single bevel blood trail

[newhouse114]

I remember a dall sheep I killed with a four blade Muzzy. The sheep barely flinched and I was certain I had missed it. It walked 40-50 yards and fell over dead. Pure white animal and not a speck of external blood on either side until it collapsed. Arrow was dead center through both lungs.

[tzolk]

I'm going to use single bevels again this year. First time last year using an Abowyer bone head, the deer dropped where he stood from a lung/heart shot. Can't ask for better than that exception to the rule

I have used them ever since they came out, I got great blood trails, so I mixed in 160 single bevel custom ground Hills. We never lost a deer with either one and on the average we got more blood on the ground quicker.  At first I sharpened them exactly as the instructions on the package stated.  I bought a bunch of Grizzly files when Elburgs sold out.  The Grizzly file has a round narrow side that can be used like a steel and this leaves the single cut file teeth jutting out with very defined teeth.  I still file sharpen, then clean that up with a diamond hone and a leather strap.  Then going from back to front with file reversed and at about a two way 45 degree angle on the beveled side of the head I pull a serration.  Then finish with a couple of light flat strokes on the flat side and some hair and some air on the beveled side with the rounded narrow side of the file.  This has shortened our blood trails and puts even more blood on the ground on average. I have no doubts about shaving sharp, but adding this serration seems to do that little bit more.

A friend of mine cannot get a shaving edge even on boughten razor blades, he uses a standard file filing the flat side first of course, this was important to do with the earlier versions.  Then he uses a quarter inch wide round file on the beveled side.  Another one uses the a method much like Tom Mussato would do with a Hill except keeping the flat side flat, his works good as well. One thing to avoid is if there is just a bur on a smooth head, if a rib is contacted that eliminate its artery cutting abilities.

[Sam McMichael]

I am not trying to start an argument, but what difference does it make whether a blood trail is made by a single or a double beveled edge? It seems that a cut is a cut. It was my belief that single bevel was developed primarily for bone penetration. Granted, even though I have some very early grizzlies, I have not killed any thing with them. What am I missing?

[JimB]

That's the point Sam.Some are experiencing more of a cut with single bevels,given the actual width of the head.That's why people ask from time to time about the blood trails.They do other stuff besides split bone.

[BWD]

I'm inclined to believe what a broadhead passes thru, and where it plasses thru are far more important than the type of broadhead used.
Double lunged, with a low exit, normally leaves a mighty fine bloodtrail.

[monterey]

Originally posted by BWD:
I'm inclined to believe what a broadhead passes thru, and where it plasses thru are far more important than the type of broadhead used.
Double lunged, with a low exit, normally leaves a mighty fine bloodtrail.

That's been my admittedly small experience.  An ace that made a perfect pass through high in the lungs left not a drop of blood but a Magnus with a lower hit left a path of blood.

[Arctic Hunter]

I guess I'll chime in. I've shot three deer with single bevels. Two fell in sight and one just out of sight, but none had what I'd call great blood trails. But they did have excellent penetration (including one arrow that buried almost to the feathers after center punching the shoulder blade). I've had good luck with them, and will keep using them.  I just use a stone and strop, and they are shaving sharp.

Pavan, I sent you a PM. I'd like to hear more about how you sharpen your broadheads.