BH shot into dirt--How sharp should it be after?

[ken denton]

While hunting deer, some times we shoot a sharp broadhead at deer or other game and miss and it sticks into the dirt. I am talking about a broadhead that will shave hair on your arm before the shot and then when you wipe the dirt off it will not even cut you?
I have seen this happen even on new broadheads from the factory that were razor sharp.
I have read here about broadheads that were shot into foam and were still razor sharp?
How sharp should it be after shot into the dirt? Ken

[uglyjake]

A broadhead should always be razor sharp if used for hunting.

[arrowslinger22]

Depends on the quality of the steel and type of edge you put on it.  Do it with a zwickey and you will have to be careful not to cut yourself.  WIth a RIbtek you'd be safe.  I like and use both, but they are different quality steel.

[Stump73]

Dirt has a lot debris like sand in it. I know if you are using a chain saw and you get in the dirt with it that the chain gets dull really fast.

[Looper]

Well, shooting into the dirt will definitely dull a head. It's hard to say how sharp one should be after shooting into the dirt, there are too many variables. Steel hardness, dirt hardness, presence of rocks, etc. Foam is not an abrasive like dirt, so it will take a lot of shots into foam to dull a head.

[Bjorn]

There are variables of course; but for me if it has been in the dirt I would resharpen the edge back to shaving sharp before I even thought about shooting it at an animal; also I would not shoot a BH at an animal after shooting at foam without sharpening.

[Trad-Man]

How sharp should it be?  Less sharp than before you shot it!

The softer the steel, the easier it is to sharpen, the easier it is to make dull.  By contrast the harder the steel, the harder to sharpen the longer it stays sharp in adverse conditions.

You get to pick...

Originally posted by ken denton:
While hunting deer, some times we shoot a sharp broadhead at deer or other game and miss and it sticks into the dirt. I am talking about a broadhead that will shave hair on your arm before the shot and then when you wipe the dirt off it will not even cut you?
I have seen this happen even on new broadheads from the factory that were razor sharp.
I have read here about broadheads that were shot into foam and were still razor sharp?
How sharp should it be after shot into the dirt? Ken

Not sharp enough to hunt with again, without touching it up with a sharpener, IMO!

Bisch

[Badwithabow]

If its in the dirt it shouldn't bother ya too bad to resharpen it as it should be covered in blood , bc we never     miss lol

[Bill Carlsen]

It seems to me that a broadhead shot into anything should be resharpened no matter how sharp it seems to be...including foam targets. Taking them in and out of quivers also dulls them so they need to be touched up from time to time anyway, IMO.

[Stumpkiller]

Not sharp enough to hunt with again, without touching it up with a sharpener, IMO!

Bisch [/QB]

Exactly.      

I carry a file in a sheath on my quiver and a diamond hone in my pack.  Once a broadhead leaves the bow it needs to be resharpened regardless of what caught it.

[wingnut]

It should not be sharp enough and will always require a touch up.  Same with shooting a foam target.

Heck one day when Rusty and I were hunting elk we kept getting into grouse and Rusty would empty his quiver of broadheads.  We spent a lot of break times touching up heads that day.  LOL

Mike

[Doc Nock]

All good advice! Shoot n sharpen!

 

The "variable" aspect has been noted.  I had at one time, being severely sharpening impaired, used a Redi-Edge tool...man I could get stuff REALLY sharp... but would have sparse blood trails... go figure.

A good man with far more experience killing stuff than I pointed out that my head was likely getting dulled going THRU the deer!  :eek:      

I investigated that sharpener...it was setting the "edge" at 19*! That was why it seemed so sharp, but it was such a fine, thin edge, it dulled on it's way thru the deer!

Now I use KME sharpened heads and keep the touched up to their intended 25* angle with the BH Pro...

They will still shave hair when they've gone thru a deer... but they are not as sharp as when I started so they go into the bottom of the quiver for re-touching!

[Greg Dearth]

I never use an already shot broadhead to shoot at an animal again. A broadhead can never be to sharp. Always resharpen your broadheads, to a razor edge , before hunting with them again.

[straitera]

Depends upon the dirt & how far in maybe? Corrosion over time can kill sharp on a knife or bh w.o hitting anything. Not trying to split hairs; but, I wouldn't expect any bh to stay sharp after burying in dirt.

[joe ashton]

depends on the dirt.  Iowa top soil it may just need to be brushed off touched up,  Colorado Rocky Mountain dirt you may need to throw the thing away and buy a new one.  Either way that broadhead needs to be inspected and then resharpened.

[Rob W.]

I have pounded the same 2 zwickey's into the ground all year at squirrels. They are pretty sharp after a shot but I still touch up just in case I have a deer come in while one is on the string.


Rob