Oh no, another broadhead question .....

[LookMomNoSights]

Help me out please ....I have a question,  regarding sharp broadheads.  I havent looked thru old threads or anything like that - Im asking off the cuff here: Ok,  seen alot of people claiming sticky sharp,  scary sharp and on and on.  Ive sharpened some heads and got them to what I thought was pretty sharp....could hold up a piece of paper and swipe at it and shave off nice strips.  Seemed sharp to me.   But these would not make hair "jump" off my arms,  could certainley not shave my face.  Since my switch to trad archery almost 2 years ago now,  I have only put a broadhead to an animal once....a big doe,  using a woodsman that i thought was pretty darn sharp!  It was a slightly quartering to shot and i got some shoulder blade,  but still good penetration with decent blood (the 2nd deer ive lost in my 17 years of bowhunting) but coyotes pushed her to a creek that leads to a hellish swamp and 2 days of looking ended not the way I wanted.  Anyway,  Im sure the head was sharp,  but maybe not like others claim to get their heads.  So,  provided the shot is where it counts,  will a shaving sharp head be the difference between as pass thru or not compared to a head that will easily cut up a steak or cut the paper as I described (a very good file sharp!)  Im still learning the art of sharpening these heads,  2 blade and 3 blade....but as of now,  I cant get them so sharp as to be able to shave.  Should I feel guilty for taking a file sharp head into the woods?  Cuz it seems as though everyone is shaving sharp .....just wondering if thats for insurance and not really necessary.  I just ordered the KME broadhead sharpener thats described as if its the cats behind,  just to have on hand,  but id like to keep things simple and stick with the file and maybe just a little diamond stick.    What are some general thoughts on all this sharp stuff?

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

It is very important to have your broadheads as sharpas possible.  Be it the difference in a complete pass through or not, I wouldn't be able to say either way, it would definatly help though.  There are just too many factors in a hunting situation to say that if your broadhead was just that much sharper you'd have gotten a complete pass through.  But it never hurts to stack the deck in your favor as much as you can.

[Hot Hap]

I wouldn't worry about a file sharpened WW-But I would worry about a quartering to shot. Hap

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

I missed the quartering to part.  There's the problem if I had to guess.  I know it's just my opinion but I would never take a quartering to shot.  Just no margin for error at all and a lot of things can happen before the arrow gets where it's going.

[Bowwild]

My final evaluation of a broadhead, after construction, number of blades, cut on impact,width, weight, etc. is whether or not I can put a hair-shaving edge on it. If I can't I don't use em.

I test my broadhead on thigh hair. Once, I tried to shave with a Bear Razorhead (on an arrow). Put a very nice 2" cut on my face. The facial hair is too tough a test and I'm not tough enough for it.

If I'm using a 2-blade head (double bevel) vertical crock sticks have been my ace for a very long time. If the blade is dinged or really dull I'll use a file to get it in shape and then go to the crock sticks.

I'm testing a broadhead now (single bevel). It comes very sharp and it did a number on a doe last weekend. However, I haven't been able to restore the edge I want since. I'll try some other things before I quit on this one.

Do I think every deer I've killed was hit with a hair-shaving broadhead? No.  Broadheads will dull in the quiver. Usually I touch them up on about a weekly basis. But I'm sure I have failed to do so with no ill results.
I agree with the comments above. The quartering towards you angle was the greatest detriment. It also sounds (scapula) that you might have been a bit high also. That scapula could have deflected your arrow pretty badly preventing even the single high lung hit such a shot should have produced.

[Shawn Leonard]

I agree with above, the quartering to shot was the bad part. I sharpen my Snuffers like they say on the package. They are by no means as sharp as some guys and not as dull as others but will do as you say, cut paper very cleanly with no tearing. I have never had a problem with them blowing thru deer as long as I do not contact major bone or shoulder shots. Shawn

[lpcjon2]

My thought is if you could cut your finger with it with ease,Then when you have 50#'s of bow throwing it at the deer it will cut better.aim and form are the key factors.Even if its razor sharp if you dont hit the mark it wont matter.      

[swampdrummer]

Even the sharpest broadhead won't fix a bad shot, or a bad angle.

File sharp and shaving has put down every critter I've shot at and HIT IN THE RIGHT SPOT.

I use nothing but a bastard file on my woodsmans and snuffers. I use leg hair as a judge of sharpness. Could they be sharper? Yeah, probably. I'm sure if you looked at the edge under a microscope they are pretty ragged. But they seem to do the job fine.

I'm not sure how much of a difference it really makes in the big scheme of things. Maybe if we are talking cape buffalo where we have to get every inch of penetration possible but the last 3 hogs and the last 2 deer I've killed. I found the arrow on the other side of the critter, stuck in the mud.Now thats also with 27% efoc. But also just a file sharpened edge.

Ya gotta hit them where it counts. No matter how sharp it is.....

[LookMomNoSights]

Seems everyone so far kinda cringes at the "quartering to" part huh.   Ill say it is not prefered but I guess I felt comfortable enough at the time to not see it as a barrier.  Ive done it plenty of times with uh, hmm hmm "other bows",  mostly on doe for meat.... but that was then I guess and this is better.  I wont try it again.   As for the broadheads,  I shouldnt lose sleep if I cant get them to shave,  seems like where these answers may point to?  As sharp as "I" can manage,  at least til I become a pro at it!? Got some STOS 145s coming in the mail and the nice straight cutting edges look inviting.  Had a hard time with Zwickey Eskimos.

[traditional beagle]

Don't feel guilty. Every arrow is not going to pass through. To many variables . Hitting bone, deer turning on impact, arrow not entering perfectly straight. This stuff can be picked apart til it drives you crazy and it will do nothing for your confidence. I expect your broadhead was sharp enough. Things just didn't work out the way you wanted and that is going to happen. Stay at it and do your best. Don't let it get to deep in your head.

[LookMomNoSights]

Well thanks everyone for the insight.  Seasons about here now and Im jumping out of my skin to get into the stands and blinds!  And,  got a new bow due to show up any day now!  3 weeks vaca from work  (i save all my vaca for archery season and that time of year in general) and some shorter distance trips to go on  (NewYork!)so I cant wait ....will be a great year!  When my bow comes in,  Ill post pics ....next week should have it in my hands!  

[Hookeye]

File (mill bstd) usually works well for me. I lost the knack once, so reground my bevels to fit within an Accusharp. Rolled the edge a bit but was sharp enough I guess, still blew through at 55#. FOC was around 17% and speed was 199/200 FPS (480 grains). Broadheads used: Magnus Nugent Blades, Snuffers.

[straitera]

You're getting a KME. You'll see the difference pdq. The sharper the better. Plenty of deer killed w/less than hair popping BH's. Each ethical hunter has a responsibility to do their best.