Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: bowmofo on September 19, 2011, 07:01:00 PM
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Don't get me wrong I like the Dead Head very much,I was wondering why they are so darn expensive, and why aren't there any look a likes on the market :dunno:
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Go check the Carbon Express XT 4. It looks alot like a Deadhead. U might need alot of insert weight.
http://www.carbonexpressarrows.com/archery/broadheads/xt-4-blade
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Deadheads haven't been made for years that I'm aware of..
They're expensive because not many are around and those that have them are either collectors or want to use them.
Unless I'm completely out of touch and someone is once again making them...and I'm just out of the loop?!!!!
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the xt4 looks good but way too lite for my setup. :mad:
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Originally posted by bowmofo:
the xt4 looks good but way too lite for my setup. :mad:
Meh, looks like another German Kinetics knock-off to me....
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They are no longer being made. That said if you can find some they are some of the best broadheads ever made.
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They just were not made in the huge numbers that the bear greenies were. More people looking than finding so the price goes way up (esp on blahbay). Garage/yard/church sales and small junk shops are good places to find cheap. I got my half dozen.
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Abowyer Whitetail is a Deadhead on steroids IMO:
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b351/osminski/Post%20pics/8a073df6.jpg)
Abowyer Whitetail (http://www.acsbows.com/abowyer_whitetail.html)
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they are the best looking broadhead ever made IMHO
wish I have one
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I wish I had a bucket full of them. It's all I'd use.
I wish the new incarnation of Pearson would bring them back, but when a company is bought by three different groups that don't really have the same passion for the products that were originally made, they don't care to carry on the product lines or tradition.
From what I'm told by those I've been speaking with for the documentary film, it pretty much started with Brunswick back in the 1970s when Pearson was simply just another namebrand in their line of products. Started running the company and the image into the ground.
I wish Mr. Blackmon down there in Alabama would bring them back. The only place I have seen a Dead Head is CNCed into the wheels of a few of their compound bows.
If I were stupidly wealthy then I'd like to bring the company back to Arkansas and start over.
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Maybe I'll put some more up in next year's St. Jude auction. I did a couple of sets a few years ago but they didn't bring as much as I'd hoped.
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How much are they worth?
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$10.00 each and going up. still a bargain compared to some of the others
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Question on these:
I have some of the smaller deadheads (middle blade on hvyhitter's avatar). I generally put them on my set-up for turkey.
I already am set for this fall, but what are people's general thoughts on using them for deer on 40-50# bows? Just curious on opinions.
Don't know why they are so valuable. I have gotten lucky on these smaller ones and snatched up a few.
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From about 33 to 30 years ago that is all I used, the smaller Deadheads, I cannot remember one time that they did not produce either a pass through or at least full penetration. Of course, the same can be said for the deer I shot with the larger size. I still have a couple in my quiver. I like the blood trail I get with them, an advantage when hunting near tall grass areas. I am using one of two 52 pound Robertson longbows at 26 plus draw with 1918s or tapered cedars this year. In the wind I go for Schulz, single bevel Hills or Grizzlies.
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A ben pearson video got me into traditional and those deadheads where love at first sight!!!!!
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I have 7 Original Deaheads which I use along with these others...
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P6110002.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P2130003.jpg)
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When they were common 45 years ago the big complaint about them was they whistled going downrange. At least that was the scuttlebutt among those I hung out with and that's why we didn't use them. Does anyone have any experience with them whistling today?
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Try contacting Robin Buck. He used to make a Deadhead replica that he called the Dreadhead.
[email protected]
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Now careful Joe, you'll give yourself a flat tire !
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they would whistle a bit in strong cross winds and also if they were mounted crooked. Chuck Bledsoe, long time Bear dealer, said "you bet they whistle, they whistle right through".
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the deer I shot with them never complained about whistling, of course it was the last thing they heard!
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I haven't noticed any noise at all! I have noticed they fly great
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Well said Randy.
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Originally posted by pavan:
they would whistle a bit in strong cross winds and also if they were mounted crooked. Chuck Bledsoe, long time Bear dealer, said "you bet they whistle, they whistle right through".
:biglaugh: good one
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I just looked in my box and found a new dozen. Might just try them on my cow elk tag in Dec
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Originally posted by Roadkill:
I just looked in my box and found a new dozen. Might just try them on my cow elk tag in Dec
If ya find any extra then let me know :wavey:
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When I used them Exclusively in the 70s I used to take a small rat-tail file and SLIGHTLY round off the edges on the inside of the cut-outs it stopped the "whistling " whistling was very faint any way and never bothered me just did it as a precaution .
Still have a few I shoot. Use them exclusively on Turkey now .
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I have a few and they whistle a bit. I use the vaseline in the vent trick. Also they have a helical twist in the blades so having a look alike will not cut it unless they also have that feature.
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I haven't seen the helical twist in the blades.
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That twist is new to me, can you post a picture?
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I think the twisted broadheads were a different brand that had a similar look? Saw a couple up at Mike Horton's in his collection.
I think I have a couple deadheads in one of my stuff boxes...will have to take a look.
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They were Browning's
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Browning Serpentines ( SOrry forgot the name for a minute )
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I have shot deadheads for years, and have seen the price go from $2-3 dollars each to prices that scare you.They are my broadhead of choice for deer and elk. As was stated earlier pass thru's are the norm. I think some people think they are worth a lot more than they are. At ETAR this year saw some on blanket trade for $25.00 each. Too rich for me!!! I know the production was stopped about 1971, but give us users a break there were too many made to command a $25.00 price for one
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/raghorn/SeriousDeadhead-1.jpg)
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bigbadjon;
I think you are bit confused.
