Fundamental questions on sharpening heads

[Cato]

15 years ago I went to heads that were sharp out of the box, or replaceable, due to my inability to get a head "hair popin" razor sharp.  I am going back and trying again, as I really like some of the more traditional heads.

That said I have a number of fundamental questions, and appreciate any help.

1. If I am right, you mark the edge with a marker, and begin with a file.  How long do you stay with the file?  How do you know it is ready to move to the next step?

2.  What exactly is a "burr"?  I hear that you file until you have a bur but have never really heard anybody explain what that was.  I know its supposed to roll over.  Does that mean you file until there is a flimsy edge?

3.  On a three blade, snuffer or woodsman type, do you file with them flat?  I have an old device with files on each side that sets an angle that is not flat, and was sold as a "snuffer sharpener".  I think it sets the bevel with a less acute angle.  Which is best and why?

4.  What order do you use the following in: extra fine diamond; steel rod; leather strop; arkansas stone. and why?

5. Years ago I hunted with a guy who used jewelers rouge.  I think he put it on a piece of leather.  That guy could make a hair jump off of your arm at the sight of the head.  Anybody use it? If so, at what point in the sharpening process and how do you utilize it?

6.  What do you do for a concave head, like the simmons?

Thanks for any and all help.  Also, any printed information would be appreciated.  I really would like to get my heads scary sharp.

At this point I have snuffers, woodsmen, and am probably going to buy some Simmons.

[DayTripper]

Go to 3rivers there is a video demo on how to sharpen woodman broad heads

  How to sharpen Woodman Broad Heads

[northern lights]

I'd say get a KME like I did, awesome on two blades and the stones work well by themselves on three blades like the woodsman.

[JamesKerr]

The key to sharpening is pressure and a consistant angle. You want to start with either a file or rough grit stone and work your way to the finest grit you want to use. A bur is a micro edge that can be felt by your fingers when it rolls to one side of the actual edge. Once you get to where you can establish and feel the bur go to a fine grit stone and polish the bur off and you will have a sharp edge. The other thing I would recommend for the sharpening challenged is a KME jig and to contact Ron (sharpster on here) and let him talk you through sharpening a head.

[Looper]

I'll attempt to answer.

1. Using a marker on the bevel will show you if you are consistently removing material, which is what you want to do. You want to make sure you file on one plane only, keeping the angle of the cut the same throughout the stroke. That can take some practice, and a lot of folks are better off using a jig of some sort. It is possible to get a finished, razor-sharp edge using only a file, so there may not need to be another step.  You should file with as little pressure as necessary to remove material. A sharp file is a fast cutting tool, and it doesn't take much pressure at all to get it to do it's job.  

If you want to polish the edge, which is what a strop, steel, cardboard, etc. is for, it is still best to get a shaving sharp edge prior to moving to a finer cutting tool.

2. A burr is an indication that you have removed a sufficient amount of material along the bevel. You are essentially cutting down the bevel to where it intersects with the opposite side bevel.  The steel will "flow" over the edge of as you file and will show up as a tiny little curl of metal on the backside of the bevel. You can easily feel it with your fingernail. If you have filed correctly, the curl will be consistent the entire length of the edge. Flipping the head over and very lightly filing will remove that curl and give you the edge you are looking for. Again, it is important to maintain the correct angle of the bevel and use very light pressure.

3. Many folks do file a 3 blade head with a flat file.  I don't know if there really is a best angle. What matters the most is that the edge is sharp.

4. These items you listed are tools used to polish the bevel. The idea is to start with the roughest cutting tool and progress to the finest, and producing that burr with each step. A steel rod, or a leather strop will be the final step.

5. Jewelers rouge is a very fine abrasive and is also used to polish the bevel. It is used by putting a dab on a piece of cardboard  or a paper wheel.

6. The method is the same for a concave head. Strive for a consistent bevel, produce a burr, remove it from the opposite side, progress through finer cutting tools, and end with polishing.

For what it's worth, for years I used nothing more than a sharp file and a leather strop to finish my heads. I just progressively lighten the pressure with the file until the edge is where I want it. Now, though, I use a paper wheel system on my bench top grinder. It is a whole lot quicker than any other method I've tried. The only draw back to the paper wheel is that you can't sharpen a 3 blade head with it.

[Charlie Lamb]

Sharpening Woodsmans...works for any 3 blade  

   File sharpening tips

[Cato]

Big help.  Any more tips are welcomed.

I don't think I have ever filed to get the burr.  Will work on that first.  Again, thank you.