Woodsman elites not staying sharp.

[Matthew Bolton]

Using a file I can get my elites scary sharp. The problem is that I can set them on my dresser for an hour and come back and they wont come even close to shaving hair. What am i doing wrong or how can i remedy this? Thanks in advance for y'all's time and wisdom.

[Easykeeper]

I follow up the file with a medium and then a fine stone.  Last few strokes very light.  They seem to hold an edge pretty well, at least I haven't noticed them going dull on their own.

[macbow]

Like easykeeper i like to use real light strokes with either rouge coated leather or a fine diamond stick. So light it is just the weight of the tool.
follow this with a little chapstick or Vaseline to keep any oxidation down.
Ron

[Bivyhunter]

watch out for the gremlins!

[Looper]

Do you mean that you get them shaving sharp, set them aside, and later, mysteriously, they no longer are shaving sharp? Strange. Unless they're rusting slightly along the edge, I can't think of anything that would cause that. Like Macbow said, put a little chapstick on them to seal out moisture.

[Matthew Bolton]

Yeah i cant figure it out either. When i get done with the file its sharp enough to pop hair off going with the grain of the hair but when i pick them back up all they do is scrape off the dead layer of skin and hardly any hair.

[razorback]

The missus isn't using them to shave her legs is she. Seems they like our shaving equipment.

[Hermon]

Originally posted by razorback:
The missus isn't using them to shave her legs is she. Seems they like our shaving equipment.

Thats funny, I don't care who you are!!!!          

[Reaper TN]

Consider yourself lucky, I can't get my Woodsmans shaving sharp for even one minute, much less an hour.      

Was told that if I wrap my head in tin foil and place my semi sharp Woodsmans under a pyramid made of copper tubing they will magically become shaving sharp.  This is about the only method I haven't tried yet, I hope it works.

[Matthew Bolton]

Gotta have to say you people are life savers. Touched them up before church and put some chapstick on the blades. Tested them after lunch and they still pop hair. Never though chapstick had a place in bowhunting. Regardless you guys rock!

[Bladepeek]

Couple of comments. If you think about the part of the edge that actually does the cutting, it's only a molecule or so thick.Doesn't take much in the way of wear or even oxidation to round that off. And non-stainless steel is going to oxidize unless you coat with something to keep the air away.

Another thing, take a look at the specs on those Woodsman heads. The standard are only RC 44 "for easy sharpening". I can take a cheap butter knife and make it shaving sharp, but one shave is all you get:-)  The Elites are RC50. Most knife makers will tell you you need a minimum hardness of about RC57 to expect any kind of edge holding.

I'm not knocking the Woodsman. I love them. Just be realistic in your edge holding expectations. One shot is all it takes and you can easily sharpen them again for the next shot. Expect to sit there slicing newspaper all day with your new edge and you're going to be disappointed.

[El gran J]

I have found that most 3 blade heads are a pain to sharpen.  I can't figure it out either.  The only 3 blade heads I don't have too much problems with, are the Montechs.  I can never get Snuffers or Woodsmans as sharp as my 2 bladed heads.  I have less issues with my Simmons Treesharks, even with those curves!!

[Buckskin57]

chapstick.good idea.thanks.

[Jake Diebolt]

Using the standard woodsman, I've found they hold their edge for months, as long as there's a coating on the edge. During long term storage I coat them with oil to really keep out the moisture.

The only thing I've found that dulls them quick is putting them into the dirt  :(

Perhaps since a file sharpened edge is rougher, there is more surface area for oxidation to attack? Just a thought.

[Friend]

       

[huntnmuleys]

gotta say i never thought of the chapstick thing either.  i love those heads, bu i do admit after a few days in the quiver i have to touch em up.  gonna try that...

[Bill Carlsen]

I find 3 blade heads the easiest to sharpen unless you are using some sort of jig. The first thing you have to do is get a burr on the edges. On  some heads this can take some work but if you don't get a burr you will never get the plane of each side of the blade to intersect. If that doesn't happen then they aren't sharp and never will be. Once the burr is attained it is a matter of mere minutes to get one shaving sharp. I like Razorcaps because of the steel. What I hate about them is if I stick one in the dirt it takes me a while to get the planes to intersect unless I take them to the belt sander. Touch up is about a minute on a ceramic rod once they are shaving.