Iron Will Outfitters broadheads

[cooperjd]

Bill,
Looking forward to those test results. I have always thought that bh noise didnt' matter at the animal and have never given the noise a second thought.

 

[Bill V]

I received the attached picture yesterday of a great bull taken with an Iron Will broadhead from Alan S. of Wisconsin. I asked Alan if I could share the picture and any comments he had on the broadhead. He replied with the following:

I found out about Iron Will Broadheads while I was browsing a forum. I went to their website and read all about their heads and the materials they used. I was a machinist for 30 years and I know that the steel they chose is second to none for hardness and holding an edge. I ordered a 3 pack of the 125 grain heads. I took one head and used it for practice as I will shoot nothing but broadheads when I have an upcoming hunt. I shot this one head close to one hundred times into a Reinhart broadhead target. It was still really sharp but I put it to a leather strop and after a couple of minutes it was shaving hair. This was the very same head that I shot my bull elk with. Now I have been a bowhunter for longer than I can remember and I have killed many different animals with my bow, but never have I seen such a blood trail. I knew right then we would find my elk. I am color blind and normally I really need help tracking an animal. Even though I had a guide with me I could have followed this trail as it was enormous. Some guys will spend thousands of dollars and try to save money by purchasing inexpensive broadheads. Not me! Iron Will Broadheads will always be in my quiver and my first choice for hunting.
Alan S.

View attachment 60207

 

[Mmcan]

I recently completed sound testing with very sophisticated equipment and an engineering expert in the field. I plan to publish the results once all the data is analyzed, but I can give you my initial assessment. Some broadheads and vanes are louder than others and in general vents in the blades do increase the sound. However, at the location of the animal, the noise level was the nearly same for all broadheads, fletchings, and field points until about .01 seconds before impact. In other words, they don't hear the increased noise from blades or vanes until the arrow is about 1 yard away, so it's too late to react. For a 30 yard shot with a bow speed of 300 fps for instance, it takes the arrow 0.3 seconds to get to the animal. The sound of the bow gets to the animal in about 0.1 seconds, so they do have about 0.2 seconds to react to the sound of the bow. After hearing the sound of the bow, the arrow noise is quite low at the location of the animal until just before impact. I plan to show overlaid sound intensity plots to support this conclusion.

This will be very interesting info, but it doesn't answer his question. A non vented version would be quieter, and since sound represents an aspect of inefficient dissipation of energy, turbulent air flow around the head, and increased friction, what would be the downside???

 

[Bill V]

This will be very interesting info, but it doesn't answer his question. A non vented version would be quieter, and since sound represents an aspect of inefficient dissipation of energy, turbulent air flow around the head, and increased friction, what would be the downside???

Again, from the sound testing, it appears the animal won't detect a difference in arrow noise until it is too late to react (.01 seconds before impact). However, I don't expect any downside with a non-vented version and several people have asked for them, so samples are currently being made for further testing. They weigh about 25 grains more without vents, so I expect these would only be available in 125 grains on up, since I don't want to thin up the blades and compromise strength.

 

[Trial153]

Bill, Does the vented version provide any aerodynamic upside That would possibly negate slightly less sound from an unvented version? and also is there any downside to unevented blades? for example will the ferule have to be slimmed down to accoubt for the added weight?

 

[Bill V]

Bill, Does the vented version provide any aerodynamic upside That would possibly negate slightly less sound from an unvented version? and also is there any downside to unevented blades? for example will the ferule have to be slimmed down to accoubt for the added weight?

A vented blade has less surface area, so in theory should be less susceptible to planing or a cross wind. Our current head (vented) is very accurate according to many long range shooters. Since the blades are fairly compact in length and width, I expect a non-vented version to fly very well also, but will be testing this. I don't plan to slim down the ferrule or the blade thickness, so would only offer the non-vented in 125 grains on up. (I would use the current grade 5 titanium ferrule from the 100 grain head with the non-vented blade to get a 125 grain head.) Again, I don't think the hiss from our current vented blade is a problem whatsoever and the reviews this year have been outstanding. We would continue to offer all of our current broadheads (100, 125, 150, 210) as is and potentially offer non-vented (125, 150, 175, 235) for those who prefer this option.

 

[Bill V]

Black Friday to Cyber Monday Special: Free hat with purchase of 3 or more broadheads. Select the hat you want and apply code HAT100 at checkout.

 

[Bugle 'Em In]

These sound like some GREAT BH's. After I quit sucking and blowing from the initial cost, I think they would settle in on the end of my arrows nicely. I'm hoping to hear some more impartial testimonials.
Again...they appear to be well engineered and have a lot of pride behind each & every BH sent out.

 

[Bill V]

I've had a few people ask for an update on the sound testing so here it is. My sound engineer has been designing high end microphones for much higher paying clients, but now he is back on the job. I'm asking him to give me the raw sound amplitude vs. time signals that we collected in a form that I can create overlaid plots and also subtract one from another to show at what time before impact there is a discernible difference heard at the target location. The short answer is "it's complicated and is taking a while". I posted his actual update below for your entertainment:


Hi Bill - I completed a Mathcad script to enter 4 mic sound levels from recordings. It then cranks out x,y coordinates of where each arrow passed through the 2ft dia mic-array-circle, and an adjusted measured level as if the arrow had always flown a fixed 2ft from one specified reference mic. A scaling factor is also provided to adjust each recorded waveform's gain in my sound editor software, such that all 13 flights in a set can be fairly compared to each other. The raw (unadjusted) files I crudely prepared just after our testing, lacked such adjustment, thus they do not provide fair comparisons to each other (unless you happened to make 13 perfect shots always centered through the circle). It seemed intuitively obvious to me that amplitude info from the 4 mics would in theory allow a consistent adjusted level measurement, no matter where the arrow passes within bounds of the circle, but then I couldn't find the mathematics to support. So I proceeded to set up the problem and derive needed equations. Between Mathematica and the Maple feature of Mathcad, symbolic solving of systems of equations was possible, and barely manageable. Some equations in intermediate stages blew up into thousands of terms, so took much steering and strategizing. Resulting equation set fit on a single page. The script has been tested with a handful of theoretical data cases, including debug through boundary conditions and exception handlings. So it is now time to try real data!

