Single bevel Broadheads

[1Longbow]

Would like to hear real hunting experiences ,using single bevel broad heads. Thank you

[Buckeye1977]

I don't have much experience with them but I do know that I can get them sharper than other heads that I have tried. My son shot a deer last year with a grizzly 175 from a 40# bow and got complete penetration at a steep quartering away angle. The blood trail was not heavy but the deer only went about 50 or 60 yards so didn't have much time to bleed. I usually carry them or my favorite so far the vpa 3 blades.

[Mike Yancey]

I have used the Grizzly 185 single bevel for several years. I have taken many hogs and quite a few African animals with them.

[Walt Francis]

I have successfully used 190 grain Grizzlies on mountain lion, bison, and quite a few deer.

[Hoosierarcher88]

Im hit and miss on single bevels. There are ups and downs to the design and ill try to elaborate my experiences with them. Yes they do wedge through heavy bone better as well as rotate while penetrating. They are also very easy to get sharp in the field with just a file and your belt but that is to me where the up side stops. Now ive never hunted anything bigger or more dense than a whitetail so bear with me here but unless encountering heavy bone i do not find them superior to double bevel broadheads. I find the penetration in soft tissue such as organs and muscle to be less than that of a double bevel blade and not really any better than a non vented 3 blade head. During rotation there is still energy being used up vs a blade that doesnt rotate. My test on that was fairly simple, i took pvc pipes and basically stuffed them full of pork loin for my test medium. The double bevel blades consistently penetrated deeper, normally a single bevel would sink in to about the logo on the arrow where the double bevel tipped arrows buried all the way to the feathers. The other big issue i had with single bevels in all my tests was edge roll. Now a few heads have held up very well but still exhibited my end roll than equivalent double bevel heads. There is also something strange i have noticed with most animals i have shot with single bevel heads and that is the exit wounds were almost always plugged up with lung or other tissue that the broadhead had for some reason drug along with it which makes for a tough blood trail to follow. All that being said though my go to broadheads seem to be 300 grain tuffheads, i just cant bring myself to put them on the back burner.

[BearBandit]

Is it possible that you arent getting the single bevels as sharp as you think they are?  Instead of going for shaving sharp try cutting thin paper like the kind found in a phone book.   It should hiss on the way through. 

I'm not sure if that is the case and if not then ignore the above my good man.

[Chuck Jones]

I’ve used single bevel heads since 1979, when I started making my own from O-1 tool steel. I’ve shot deer, elk, hogs, bear, and caribou with single bevels. I’ve also shot several animals with double bevel heads like Ace Standards, and Hunters Head. I haven’t seen any difference in penetration with a good hit, but have had the single bevels break large bones and still get into the lungs. I think single bevels and heavy arrows go well together. I shoot 650 grains total from. 45# longbow. I get great penetration on hogs with thick shields with Tuffheads on that combo. Blood trails are good with good hits. Sharpness with either head is the key.

[frassettor]

I have used Grizzlys exclusively for all of my harvests. I never had an issue.

[BearBandit]

I’ve used single bevel heads since 1979, when I started making my own from O-1 tool steel. I’ve shot deer, elk, hogs, bear, and caribou with single bevels. I’ve also shot several animals with double bevel heads like Ace Standards, and Hunters Head. I haven’t seen any difference in penetration with a good hit, but have had the single bevels break large bones and still get into the lungs. I think single bevels and heavy arrows go well together. I shoot 650 grains total from. 45# longbow. I get great penetration on hogs with thick shields with Tuffheads on that combo. Blood trails are good with good hits. Sharpness with either head is the key.

Do mind me asking how you make your own?  Have you ever documented the procedure?  I'm a red seal journeyman b pressure welder, I hold tickets in all but the most exotic processes so fabrication isn't new to me.  Do you machine them?  Forge them?  How the heck do you make and connect the socket?  I've got limited blacksmithing experience and I'm lost on how one would accomplish this and very interested in your process.
Sorry if this is highjacking the thread but dang man that's cool.

