Also, the OP said he weighed 265lbs. If the stick was reduced to say 18" long and the user only weighed 175lbs, wouldn't that change the dynamic a bit? I am not an engineer by any means....just interested in the concept.