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
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yellodog
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Iv'e shot a pile of things with thunderheads. They are shaving sharp going in, and almost as sharp going out, sharp enough to reuse if I wanted to. So edge retention isn't an issue, but a couple times blade retention has been, thus my search for a tougher broad head.
If I could get those vpa's 8/10 sharp, I'd be happy, but the results iv'e been able to achieve are nowhere near 8/10. And there's no guarantee that an 8/10 going in would stay anywhere near that level of sharp coming out until I could verify it by shooting several animals with them.
So far, the animals iv'e shot with the marginally sharp vpa's have been perfect double lungers, not really a great test. But over the years on a far greater sample size, with plenty of not so perfect shots, those razor sharp thunderheads have always resulted in quick bleed outs and short tracks. Imo, there's no such thing as too sharp, but not sharp enough, yeah, that's a thing.
If I could get those vpa's 8/10 sharp, I'd be happy, but the results iv'e been able to achieve are nowhere near 8/10. And there's no guarantee that an 8/10 going in would stay anywhere near that level of sharp coming out until I could verify it by shooting several animals with them.
So far, the animals iv'e shot with the marginally sharp vpa's have been perfect double lungers, not really a great test. But over the years on a far greater sample size, with plenty of not so perfect shots, those razor sharp thunderheads have always resulted in quick bleed outs and short tracks. Imo, there's no such thing as too sharp, but not sharp enough, yeah, that's a thing.
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I've destroyed all manner of removable blade broadheads inside deer. Super sharp in, almost not recognizable laying in the dirt on the other side. Lost, bent, chipped and chattered blades.
Never once have I had even the slightest deformation with those monolith 3 blades. Jack shot a buck one year that wheeled around at the shot with his crossbow.
Broke the humerus going in, took the plumbing off the top of the heart, broke a rib and the opposite side humerus going out and still traveled another 60-70 yards past that.
Massive heavy blood trail for about 125 yards downhill. I don't know how that deer even ran with two broken legs.
Still, I too have an issue with that 8/10 sharpness. Always on my mind like it should be for any good bowhunter.
I think you could hand sharpen the rear part of each blade to a shallower angle with a narrow handheld sharpener. The front of the blade would be 8/10, but the back half would be 10/10?
I think part of the reason is that you need to sharpen those heads back and forth along the long side of the blade. With other heads you can sharpen 90 degrees to the long side and easily form a burr, then raise it, form a burr and raise it, form a burr and polish it.
I don't think that is possible when sharpening 15-20 degrees to the long side by pushing and pulling back and forth.
Do you use water or oil on your surfaces? I use a light oil so my "stainless" diamond plate don't rust.
Never once have I had even the slightest deformation with those monolith 3 blades. Jack shot a buck one year that wheeled around at the shot with his crossbow.
Broke the humerus going in, took the plumbing off the top of the heart, broke a rib and the opposite side humerus going out and still traveled another 60-70 yards past that.
Massive heavy blood trail for about 125 yards downhill. I don't know how that deer even ran with two broken legs.
Still, I too have an issue with that 8/10 sharpness. Always on my mind like it should be for any good bowhunter.
I think you could hand sharpen the rear part of each blade to a shallower angle with a narrow handheld sharpener. The front of the blade would be 8/10, but the back half would be 10/10?
I think part of the reason is that you need to sharpen those heads back and forth along the long side of the blade. With other heads you can sharpen 90 degrees to the long side and easily form a burr, then raise it, form a burr and raise it, form a burr and polish it.
I don't think that is possible when sharpening 15-20 degrees to the long side by pushing and pulling back and forth.
Do you use water or oil on your surfaces? I use a light oil so my "stainless" diamond plate don't rust.
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With all that being said, I shot a buck with a NAP Killzone last year. LOL Ridiculous short bloodtrail and severely bent, but sharpish blades.
I know, my mind is in the gutter.
I know, my mind is in the gutter.
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Cheepo Deepower 420 stainless head
Took a swipe on my upper forearm and came away with a finger full of hair. I sharpie mark my blades so I know at a glance they are stropped and finished.
I’m sure your arm hair is more like a boar hogs back hair compared to my silky smooth angel hair.