 

[elkguide]

I've had a few people ask for an update on the sound testing so here it is. My sound engineer has been designing high end microphones for much higher paying clients, but now he is back on the job. I'm asking him to give me the raw sound amplitude vs. time signals that we collected in a form that I can create overlaid plots and also subtract one from another to show at what time before impact there is a discernible difference heard at the target location. The short answer is "it's complicated and is taking a while". I posted his actual update below for your entertainment:


Hi Bill - I completed a Mathcad script to enter 4 mic sound levels from recordings. It then cranks out x,y coordinates of where each arrow passed through the 2ft dia mic-array-circle, and an adjusted measured level as if the arrow had always flown a fixed 2ft from one specified reference mic. A scaling factor is also provided to adjust each recorded waveform's gain in my sound editor software, such that all 13 flights in a set can be fairly compared to each other. The raw (unadjusted) files I crudely prepared just after our testing, lacked such adjustment, thus they do not provide fair comparisons to each other (unless you happened to make 13 perfect shots always centered through the circle). It seemed intuitively obvious to me that amplitude info from the 4 mics would in theory allow a consistent adjusted level measurement, no matter where the arrow passes within bounds of the circle, but then I couldn't find the mathematics to support. So I proceeded to set up the problem and derive needed equations. Between Mathematica and the Maple feature of Mathcad, symbolic solving of systems of equations was possible, and barely manageable. Some equations in intermediate stages blew up into thousands of terms, so took much steering and strategizing. Resulting equation set fit on a single page. The script has been tested with a handful of theoretical data cases, including debug through boundary conditions and exception handlings. So it is now time to try real data!

Well why didn't you just say so? That's as clear, plain and simple as it can get.

 

[elkguide]

I like the way your broadheads fly, by the way, just didn't get the opportunity to test one on an animal this fall.

 

[Bill V]

We are offering a holiday special now through Monday: $10 off Custom Engraved Broadheads (Wood Box or Blades). Enter code ENGR10 at checkout. Order by 12/11 to assure delivery by Christmas.

 

[Lawnboi]

Have you considered forcing a patina on the blades to aid in corrosion resistance? Thinking of doing mine.

 

[Bill V]

Have you considered forcing a patina on the blades to aid in corrosion resistance? Thinking of doing mine.

Interesting idea. A2 has 5% chromium, so is more corrosion resistant than plain carbon steel and probably won't get as much of a color/pattern change, but I don't think it would hurt anything. What would you use?

 

[Lawnboi]

A2 seems to take a patina fairly easily. My hunting knives that I have not forced a patina on have developed thier own with use. THe little extra corrosion resistance is nice, and dosnt take away anything but the shiny look.

You can use vinegar. There's a chemical that does a great job of a quick, dark patina on knives, Iv got a jug of it specifically for forcing a patina, it was reccomended by a knife maker, let me see if I can figure out what it is.

 

[Lawnboi]

Ferric chloride is the above chemical.

I'm going to dunk a head this winter and see how it goes. Likly will do all of them before hunting season.

On a side note unfortunately I did not shoot anything with these heads this year. When I got out to Montana, I shot next to some expandables, and due to wind in the area I was hunting, the expandables got the nod, and unfortunately I didn't end up taking them off the arrows. Would have been a good year to test too, ended up arrowing 5 deer.

There's always next year.

 

[jm1607]

Just wanted to give a quick shout out to these broadheads.

I had great luck with them on my Elk in September.. Made a 50 yard shot quartering to me. Flew just like a field point. Hit the front shoulder about 2" from the rear of it and broke through. Ended up being a complete pass through and the Elk only went about 40 yards??

Got a White-tail this last weekend. Was only a 20 yard shot but the penetration was insane. Was quartering away. I hit a little bit more forward than I wanted and ended up hitting the shoulder instead of tucking it behind the shoulder. Went through the 1st shoulder and made a complete pass through the 2nd shoulder. Actually, it went through the opposite side leg bone in the shoulder and snapped it perfectly in half. It was complete jello when I was quartering him. The deer only went 10 yards. It was the shortest tracking I've ever done in my life with a bow.

I also wanted to add that I'm not running a super fast bow either.. I think I'm in the high 260's with a 430gr arrow..

These are the only broadhead I use now..

 

[Bowhuntr64]

I just started testing them yesterday. I did some longer range shooting and they were grouping well out at 100 yds. Very impressive. More testing on the way.


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[justin davis]

I used them on a big buck and bull with excellent results. Had a family member shoot a moose with one too and it did great

 

[Mmcan]

Again, from the sound testing, it appears the animal won't detect a difference in arrow noise until it is too late to react (.01 seconds before impact). However, I don't expect any downside with a non-vented version and several people have asked for them, so samples are currently being made for further testing. They weigh about 25 grains more without vents, so I expect these would only be available in 125 grains on up, since I don't want to thin up the blades and compromise strength.

Very interested in a non vented broad head!