Kme broadhead sharpener

[arrow30]

i dont know much, but that broadhead does not have a straight edge, so a file would be better . i think.

[reddogge]

Your picture looks correct. Of course you know that the roller goes against the stone. I color the edge of the broadhead with a black marker to make sure you are getting all of the edge. I hold the tool pretty close to the broadhead and stroke it point to rear with moderate pressure checking you are getting all of the edge. Lighten up the pressure as you go. Don't worry about the rounded edge, just follow the curve with your stroke.

To those that say adjust the angle, on this version the angle is fixed so you can't adjust the angle. The angle will work just fine as is. Year after year I just do a few strokes per side on the smooth stone and then a strop or cardboard to hone them up.

[Sojurn]

What you're doing is how I sharpen my broadheads.  You can do one of two things. 
1) keep grinding away until the edge is flat from front to back its more work up front, but it makes resharpening them later much easier.
2) rock the edge back and forth as you sharpen to wear it down evenly.  It's more difficult to do, but requires less of a time investment.
  I do the second option. But both would work equally well.

[Warchild]

Try using it with different grits of sandpaper. I struggled with mine too until I started using sand paper. I start out with 100 and stroke it in both directions, next is 220 then 330 and then when I get to 400 I only pull it backwards. I go to 600, 800 and end with 1,500 grit. As the burr develops (usually around the 330 grit) I turn the jig over and run the back of the bevel backwards as flat as possible. I use a 8" piece of a 4"x4" to do this on and getting the backside flat is easy. I also noticed that by using the block, the whole process worked better than on a plastic table. I end up by running the jig over my leather strop lightly (backwards only) and it leaves a very polished smooth and razor sharp edge. I usually run about 25-30 strokes per grit and never use any force.

[Alexander Traditional]

I thought you were talking about the kme like a lansky or gatco. I have one like that but use it for single bevel.

Sounds like others have used it and you're getting the advice you need.

[the rifleman]

Just keep going---But watch Ron from KMEs sharpening video on youtube.  For heads like yours and zwickey eskimos that are convex, youll need to ride the head down with your finger in order to get even coverage.  Otherwise youll grind for a long time reshaping the profile of the head.  Watch the video and this will make sense.  That kme is all you need to get razor sharp broadheads.

[Azmdted]

One thing I learned after struggling to sharpen cabinet scrapers is to go very light the more you sharpen.  The burr that you can feel, but not really see is what you want, but it's very delicate.  If you press too hard after you've achieved the burr, then what you're doing is cutting the burr off.  That will leave a shiny but dull edge.  At the end all you're trying to do is straighten out the burr to bring it in line with broadhead.  Go lightly, as others have said.  And yes, on many broadheads you have to start with a file first, but get beyond that and beyond coarse and then be very gentle.

[Skates 2]

I own KME and love it, never an issue. 

[bowmaster12]

My set up for my third try.  If i cant get this to work i think im going to try paper wheels on a grinder.

[Stringwacker]

When I first got my KME, I thought I had wasted my money. I couldn't get anything sharp with it. Someone mentioned that I should contact the fellow at KME....I did, and it made a world of difference!

The part I was missing was keeping the edges the same. It was mentioned that on a new broadhead, (file the tip down to start if its like an Eskimo) start with the coarse stone and make five complete back/forth strokes on one blade side.... then hit the other side of the blade five strokes. Flip the blade over to the original side and repeat the process but only with four strokes
strokes....flip the blade again and do four on the other side. Keep working this process 5,4,3,2 1 until you work down to a single stroke alternating on each blade side as you go. Check your edge and if it will catch your finger nail, loosen the clamp and do the other blade in the same manner

When both sides of the two blade head catches a nail, repeat the process with the fine stone. When you get to the final alternating single stroke sequence on the fine stone, use very light pressure. Finish everything off by stropping backward on leather or cardboard. In the end, Mr. Gillette never made a sharper head

Once you have worked the head the first time, you should be able to skip the course stone and just work on the fine stone for faster results.

[bowmaster12]

Well, ive worked one head for almost an hour.  It is much better than the results i have been getting but still not razor sharp.  Are the old bear heads slightly concave?  I cant get the marker to wear off evenly unless i put pressure on the jaws to slightly tip the head. I believe if i had a polishing wheel that would take what i currently have to shaving.  The learning will have to continue.

[arrow30]

rounded, convex. they curve out not in.

[Sojurn]

Polishing wheels require another skill set to use, just like anything. They do tend to move metal faster than a person thinks. I'm not saying to not try it out, I'm just saying that they don't do anything you can't do by hand.
  With out seeing how you work its hard to give much more advice than what you've already gotten.  One last thing I will say is this, broadheads are not a very hard steel.  Nothing close to what a knife is hardened too.  So in my experience the very fine razor sharp edge on a broadhead tends to wear away quickly.  Maybe that's what you experiencing.  Sharp is always in relative. 
 Good luck.

[bowmaster12]

I appreciate all the advice. It has gotten me alot fyrther along.  Just have to figure out the final step to get tgat razors edge. Or find someone i can send the to

[Stringwacker]

Have you stropped it backward on a piece of cardboard or leather? The entire process can be done in less than 10 minutes on a new head. I used it on Bear razorheads all the time.

You do seem to have a lot of stones. Did it not come with a kit that had a single stone with a course and fine side?

[bowmaster12]

Stringwacker.  Its an older kme it came with 2 stones a corse and medium the dont seem like great quality.  I. My picture thise are sandpaper.  Im not blaming the kme i know it is me. U did try putting it on leather.  These arent new heads they ar '64 razor heads that may be part of the issue theres a good chance im over working it once i get to the finishing stages.

[Stringwacker]

When you get it to the fine stone and your alternating the blade for one stroke on each side (pushing forward)...you can work to infinity and the edge will just get sharper. I have the old razorheads and they don't get as shar[ as say a two blade Stinger (I think they are the easiest head to sharpen on a KME) but they are shaving sharp, Dragging them backwards hard on a piece of cardboard really makes the edge pop out on the Bears.

I also have an old KME...likely 7 or 8 years old.

[Stringwacker]

Another thought...your issue may be that of your sandpaper...never tried it that way. I would dig up those two old India stones (American made) and work the head on those. I bought two more of the exact stones that were 12 inches long for sharpening at home (I use the shorter stones in the kit while on hunts) and either stone works great using the method I described.

Eventually, I bought a Smith 12' fine diamond stone to see how that would work and it produces the same edge as the india stones in even less time (and it lubricates with water instead of oil).

I wouldn't think sandpaper uses a lubricant and that could be part of the problem. You have to have something to float the steel particles away.

I too am sharpening challenged. Try my suggestion and get the original stones out with some honing oil. That one broadhead looks pretty good and if it will catch a nail you should be able to just work the process on the fine India stone.

[razorsharptokill]

I have had great results using the "side" of a paper wheel with the KME. Starting with the sharpener and edge on the wheel facing AWAY from rotation I turn on and off the grinder after a few seconds to keep the rpms down, I use the polishing compound on the side just like on the outer wheel surface. It takes a bit to get the hang of it but it is a great finisher after the bevel has been set and courser grits have been used. NOTE: the head and KME AND... the grinder will heat up quickly so I do short sessions on each edge side. A three blade like a VPA or Snuffer can be done also by just holding flat on the side of the wheel.

[Mint]

To get it razor sharp use a leather strop with rouge applied or use cardboard.

If you want to sharpen them faster get yourself a DMT bench Stone in course/medium and the diamond stones will work MUCH faster. The amzingthing aboutthe KME is that you just need to get the broadhead ready the first time and then from then on it is just a quick touch up.