Any chance you would send me a VPA to fool around with? I’d like to sharpen it and send it back to you
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Took a swipe on my upper forearm and came away with a finger full of hair. I sharpie mark my blades so I know at a glance they are stropped and finished.
I’m sure your arm hair is more like a boar hogs back hair compared to my silky smooth angel hair.
Any chance you would send me a VPA to fool around with? I’d like to sharpen it and send it back to you
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I'd absolutely send you one to sharpen. PM me your address and I'll get it coming. When you're done, I should know if it's me or the vpa's that's the issue.
As I said before, the thunderheads iv'e shot thru animals were usually sharp enough to reuse. And except for a couple occasions they've been damaged free. Also though, on a couple occasions on non pass thru, the blades came out when I pulled and twisted getting them back out. Should I be worried about that? Well, I am, so I'm moving on from them, onto a solid head and the vpa's seem like the best one, except for the sharpening issue.
As I said before, the thunderheads iv'e shot thru animals were usually sharp enough to reuse. And except for a couple occasions they've been damaged free. Also though, on a couple occasions on non pass thru, the blades came out when I pulled and twisted getting them back out. Should I be worried about that? Well, I am, so I'm moving on from them, onto a solid head and the vpa's seem like the best one, except for the sharpening issue.
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I'm not a gynecologist, but I'll take a look. Pm sent.
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Had a box from Grove City show up today to try my hand at putting an edge on a fixed 3blade VPA.
I’m as excited as all of you are. Stay tuned!
Smells like B.O and tinks 69. I’m nervous honestly.
I’m as excited as all of you are. Stay tuned!
Smells like B.O and tinks 69. I’m nervous honestly.
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Be careful. Mostly weirdos living over that way.
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I gave it the arm hair test and could certainly use some work. Seems like really nice steel with a high carbon content so it should take a nice edge from my limited experience.
The edges are scratched heavily compared to what I end up with. I'll take pics as I go.
Tell the Mrs. I said hi.
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sev'r titanium expandable broad heads and watch a guy name John lusk videos detailing expandable broached destructive testing. he shoots the through a cinder block undamaged. I've only killed two whitetail since I've switched but they seemed to preform well.
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This was the head as it came to me. I could get it to pop a hair off if I pressed hard and drew it across my arm. Deep grooves from heavy grit.
![Image]()
![Image]()
I started on 220 paper with a drop of oil to carry the metal away as I sharpened.
Then to 400 and 600 grit. Oil and fairly heavy pressure, stroking back and forth for a 5 count, then flip.
Then onto my 1000 and 1200 grit diamond plates. Moderate pressure back and forth.
That got me to this stage. Starting to tug at arm hair and cutting some.
![Image]()
Then I moved onto 1500 and 2000 grit paper. Light pressure, back and forth. Really starting to polish now and biting at arm hair.
Then I finished with stropping compound rubbed on beer box cardboard and a piece of smooth leather. I pull back only when stropping and continue to lighten pressure for 100 strokes or so. 3 and flip. 3 and flip. You can see the green compound turn black as the metal gets polished to a mirror finish.
Now the blade stops dead when pushed into arm hair and you can tell it’s not sliding over without slicing it off. Beautiful.
![Image]()
![Image]()
![Image]()
![Image]()
I started on 220 paper with a drop of oil to carry the metal away as I sharpened.
Then to 400 and 600 grit. Oil and fairly heavy pressure, stroking back and forth for a 5 count, then flip.
Then onto my 1000 and 1200 grit diamond plates. Moderate pressure back and forth.
That got me to this stage. Starting to tug at arm hair and cutting some.
Then I moved onto 1500 and 2000 grit paper. Light pressure, back and forth. Really starting to polish now and biting at arm hair.
Then I finished with stropping compound rubbed on beer box cardboard and a piece of smooth leather. I pull back only when stropping and continue to lighten pressure for 100 strokes or so. 3 and flip. 3 and flip. You can see the green compound turn black as the metal gets polished to a mirror finish.
Now the blade stops dead when pushed into arm hair and you can tell it’s not sliding over without slicing it off. Beautiful.
