Broadhead sharpening

[W.D. Crawford]

Well here it is two weeks and a day before season opens. I have spent the past few days sharpening some new Grizzly single bevel broadheads, and I have two to go, which is a good thing, as I have run out of hair on my arms, and I am now looking at other areas on my hide. I think I will stay away from my face, I'm ugly enough as it is. Maybe I can work on my chest hair, thin that down a little bit. Anyway I hope every one has a SAFE and successful season this year.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Never trust a bowhunter with hairy arms.

 

[rileybassman]

Never trust a bowhunter with hairy arms.

Lol thats the truth!

 

[Jarrod Renaud]

Yes! Just picked up some 3000 grit to hit the final edge on my Cutthroats

 

[W.D. Crawford]

Yes! Just picked up some 3000 grit to hit the final edge on my Cutthroats

I wanted some Cuttthroats but they were on back order and I didn't want to run the risk of waiting until the last moment.

 

[WoodBow]

I emailed them and asked what the wait was before I ordered. I had them inside of a week. A word of caution, they are not hunt ready (IMO) out of the package and the package states that they are ground to a burr and that they need a few strokes to remove the burr.

I learned that you can make mdf wheels, run them in a bench grinder or table saw, add jewlers rouge, and put a mean edge on just about anything. It works very well for getting the cutthroats scary sharp.

I wanted some Cuttthroats but they were on back order and I didn't want to run the risk of waiting until the last moment.

 

[W.D. Crawford]

I emailed them and asked what the wait was before I ordered. I had them inside of a week. A word of caution, they are not hunt ready (IMO) out of the package and the package states that they are ground to a burr and that they need a few strokes to remove the burr.

I learned that you can make mdf wheels, run them in a bench grinder or table saw, add jewlers rouge, and put a mean edge on just about anything. It works very well for getting the cutthroats scary sharp.

Thanks for that, I'm sure I will get some in the future, I have heard great things about them.

 

[Kevin Dill]

This year and for the very first time I'm going to use a power tool to do some broadhead sharpening. I bought a Work Sharp unit plus the Blade Grinding attachment. I've found it to be a great device for use at home. In the field I always carry my own custom broadhead file which is modified to use as both a file and steel. I much prefer this one tool to anything else I've ever used when out on a remote hunt.

 

[W.D. Crawford]

That's pretty cool! That handle wrap over the paracord is that a shrink wrap or a UV resin?

 

[Jeff Martin]

Kevin,
How does that Work Sharp sharpener working for you? I have consider that many times. What kind of BH have you sharpened with it?

 

[Kevin Dill]

The file handle is wrapped with Lawson Glowire cord. Then I coated it with a good 1 hr epoxy glue...2 coats a few hours apart. The sheath is a piece of clear heat shrink tube which I carefully shrunk just enough to grab the end of the file.

The Work Sharp works very well for me, but the blade grinder attachment is essential....I believe. I've done many knives from kitchen to hunting. I've done a machete and an axe. Broadheads I've done are single bevel Aboywers and double bevel Eclipse. There is a learning curve, so don't think you can buy one and quickly turn your heads into lethal shavers. The nice thing is the dependability and the no-struggle part of truing up a rough edge and working it toward a polished weapon. Pricey gadget...not for everyone...I sure like mine!

 

[Trial153]

I sharpen solids on a work sharp, they come out like razors.

 

[Shawn Hultquist]

I'm ready.

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[Pac8541]

Yes! Just picked up some 3000 grit to hit the final edge on my Cutthroats

Hey Jarrod, your PM box is full but thanks for the response.

For the record, I'm a compound shooter tickling the idea of giving trad a shot. It's been on my radar for quite a while and I'm strangely attracted to it. Baby steps: I'm building carbon arrows, 4 fletched with feathers and running 150gr cutthroats. I like them heavy (relative, I know) so they're pushing 500gr total and flying great at around 250fps. I am not a speed freak so I'm totally cool with that velocity. I've never shot nor sharpened a single bevel so I'm paying close attention to this thread.

 

[TradLife406]

I'm ready.

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I like those VPAs! Smoked my doe with that last year!

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[Pac8541]

Just watched the little how-to video by Trad Geeks where they go through sharpening a Grizzly single bevel BH. He mentions and shows sharpening both sides of a single edge so, the backside of the bevel. I have no reason to doubt the video but honestly, it doesn't make sense to me. Other than removing the burr that forms on the side opposite the bevel, why would you do this? Doesn't using a stone on that side of the edge create another bevel? I thought this was one of the keys to the design, having the grind on just one side of the edge.

 

[ckossuth]

I like Clay Hayes' method for sharpening single bevels. A few simple hand tools and a little patience and you've got flying razors. His method worked well for me with my Cutthroats.

How to sharpen a broadhead (single bevel) - YouTube

 

[slvrslngr]

Just watched the little how-to video by Trad Geeks where they go through sharpening a Grizzly single bevel BH. He mentions and shows sharpening both sides of a single edge so, the backside of the bevel. I have no reason to doubt the video but honestly, it doesn't make sense to me. Other than removing the burr that forms on the side opposite the bevel, why would you do this? Doesn't using a stone on that side of the edge create another bevel? I thought this was one of the keys to the design, having the grind on just one side of the edge.

You HAVE to remove the burr to make the edge sharp. To do this, you create a VERY small bevel on the opposite side, but this bevel is so small that it makes no difference, the single bevel effect will still happen. Just keep in mind that sharpness is the most important factor in broadhead performance.

 

[GotDraw?]

Best cutting edge is the intersection of two mirror-like polished surfaces. Period. To get this, the FIRST thing you do is to flatten and polish the flat back side of the single bevel. To a mirror finish, from the cutting edge going back toward the center for a few millimeters. Dead flat. Mirror finish.

Then you sharpen the cutting edge to a mirror, thus achieving the intersection of two mirror edges.

If the cutting edge is properly sharpened to a mirror finish and the back is dead flat and polished, the burr formed from your final sharpening (polishing) grit will be no more than a wisp. It will fall off when you put the back side on your ultra fine polishing stone or strop and stroke it a once or twice. Removing the burr creates no additional back bevel of any measurable amount.

If your burr is so coarse that you have to back bevel at all to take off the wire edge, then your cutting edge is far from perfect, the back of the blade may not be flat/polished and thus your edge is sub optimal.

If your edge won't shave hair, it's not as sharp as it could be. If you have to wet the hair on your hand or arm to get it to cut hair, that's cheating. If your edge is as sharp as possible, it will pop dry hair off your hand or arm.

 

[WoodBow]

I agree with got draw. Creating any bevel on the back side is dulling the edge by making it a more blunt angle. Stropping is the best way to get the burr off. Put some buffing compound on a piece of leather or cardboard. The sharpening wheels i I mentioned earlier are just a lot faster.