Little annoyed with tuning key

So I was playing my bass and the E string kept going out of tune. Looking a bit closer, and when I loosened the string the barrel turned, but when tightening it did not move. Bit odd I thought, so I removed the string and had a look and the barrel came out in my hand. It had sheered through!
Now I don't over-tighten the string so can't understand it. Has it happened to anyone else?

I have decided to replace all the tuners, and are going for Gotoh GB350 Res-o-lite.
I also decided I might as well replace all the strings at the same time, and am going for D'Addario NYXL.

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ArishMell · 70-79, M

I don't know the material or how it was made, but to fracture in normal use suggests a fundamental weakness in the component, either from poorly-selected material, or a design or machining fault.

I can't imagine it was die-cast from a brittle alloy. If machined from solid bar it may have had a sharp corner or groove to concentrate to stress at that point.

aloneinUK · 51-55, M

@ArishMell I have a horrible feeling it may have been from when someone knocked it off the stand a little while ago, and that stressed it

ArishMell · 70-79, M

@aloneinUK Ah - in which case of course inspect the rest of the area for other damage.

aloneinUK · 51-55, M

@ArishMell No other damage visible, which is why I didn't think of that initially

ArishMell · 70-79, M

@aloneinUK Does seem odd, but that peg might be the one that caught the fall force of the fall.