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Sorry I was gone a few days. I am not confused. The ones I have are mounted to the ferrule and the have a bend on each blade giving them a helical look. Not nearly like a serepentine but the blades do have an opposing offset mount for each side of the blade. Matbe I am not explaining it clearly though, I will post a picture when i get home.
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Cool, sounds very interesting. show us the pics. Ever shot anything with them?
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I shot a palmetto on opening day last weekend.
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I have several and love them.
God Bless,
Nathan
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bigbadjohn;
Are you refering to the Golden Key Deadheads? they have replaceable blades set in an offset in the ferrule?
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No. these are fixed blade Pearson Deadheads. Picture the head like its flying at you and you are looking straight into the point. The the blades will form a small "S" because the left blade is bent down and the top blade is bent up. I'm sure mine aren't the only ones like this so I must not be painting a clear image. I will post a picture when I get home.
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I've shot Deadheads for years and never seen one with a helical. Perhaps they were a special run. If so may be worth a forutne and definately not to shoot and lose or break. Better check that out. God bless you, Steve
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I remember seeing the helical heads, but the scuttlebutt was that they didn't penetrate well. Don't remember who made them.
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Boy, John you've really got my curiousity up. I can't wait to see these, I've not heard of them before.
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Hey Raghorn, it seems like a sacreledge to do that to a nice old Deadhead!
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Word has it that Robin Buck is indeed bringing back his version called the Dreadhead. He said they should be out by the end of the year. I can't wait.
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I never did use the Deadheads but always hear good stuff about them.I remembered Doc Ashby saying some favorable things about them and after reading this thread,I had to go back and see what he said.You Deadhead fans may find this interesting.
This is from "Broadhead Performance" by Dr. Ed Ashby and is basically a summary of the Natal Province,South Africa,study of 1985.This was basically a study of broadhead performance to see what worked and what didn't on African game from 100 to 1000 lbs,prior to allowing legalized bowhunting there.
The Doctor says:
"Three broadheads took all we could throw at them and finished all the test undamaged. Each gave outstanding performance. All were fairly heavy rigid single blade broadheads. These were the "Best of the Best". One was the old Ben Pearson Deadhead. No longer in production, it performed flawlessly."
Pretty remarkable when you consider all that has been done in broadhead design before and since.Sounds like the Deadhead does need to come back.Cool thread guys.
The rest of that write up is here:http://tradgang.com/ashby/Broadhead%20Performance.htm
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JimB is right on with that quote, but there's more. The Deadhead not only performed flawlessly in the Natal study it has been the 'benchmark' wide-cut single blade in every test series since then. Just as for the 190 grain Grizzly, so far not a single one has failed on any tissue. They don't penetrate bone as well as the Grizzly, but none have been damaged by bone either.
I few years back a got the last remaining Deadhead blanks - broadheads that had never been beveled - courtesy of Ben Jr. Those I edged with a single-bevel and they were used in a 'same arrow' head-to-head test on Asian buffalo, against matching double-bevel Deadheads. Those test were written up in the 2004 or 2005 Updates, but the single-bevel Deadheads out-penetrated the double-bervel version on 100% of the shots; once again verifying the greater ease with which a single-bevel breached heavy bone.
Since both have been included in all testing since the Natal Study the Deadhead and the 190 grain Grizzly have to be the two most tested broadheads of all time. The Deadhead has to rate as one of the all-time great broadheads.
Ed
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Well, down in the stash of stuff I found two of them.Not sure where or how I got them but they appear unused.
Cool.... :D
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Originally posted by Dr. Ed Ashby:
JimB is right on with that quote, but there's more. The Deadhead not only performed flawlessly in the Natal study it has been the 'benchmark' wide-cut single blade in every test series since then. Just as for the 190 grain Grizzly, so far not a single one has failed on any tissue. They don't penetrate bone as well as the Grizzly, but none have been damaged by bone either.
I few years back a got the last remaining Deadhead blanks - broadheads that had never been beveled - courtesy of Ben Jr. Those I edged with a single-bevel and they were used in a 'same arrow' head-to-head test on Asian buffalo, against matching double-bevel Deadheads. Those test were written up in the 2004 or 2005 Updates, but the single-bevel Deadheads out-penetrated the double-bervel version on 100% of the shots; once again verifying the greater ease with which a single-bevel breached heavy bone.
Since both have been included in all testing since the Natal Study the Deadhead and the 190 grain Grizzly have to be the two most tested broadheads of all time. The Deadhead has to rate as one of the all-time great broadheads.
Ed
Wish you didn't live in Australia. I'd like to interview you about the Deadhead for the Ben Pearson documentary film I'm making.
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I went back and found that.2005 Update,Part I.Very interesting reading.
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Wish I had a bucket full, not to trade, but to use!
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Someone here is bound to have a buddy with a machine shop with a laser cutter or CNC machine.
The patent for the Deadhead has long since expired. You can make your own. Patents only last for like 14 years.
Start making them :)
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Does the Abowyer Whitetail on page 1 not look like a sinle bevel Deadhead???
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Lee, PM sent.
Ed
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Abowyer whitetails were very similar to deadheads, but are now discontinued. I traded mine off as I prefer a double bevel and couldnt get their funky double ground points resharpened to my liking.......Now if they re-introduced it as a double bevel I'd probabley buy a dozen.
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I have 10 of them unsharpened, mounted or ever used. If someone wants to give me 25$ a piece for them I will sell in a heart beat.
Bob Urban
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I am stopping at Abowyer tomorrow and will report back tomorrow with any info about the Whitetail.
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The White tail head has been discontinued due to low sales volumes.