I know we (me) have discussed this before, but how goes anyone else get a sharp edge on a 3 blade broadhead? Iv'e watched dozens of videos, read countless tutorials, and tried stones, diamond plates, and ceramic plates. Still, I cannot get my vpa's what I consider really sharp. They won't shave hair, they will cut the skin on my finger, but I have to push harder than I think nessessary. If I drag them across my arm they don't cut, if I did that with my thunderheads my wife would be calling 911. What am I doing wrong or not doing?
Sharpening broadheads
yellodog
21 - 40 of 78 Posts
Can't help with 3 blades....
I do sharpen all my heads. Does it matter? Probably not. But in my head, a broadhead won't get any sharper the second it starts cutting. Broadheads aren't bullets. They kill by cutting and causing blood loss and holes in organs and tissue that make the body work.
Tissue and organs have tons of blood vessels.
I still picture the rubber band theory. Take a dull edge against the rubber band and the blades can push the rubber band outta the way. Take a scary sharp head and push it through the rubber band and it slices it. If those are blood vessels, that's more blood leaking faster and that can't hurt.
I run diamond plates and then 3M diamond lapping film that is micro fine. It takes my edges to a very polished edge.
Sharp doesn't have to mean fragile. It's all about angle. My bigger single bevels I put a double bevel on. The edge is a bit sharper but is still well supported.
You can kill a deer with a field point. What I do is probably not needed. But it's mostly a 1 and done thing. If I shoot it, I redo it but don't have to spend much time getting it back to scary sharp. Once the bevel and edge is established, it's easy and quick to get the edge refined again. The time comes into cutting the bevel you want and polishing it out. Most heads come with a pretty rough uneven grind and it takes some time to get them right.
I do sharpen all my heads. Does it matter? Probably not. But in my head, a broadhead won't get any sharper the second it starts cutting. Broadheads aren't bullets. They kill by cutting and causing blood loss and holes in organs and tissue that make the body work.
Tissue and organs have tons of blood vessels.
I still picture the rubber band theory. Take a dull edge against the rubber band and the blades can push the rubber band outta the way. Take a scary sharp head and push it through the rubber band and it slices it. If those are blood vessels, that's more blood leaking faster and that can't hurt.
I run diamond plates and then 3M diamond lapping film that is micro fine. It takes my edges to a very polished edge.
Sharp doesn't have to mean fragile. It's all about angle. My bigger single bevels I put a double bevel on. The edge is a bit sharper but is still well supported.
You can kill a deer with a field point. What I do is probably not needed. But it's mostly a 1 and done thing. If I shoot it, I redo it but don't have to spend much time getting it back to scary sharp. Once the bevel and edge is established, it's easy and quick to get the edge refined again. The time comes into cutting the bevel you want and polishing it out. Most heads come with a pretty rough uneven grind and it takes some time to get them right.
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One thing I’ve noticed since I’ve been hand sharpening my heads is animal reactions. They don’t freak out like I’ve seen on the past. Most of my deer now barely flinch, walk/trot 20-30 yards and fall over.
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2,212 Posts
Those Stay Sharp sharpeners are awesome. I have all three.
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10,173 Posts
We've discussed this in the past and my conclusion is still "Save your energy and frustration".
I've spent hours and hours trying to make a fixed 3 blade as sharp as a removable blade and you might as well just forget it. Slick trick blades are unbelievably easy to sharpen in very little time.
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10,173 Posts
I used to use the 100 Magnums. 4blade 1.125" cut
QAD Exodus are another very well built easy to sharpen replaceable blade head. They come factory shaving sharp
QAD Exodus are another very well built easy to sharpen replaceable blade head. They come factory shaving sharp
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With that being said, I have my own opinion of whether hair popping sharp and fragile is better than pretty sharp and durable.
Those 3 blade fixed heads with 60d angles are inherently of superior durability compared to blades of a shallower angle.
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17,481 Posts
Exactly why I want to use them, they are indestructible, at least on game.
I'm going to make a jig that reduces the angle. First one will use files to remove the metal quickly, then diamond plates to smooth out the edges. Already got a design figured out, 6 hours a night in a stand for a week gives a guy time to think about stuff like that....
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I'll be a customer.
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copy this
the video is 16 years old, the patent probably expired, they dont make these anymore. it was very easy to get a shaving sharp edge on broadheads
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17,481 Posts
Getting 2 blades shaving sharp is childsplay, I made a jig like that years ago. Changing the 60 degree angle on a 3 blade will require a jig similar to that one, with the angle reversed, and something to hold the head aligned. Also, the tip will remain untouched for the first quarter inch or so. I got a plan, I just gotta get it made.
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10,173 Posts
With those cheap Deep Power heads I have, I can get them to shave hair just pushing and pulling them on a flat surface.
I decided that the curved surface or angled surface did not produce enough of a difference for the amount of effort involved. Maybe none at all in reality.
Varying grits from 200 to 2000 and then I strop with like a 60K compound.
EDGE RETENTION is what impresses me the most. They go in sharp and exit sharp. I've had much sharper blades go in sharp, but exit completely mangled beyond being salvageable.
Lets say those 3 blade monolithic heads go in a 8/10 sharp and exit a 7/10 sharp.
Or a 3 blade replaceable blade goes in 10/10 sharp and exits a 4/10 sharp.
Which head would be the better head? What did the 2nd blade look like half way through?
21 - 40 of 78 Posts
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