Sharpness Test?

[Chas]

What do you use as a test for your sharpness when sharpening your broadhead and knives? I use to see if they would shave hair on my arms, then legs, but now due to age, there is not enough left.

[Stumpkiller]

"Pop" hair, which is to shave it but with little pressure.

DANGER - the following will require bandaids if care is not taken.

If you've sheared yourself hairless, try holding a rubberband just barely tight across your thumb and index finger and push a broadhead across it.  It should slice without stretching.

You should not be able to slide it down your thumbnail at a slight angle or feel any catches when pulling across the nail.

Roll up a single sheet of toilet paper tightly.  If you pull the broadhead across it (on a wood surface) with only the weight of the arrow, held just ahead of the fletching, pressing down, it should slice cleanly through without tearing the paper.

[chanumpa]

I check them with these super heavy rubber bands that i get at an office supply store.i hook one end on something like the handle of my vise and hold the other with my hand .Then stretch the band put to were 2 or 3 blades will hit and then push the broadhead forward hoping that the rubberband explodes with very little coaxing or just a touch to it.I read somewhere that this recreates pretty well muscle and tendons I guess.

[Tajue17]

I like the fingernail test,,, learned this from Tony Sanders and its pretty accurate for testing how sharp something is,,, cutting of hair is cool but honestly I have some broadheads that I think are dull that will cut hair!

my father would test the edge right on the middle of his thumb and he'd feel the edge sticking while he ran his thumb lightly across it and that meant sharp,, he has iron worker hands though with alot of calouses (sp)..


I'll try to explain my way but hold the edge of your broadhead or knife I think 20-30 degrees and try to slide it down the back of your fingernail (where the fingernail polish would go if you where a girl or maybe a guy from the Fenway area here in Boston) thumbnail it should stick or try to cut into the nail AND not just scrape down--> if it slides at all its dull and then try the point edge and back edge and so on.

[T Lail]

I use the rubber band test and they have to cut immediately with little to no pressure.....so far has not let me down...

[wingnut]

I like to plow hair without effort and for them to feel sharp with my thumb.

Mike

[Smallwood]

I use a board that has two nails just barely into the wood about 4 inches apart and put a rubber band over them and push the bh thru them. If it goes flying off, then it's a sharp bh.
A dull one will just push thru without cutting the rubber band into.

[BamaBarebow]

Not meaning to highjack your thread Chas: But what do ya'll use for sharpening?

[Zradix]

Originally posted by Stumpkiller:

....Roll up a single sheet of toilet paper tightly.  If you pull the broadhead across it (on a wood surface) with only the weight of the arrow, held just ahead of the fletching, pressing down, it should slice cleanly through without tearing the paper.

Anybody hold the arrow the way above and try to slice a piece of paper edgewise?
That's what I do.

[Cottonwood]

This is what I use

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMRxr5Jhkkw

[Gundog68]

The fingernail method is the best for me. Always available !


Gundog

[smokin joe]

I have always figured that if it shaves hair it is shaving sharp -- and shaving sharp is sharp.