Altering Bear Razorheads?

[sscoyote]

I think this is my 1st post here. Have "surfed" here a lot though over the years--GREAT SITE! thanks!

Has anybody ever tried to make a "chisel point" out of the older style head with an electric grinder? I know the CP style is supposed to provide for better penetration.

[Terry Green]

No...not necessarily...the more pointy an object is the easier it will penetrate.  How pointy do you want your nurses needle to be?

Now, there may be other reasons you want a 'not so pointy head'.  As you don't want it to bend as easily if you goof up and peg the shoulder joint or upper leg bone.  A CP will be less likely to bend, but the lower your poundage is the less likely you are to bend a head OR penetrate heavy bone, and you also get the tenting effect with a CP.

A tiny CP is kind of the best of both worlds...but both have their advantages and disadvantages.

[hickstick]

and you don't need a grinder to accomplish it either.  a nice autobody file or a high quality mill bastard file will work.

if you do use a grinder, go slow and keep a bowl of water near by to cool the head off every few seconds (just dunk it in).  if you over heat the head you destroy the temper...if you really overheat the head you destroy the entire heat treatment.

[ron w]

I do a small chisel point with the same file I sharpen with.......

[Pine]

Fred Bear suggested to put a small cp with a file but not much more than 1/16" wide .
Can be done with with just a few strokes of the file .

[TOEJAMMER]

Ditto what Ron said.

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Ditto what Terry said!! I've never chiseled a single broadhead in my 35+ yrs or ever had a rolled tip except from a Turkey once. Couldn't even tell you how many big game animals and other critters, bent a few on rocks from pass through shots      

This one I don't get but I don't shoot at shoulders either.      

Tracy

[sscoyote]

excellent info-thanks much guys!!

[Pointer]

Easy to do with a file..

[Red Beastmaster]

I round my points rather than a true chisel shape.

Bear heads without the bleeder blades are very sleek and penetrate very easy.   I have seen them with the point unaltered blow through two ribs of a buck and not bend the head or the point tip.  Of course, that was with a 38 pound bow and a 420 grain cedar arrow, maybe with a very heavy arrow and much heavier bow there could be different results.  Years ago the guys around here were rounding them like a spoon, they claimed the proof was in the pudding.   I think perhaps, just 1/16" would be sufficient in case a harder bone than a rib was hit.

[Stinger]

I've got a box of 4-5 old Bear Razorheads from the 70's that are curled up like the lid on a sardine can from hitting bone on Spanish goats.  The family used to hunt those on San Clemente Island off the SOCAL coast.  After those issues we started doing chisel points with a file.  Problem solved.

[SlowBowinMO]

Originally posted by Terry Green:

A tiny CP is kind of the best of both worlds...but both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Well said.

A timeless and capable classic indeed but the Razorhead is not that strong compared to many of the heads that have come along since.  I have curled a few when I didn't think I should have.  A small chisel or tanto can make a big difference in strength without any noticeable difference in penetration if you don't get carried away with it.