Broadhead sharpness

[Eastonsgrandpa]

So having settled on two broadheads I will be testing and deciding which goes in the quiver, Iron Will and Evolution Outdoors, both fixed and one EO expandable for follow up, I am wondering about sharpness.

The IW are ridiculously sharp. Surprised they didn’t cut my porch in half when delivered.

The Evolution not so much. Not dull by any means, but very noticeably less sharp and the edges feel less refined.

I have listened to Dale on why this is, but it doesn’t compute in my brain.

So what is your preference? A sharp head that will get the job done, or one that slices like a razor blade?

I can definitely get the EO to a much sharper edge, but don’t know that I should have to.

 

[Shooter Mike]

In my opinion, I think when you buy a broadhead that it should be “hunt ready”. I don’t care much for sharpening broadheads, but I will strop them. Once they’ve gone through an animal, the blades become practice blades and I replace with new blades.

So if a broadhead manufacturer can’t send out hunt ready sharp blades, it’s not one that I will bother with. Determining what is “hunt ready” is up to the individual though. To me, that’s shave sharp. And shave sharp is more than just scraping dead skin cells. It better be cutting hairs with ease.


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[dtrkyman]

Sharp as possible while still retaining the edge. Crappy steel might be sharp until it passes through hide then it may lose the edge? Not an issue with the Iron Will, no experience with the Evo.

What is Dale's take?

There are at least three aspects to cutting, edge, pressure and velocity, if you have enough pressure and velocity a butter knife will cut, but without losing edge integrity there is no such thing as too sharp!

On a shot into the lung or heart it really wont matter, but a marginal hit that sharp head will cut more tissue, arteries, veins and cause more blood loss. A dull head may push an artery out of the way and a sharp one will cut it!

 

[JK47]

As long as I keep cutting my fingers on the darn things, I just put em in the quiver. Whichever head I’m using.

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

Sharp as possible while still retaining the edge. Crappy steel might be sharp until it passes through hide then it may lose the edge? Not an issue with the Iron Will, no experience with the Evo.

What is Dale's take?

There are at least three aspects to cutting, edge, pressure and velocity, if you have enough pressure and velocity a butter knife will cut, but without losing edge integrity there is no such thing as too sharp!

On a shot into the lung or heart it really wont matter, but a marginal hit that sharp head will cut more tissue, arteries, veins and cause more blood loss. A dull head may push an artery out of the way and a sharp one will cut it!

From what I get from his point, and maybe I’m off, is that a non surgical sharpness creates better and quicker blood flow. There is a point where a super fine cut will take a little longer to flow where a more torn cut starts quicker.

But I can’t help but think that surgical slice is going deeper with less force and therefore damaging more arteries, veins, etc in a more efficient manner.


I agree with the above that even razor sharp crappy steel is less effective than subpar sharpness on good steel as it will keep that edge longer.