[Chuck Jones]

[/quote]
Do mind me asking how you make your own?  Have you ever documented the procedure?  I'm a red seal journeyman b pressure welder, I hold tickets in all but the most exotic processes so fabrication isn't new to me.  Do you machine them?  Forge them?  How the heck do you make and connect the socket?  I've got limited blacksmithing experience and I'm lost on how one would accomplish this and very interested in your process.
Sorry if this is highjacking the thread but dang man that's cool.
[/quote]

I used 1/16” O-1 tool steel and marked and sawed out the blades. I clamped a dozen or so blades and hardened and tempered them while clamped together to prevent warp. I made the Ferrells on a metal lathe. I started with 3/8” cold rolled rod and drilled and reamed the hole for the tapered shaft. I then turned the outside with the compound slide and cut off. I would grind a slight bevel on the sides of the Ferrell slot and using a welding jig I made for the purpose, I would silver braise with the tiny tip of a 00 acytelene welder. The jig prevented the edges from getting too hot. I then ground the edges in a grinding jig.

The tool steel really took and held a durable edge. I talked to Joe Furlong a few times during his design and development of the TuffHead. I use those now, because they are stainless steel.

[BearBandit]

Man is that cool,  thanks for the break down.

[wayne rollinson]

Do mind me asking how you make your own?  Have you ever documented the procedure?  I'm a red seal journeyman b pressure welder, I hold tickets in all but the most exotic processes so fabrication isn't new to me.  Do you machine them?  Forge them?  How the heck do you make and connect the socket?  I've got limited blacksmithing experience and I'm lost on how one would accomplish this and very interested in your process.
Sorry if this is highjacking the thread but dang man that's cool.
[/quote]

I used 1/16” O-1 tool steel and marked and sawed out the blades. I clamped a dozen or so blades and hardened and tempered them while clamped together to prevent warp. I made the Ferrells on a metal lathe. I started with 3/8” cold rolled rod and drilled and reamed the hole for the tapered shaft. I then turned the outside with the compound slide and cut off. I would grind a slight bevel on the sides of the Ferrell slot and using a welding jig I made for the purpose, I would silver braise with the tiny tip of a 00 acytelene welder. The jig prevented the edges from getting too hot. I then ground the edges in a grinding jig.

The tool steel really took and held a durable edge. I talked to Joe Furlong a few times during his design and development of the TuffHead. I use those now, because they are stainless steel.
[/quote]

This is my next project,I have had a goal to make my own hunting gear and this is the last piece of the puzzle and pretty much how I had planned to try my own broad head, thanks for sharing, regards wayne

[Terry Green]

As most know, I've shot 4 blade Zwickeys since the 80s..


But I have had great results with Abower.  I don't  or wouldn't care if they were single or double bevs....bad A heads reguardless....Tanks!

Nasty Cohutta Wilderness hog......

[F. Dobbs]

Really sad that no single bevel sponsors even respond to thiis thread, or the others that have been running for weeks.

[A Lex]

My go-to broad-head is a good, heavy, stoutly built single bevel. 

Pretty much all my game taken with my longbows have been with wooden shafts and Grizzly 235 or 185 grain single bevels. 

Cannot comment on deer, haven't taken any with them because we are not allowed to hunt them with a bow in my State (but man would I'd love to) but on everything else (taken in other States where it is legal) like Water Buffalo, Wild Pigs, Wild Goats, Feral Cats and Rabbits, I've got only great things to say about single bevel broad-heads.

For me, I don't find them hard at all to get really scary sharp, they're easy to mount up dead straight and true, they fly absolutely superbly, and they hit spot on where I'm looking, right in there with my field points and blunts, and they are seriously tough too. 

I've found they give excellent penetration on buffalo, and needless to say, penetration on the other critters I mentioned is most certainly more than just enough. Blood trails have been good too.

In the past I've used a few Tusker Delta double bevel broad-heads, with no complaints either, good Aussie made broad-head. But I felt the Grizzly's were more stoutly built and were available in heavier weights, so they were my choice for Buffalo.

I was so impressed with how well they preformed, that I've stayed with them. 

As you can see, I'm very confident with the single bevel, and being confident is a good thing, but people with vastly more hunting experience than I, have had great results with good double bevel heads, they have (and quite rightfully too) heaps of confidence in them also. 

I suppose then, in the end, there's no right or wrong choice here. So use which-ever one you feel gives you confidence. Just make sure it is well built, properly sharp, flys true, and do your utmost to put it where it will do the most good (or bad)

I would still be happy to use the wide double bevel head on anything on my list above other than Buffalo though, but I've got a good supply of single bevel Grizzly's, and for now, that's what's going on my heavy wooden arrows for everything.

