Cody, here are features for the Ashby head that hold the cost up for the upcoming 09 heads
1. Garret Schleif hand hones every head to hair popping sharpness. Every head now...This takes time. It is arguably the sharpess head out there. To me it's sharper than a Silverflame.
2. The Ashby and Nanook head tempering process for 09' should be unparallel in this industry. More on that from the fine people at ABS at a later date.
3. At 300 grains, the weight of the Ashby is double of most single bevel head. A head of 440B stainless cost more especially if it's twice as heavy as the "other" steel heads
Plainly This head just cost more to make and carries the benefits of the head with it. But there is one thing for sure, you'll think twice about knocking a fox squirrel off a limb at $30 a head. But thats exactly not the market this head targets. It's in the Penetration market......most bowhunters know that a field point through the heart of a deer will kill just as many deer as 2-3-4 blade something another.....but.....if i hit the scapula...i like the history,design and intent for what the Ashby was made for....