Broadhead sharpness

[jmez]

Cutting muscle is not hard. Muscle tisssue is soft and offers very little resistance. Arteries are actually difficult to cut, espcially when they aren't fixed/held to be cut. They have thick elastic walls. Those walls are very pliable and take a sharp edge to cut. Otherwise, they will just deflect out of the way. No question on arteries, sharper is better.

 

[RickDalton]

@Beendare @RickDalton

Let me rephrase what I was trying to say there because it isn’t being perceived as I intended. I don’t want it to seem like I am saying a dull broadhead is better. It is absolutely not. I was just trying to challenge the notion that an absolute razors edge is required to effectively kill an animal. It is not. There is a point where once it is sharp enough to do what is required of it and everything beyond that doesn’t matter. That is the question the OP was raising.

This specifically is what I want to clarify. Saying they’re too sharp was a mistake. I think how sharp they are in conjunction with their small size and shape is just leaving a lot on the table. It is taking an emphasis on penetration too far.

This I agree with completely. It is the same thing I was trying to communicate as well, only from the other direction. The body does not get a free pass if the cut wasn’t the absolute cleanest either. So long as it happens, we get the desired outcome either way.

Again, I agree completely. Like you said it’s splitting hairs. But if we are picking a side, personally I would take something that cuts more tissue adequately (EO) over something that cuts less tissue exceptionally (IW) every time. Offer me Iron Will level sharpness on a Grim Reaper 1 3/8 Pro and I certainly wouldn’t turn it down, but until that’s a possibility I’ll take the Grim Reaper and its duller blades every time because they’re sharp enough to do what they need to and that design is going to give me better results.

Hope that clarifies my point a little better.

Yep, we’re on the same page was just a fun discussion.

For what it’s worth I’m not an iron will fanboy either lol make good stuff but I shoot a Grim Reaper micro hades pro.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Cutting muscle is not hard. Muscle tisssue is soft and offers very little resistance. Arteries are actually difficult to cut, espcially when they aren't fixed/held to be cut. They have thick elastic walls. Those walls are very pliable and take a sharp edge to cut. Otherwise, they will just deflect out of the way. No question on arteries, sharper is better.

I’m more and more convinced that serrated heads make the most sense because of this…

 

[Beendare]

Cutting muscle is not hard. Muscle tisssue is soft and offers very little resistance. Arteries are actually difficult to cut, espcially when they aren't fixed/held to be cut. They have thick elastic walls. Those walls are very pliable and take a sharp edge to cut. Otherwise, they will just deflect out of the way. No question on arteries, sharper is better.

Thanks for confirming.

It's the age old debate....wider cut equals more plowing and blade dulling.....more taper equals long and harder to tune.....and all of the other tradeoffs in BH design. I've seen literally just about everything work....and I've seen many designs fail.

Personally I'm at the KISS point with BH's. 2 blades are the easy button. Easy to tune and touch up. I use a 2 1/2 to 1 (appx) tapered 2 blade that barely slows down through animals- many times without them knowing they were hit. They stay sharp through the animal and penetrate better on bad shots. I don't buy the "Overpenentration" argument or the "Bigger hole" argument. I like having my arrow as an indicator....and blood trails have been more of a function of shot location than the BH not the hole size. (ie- lower 1/2 is better) YMMV

 

[Jbehredt]

My longest track with razor sharp serrated black hornets has been about 60 yards. And that hit was high. I’m a believer

Ideally you would change blades after your arrow penetrates the hide. Since that's not possible it's one reason I like Magnus Buzzcut design. It has the tapered shape Beendare described and the razor leading edge is followed by the serrated section which in general holds its sharpness longer. Anyone who has owned a Cutco serrated carving knife will testify.

I’m more and more convinced that serrated heads make the most sense because of this…