Question for sharpening finatics???????

[Bullfrog 1]

For the ultimate edge are you sharpening in the same direction the arrow is flying or the opposite. I think heads always "feel" sharper if they are sharpened back to front. Other guys swear by the front to back or pushing into the file or stone? I know this is "splitting hairs" but what you think? BILL

[mahantango]

I'm curious what others have to say about this too. I was taught early on to sharpen everything from a knife to a chisel, plane iron, broadhead etc. by pushing the cutting edge into the stone.

[George Vernon]

It all depends on the type of edge you are working with.  If you have honed an edge, it will cut equally well in either direction.  Think of the edge on a razor blade.  This is the durable edge most will want on a knife where you want extended use between sharpening sessions.

Many of the carbide blade types of 'quick' sharpeners used on broadheads are good at producing a 'wire' edge.  Sometimes these edges can be directional in cutting.  

Try them and see.

[LB_hntr]

Good question....also a question I can't answer.
But I will say that there is nothing more frustrating than a wire edge. It feels wicked sharp but only last for 1 cut and then super dull. Best way to avoid a wire edge that I know of is to use light pressure and before the stropping make a couple slices in a stick or price of wood to break off any wire edge that forms.

[widow sax]

If you are talking a two blade broadhead, knife and ax etc you get a better more razor edge if you are holding the stone by pushing the edge into the stone or if you are holding the blade by pushing the stone into the edge. If you go the other way you will just role the burr to the other side instead of taking if off and leaving the sharp edge. If you are talking three blade broadheads I push the head into the stone instead of dragging it backwards for the same reason you are taking the stone into the blade instead of away form it and I believe it takes the burr off better. With that being said I think it does not matter as much with three blade as it does two blade heads.    Widow

[jrbows]

Personally I sharpen knives and BH's at 90 degrees to the stone with mild down pressure I work the bevel to take the factory marks off with the rough stone smooth it with the medium and then polish with the fine stone, then strop sometimes I have to re-use the smooth stone and re-strop, I never had the nack for sharpening from the point or back but I would probably start at the point and push to the back, and I may be completely off base here but I'd do it that way because that's how it's traveling it seems that going back to front would be putting the cutting edge "grain" against what you're trying to cut but that's just me and I tend to put way too much thought into things. Oh and I only use 2 blades.

[one more bow]

hey bullfrog.
Ill try not to be to long winded or opinionated. But I do love to sharpen things and have been doing it for years and did a lot of studying on it in the beginning. I did a lot wood carving in the past and sharp tools are a must.
As far as knives and two bladed broad heads I sharpen the same way. Always hilt to point. I will say this now, if you like point to hilt that's fine, cause if you want a edge thats razor sharp, and learn how to get it, it want matter which way you go. If its razor sharp there will be NO TEETH, no wire edge, no burr. If you carefully slide your finger nail along the edge you shouldn't feel anything.  A wire edge or burr is just unsupported metal that's wait to break off and it leaves you with a jagged edge that's not good for much.
Now for the short version of how to get there. The condition of you edge will dictate the coarseness of stone you will start with. New broad heads and ones you don't let get really dull should be ok with a medium grit Stone or diamond. And it needs to be Flat. if your serious about sharpening and will use it more than once a year, and can afford it, go with diamond, DMT. there so much faster and you use water on them no messy oil.
 Assuming you know a little about sharpening, count you strokes on each side till you get a burr started. Then take a few light strokes on each side, keep the angle the same, that's probable the hardest thing to get in sharpening. Maintaining your angle, you will develop muscle memory in time. Start by just lying your broad head on the stone and feeling where the factory angle is and try to maintain that. It helps to lock you wrist and elbow and get your stroke from your shoulder.
Now with the burr still present, move to you next finer stone and repeat. I like to go to about a 1000 grit diamond stone, you can do this in about three stone if its not to dull, med.400-600 fine 800 and even finer 1000. you will maintain the burr through out all the grits. Don't try to break it off, always making your last few strokes light ones.
Now it should be pretty sharp and a lot of people will probably stop here but it can be better.
A fairly stif leather strop and some sort of compound. I don't like the alum. oxides and pastes but that's just me. I like the powder types or the solid sticks like you load a buffing wheel with. just scrape some off the stick and work it into the leather. look at a carving supply house they have it. Now back to the strop its purpose it to remove that last tiny burr and polish the edge. BUT BEWARE until you get the hang of it you will probably make it duller. What happens is the leather has some give to it where your stones dosent and you will probably push down to hard or be off a little on you angel and it will polish your edge to a nice round edge! Not good. Back to the 1000 grit and get you burr back and try again.
Its really not as hard as all this sounds it just takes practice. When you can shave the hair off your arms at nothing you'll know your there and will be glad you stuck with it. It should literally be so sharp your almost scared of it.
One last thing, if your using single bevel heads leave the burr till the last stone. Do now mess with the flat side till the last stone. Then turn to that side and lie it flat on the stone and a few light strokes should do it. Some of the already sharp heads actually want be quite flat on that side and you may have to raise it ever so slightly to remove the burr on the last stone. And go very lightly on the strop.
Well you said a fanatic and I think that's me and I should quit for now.
hope this helps.
Steve

[Sharpster]

"Edge leading" means as the blade is moving across the stone, the cutting edge is leading and the spine is following. "Edge trailing" is the opposite. To raise the initial burr it really doesn't matter what direction you go because a burr can be produced in any direction. Use the coarsest stone you have for this step.

Now when removing the burr which is actually sharpening, it's critical to use edge leading strokes to cleanly cut the burr off. Using edge trailing strokes after the burr is raised will only pull the burr out in front of the cutting edge or worse, flip it to the opposite side of the blade and you can chase it back and forth all day like that.

Ron

[Brianlocal3]

Here is how I sharpen everything from BH, to knife to machete. Works PERFECT everytime

 

[Easykeeper]

I was taught and have always sharpened in the direction of cut with both knives and broadheads.  I use three blade heads so they are very easy to sharpen, just lay on the stone and with light pressure push forward, point leading.  Count the strokes so each side gets the same and work my way to the finest stone.  

On a leather strop I pull, if I push when using the strop it just cuts into it.