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You could probably spend more time with the heavier grits to try to get the scratches out of the metal, but we are looking to impale the ribs of an animal here, not perform a circumcision. I think perfection in a blade is just a function of time spent on it.
The steel seems very high quality. I’d keep it oiled so it doesn’t oxidize and dull the edges.
The steel seems very high quality. I’d keep it oiled so it doesn’t oxidize and dull the edges.
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How much time did you spend to achieve that edge?
As silly as it sounds, the 750 diamond plate seemed to give me the sharpest edge. Although I could tell it was rough, it cut the best and using anything finer, (paper, stones, ceramic) seemed to actually make it duller. Iv'e spent hours trying everything I could think of to get them sharp with no results. Guess that why you're the 🫅.
As silly as it sounds, the 750 diamond plate seemed to give me the sharpest edge. Although I could tell it was rough, it cut the best and using anything finer, (paper, stones, ceramic) seemed to actually make it duller. Iv'e spent hours trying everything I could think of to get them sharp with no results. Guess that why you're the 🫅.
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About a half hour maybe.
Sometimes I feel the finer grits knock down that jagged edge you stand up with coarse grits. It does take that grabbiness away from the edge.
But as I keep going you can feel the sharpness come back. The strop honestly makes the biggest jump in sharpness right at the end for me.
Removable blades allow you to sharpen 90 degrees to the blade edge and I think it’s much easier to get that burr and knock it down compared to how we are forced to sharpen a monolithic 3 blade
Sometimes I feel the finer grits knock down that jagged edge you stand up with coarse grits. It does take that grabbiness away from the edge.
But as I keep going you can feel the sharpness come back. The strop honestly makes the biggest jump in sharpness right at the end for me.
Removable blades allow you to sharpen 90 degrees to the blade edge and I think it’s much easier to get that burr and knock it down compared to how we are forced to sharpen a monolithic 3 blade
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I’m actually thinking those deep grooves might be from the factory grind and not caused by your stones or paper. They just seem much too coarse for that.
I’ll bet if you spent some time with 80 grit paper and oil you could flatten those grooves out and then continue sharpening.
Under a microscope that blade probably looks like the Grand Canyon still.
Until those grooves are gone all you can sharpen/polish are the high spots. Might take 3-4 Lagers to do that by hand.
I’ll bet if you spent some time with 80 grit paper and oil you could flatten those grooves out and then continue sharpening.
Under a microscope that blade probably looks like the Grand Canyon still.
Until those grooves are gone all you can sharpen/polish are the high spots. Might take 3-4 Lagers to do that by hand.
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I start with a flat mill file, then a 400 diamond plate, then jump to my 750. Anything after that will polish them but they are obviously not as sharp.
The way you received it was how I hunt with them. I considered it barely acceptable. What was your opinion? I know they will kill, but iv'e never made a marginal shot with one. Just not too sure they'd do the job on a less than perfect hit, at least not in the condition you received it in.
As a side note, my brother used a Simmons on his bear this spring and last. Big wide 2 blade, sweeps out towards the back, not a straight edge. Really sharp, put a huge hole in those bears, neither went over 40 yds, I was impressed.
The way you received it was how I hunt with them. I considered it barely acceptable. What was your opinion? I know they will kill, but iv'e never made a marginal shot with one. Just not too sure they'd do the job on a less than perfect hit, at least not in the condition you received it in.
As a side note, my brother used a Simmons on his bear this spring and last. Big wide 2 blade, sweeps out towards the back, not a straight edge. Really sharp, put a huge hole in those bears, neither went over 40 yds, I was impressed.
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They are much better now. They would go right in my quiver without a second thought.
I’d rank them in the 8/10+ category overall and probably in the 9/10+ category as far as a fixed 3 blade can be sharpened.
The file marks make sense. That’s what I’m seeing then. That’s old school sharpening from the Fred Bear way of thinking. I remember hearing him promoting that jagged edge as being superior to a smooth edge. Im
I’d rank them in the 8/10+ category overall and probably in the 9/10+ category as far as a fixed 3 blade can be sharpened.
The file marks make sense. That’s what I’m seeing then. That’s old school sharpening from the Fred Bear way of thinking. I remember hearing him promoting that jagged edge as being superior to a smooth edge. Im
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