Best
Lex

[Silent footed]

I use single bevels. I don't think they are necessary though. Double bevels sever arteries too. What more could you want?

The rotational force (torque) provided by the double bevel during penetration is one benefit; and it does result in a more complex wound channel, but in my opinion, the wound channel from a double bevel is adequate on its own (helloooo, severed arteries and lungs).

I also wonder a bit on whether the conversion of directed force into rotational torque on impact reduces their penetration somewhat; but I don't think there's any real difference: As long as you don't hit a rib going in or out, and it's not a strongly quartering angle, then there IS going to be an exit hole and most likely a pass through: all the more reason to select broadside shots, and it's the exact same case with double bevels. So I have never experienced any real difference.

Two things I do know and have experienced:

1) If you wish to take advantage of the single bevel's torque property, don't get a zwickey single bevel, their bevels are much too narrow. You really need a grizzly or something similar: How do I know? Shoot one of each into your block and see which shaft rotates more in your hand as you pull it out (it's the grizzly). The zwickey twists no more than a standard double bevel. The reason is that the wider bevel on the grizzly produces more torque (rotational force) and yields a more twisting impact channel, and the narrow bevel on the zwickey does not.

2) The grizzlies are brittle and if you hit a rock in the dirt or manage to stick a good hickory tree, it will break and you won't be able to use it again. Zwickeys don't have that property, because those babies are just plain indestructable! 

[Brock]

I have a go to of 160 and 190gr Ribteks that I bought up when they stopped selling in USA. Myself and Kelly ordered a bulk order from Australia together....   That being said I gave the Grizzly Kodiak (200gr) head a try a few years ago.  I have taken one hog and one black bear with the single bevel heads, not on design just that is arrow I grabbed from quiver with a mix of Ribteks and Grizzly heads on my doug fir woodies.

For the hog, was PBS hunt in Georgia....stalking hogs in tall grass...boar at less than 20 yds, broadside. Just as my fingers were about to release arrow he spins to run and instead of arrow hitting in area tight behind shield....it hit right rear ham and angled forward towards his chest.  Hog runs into marsh grass....I mark where I was standing...walk to where pig was standing and see blood but no arrow.  Long story short, pig was found 50-75 yds in grass...no arrow in him, no arrow found but with exit wound in chest.  165lb boar with absolutely no fat on him when dressed...old bugger that likely was his last winter on earth. Made nice sausage links...shot from 51# Mohawk Sparrowhawk with 650gr arrow weight.

Second incident was black bear hunt in Saskatchewan. Big fat bear comes in, shot goes in high on near shoulder and exits low on opposite side. As bear spun to run could see the 200gr head sticking out in armpit.  When recovering bear and dressing...arrow went through heavy muscle around shoulder blade and exited in armpit and hit upper leg on opposite side...shot from 53# Robertson Wolfer and 650gr arrow weight.

Both had outstanding penetration.  Never checked on the infamous spiral wound channel or that stuff...it worked as expected is all I know.  Would my Ribteks have done same in same shot on both animals...I am sure they would have as have had very good results with them as well.

I had trouble sharpening the single bevels...but contacted Ron at KME sharpening...and he walked me through how to use my old Lansky setup to get a good edge.  Also worked on doing same with hand file. 

All things being said....I tend to stick with the double bevels but have had great results with Grizzly Kodiak single bevels.  Would like to try the Tuffheads as they come razor sharp from package.

I hand sharpen all my Ribbies with mill file and will touch up with accusharp

[hvyhitter]

Killed several deer with the old 190 grizzlies and left wing(wrongway) fletching on maple shafts. The deer and the dirt didnt feel any difference. Really didnt like some of the sparse bloodtrails I got, so after 2 yrs I went back to snuffers for better blood splatter. Shoot what you like and have flying good, as long as its really sharp it should get the job done...........

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I switch for Zwickey Delta to Grizzly 160 for no reason at all but to try something different, I haven't killed anything yet other then foam they fly great on my Wood shafts.

[Brock]

right now I have about 32 Ribtek 190s....about 12 Ribtek 160s.....4 Grizzly Kodiak 200s....and 2 Grizzly Instinct 175 3blades......oh and half a dozen obsidian points and two Deathheads. LOL

When I run out of Ribteks...guess will need to find something else. LOL  Right now would be Grizzly Bruins for a 2bevel head.