Hair shaving sharp?

[Sharpster]

There was a thread running a couple of weeks ago asking "How sharp should a broadhead be"? The post got lots of replies about the different well known sharpness "tests" like the rubber band test, and arm hair shaving etc. It also got a few of the funny but exaggerated replies like "sharp enough to make your eyes bleed if you look at the edge".

I didn'y reply because I knew you guys would want to see proof (pictures), but here's what I call "hair shaving sharp":

I took an old beat up, but previously sharpened Grizzly El Grande and "tuned" it up in one of our knife sharpeners. Didn't even strop it, just finished with a translucent Arkansas stone.

 

When you can shave little curls up on a single human hair without cutting it in half, that's probably sharp enough.

 

Bet that's not what you expected to see when you clicked this thread??? If I can do it, so can anybody else. Give it a try!

                 

Ron

[JoeM]

KME works for me!!  I received mine yesterday after getting suggestions from some folks on here.  First time using it I touched up some Muzzy Phantoms (bleeder blades also) that had passed through deer earlier this year. I also used it on some 2 blade Stingers that had been on practice arrows all summer  was able to get them back to hunting sharp in a few minutes. A very easy system to use with great results.   Joe

[Sharpster]

Joe,

Didn't intend for this to be a KME thread, just wanted to put a spin on the phrase "hair shaving sharp" but, thank you for the kind words.  

There are people who can achieve this level of sharpness free-hand or with other sharpening systems/techniques just as well. It's not easy no matter how you go about it though.

Any other hair shavers out there?  

Ron

[mallard_drake85]

never tried to split a hair, but i always sharpen mine until i can shave with them. like you i use an Arkansas stone, it takes some time but we owe it to the critters we put down!

mallard_drake85

[Doc Nock]

Man, I can't even see well enough to TRY that, but it is impressive!

I've been learning a lot about sharpening. The most intriguing or convicting is to learn that what might seem a super sharp broadhead "edge" can 'dull' going through a deer and exit less sharp.

In conversations (via email and phone) with Ron (Sharpster) and Ed Ashby, etc., I have to wonder if that is the reason behind so many folks just "accepting" a 2 blade doesn't leave as good a blood trail??? I seldom get good blood trails for 75 yards or more...but the deer dies in 100 or 150!

I know mine are sharp going in, but they're way dull when I find them stuck in teh dirt! There was another thread on some of the harder steel heads being run over alum and still shaving hair! Gads!

Anything to get a better, more durable edge... and according to those here with way more experience than me..it depends both on the type of angle on the sharpening edge...and the quality of the steel.  Arrgggg!  

Doc Ashby's testing seems to suggest that the softer the steel the easier to sharpen, but the duller it comes out the other side of the deer and the less damage done en route!

Takes "sharp" to a whole nother level of committment! Always neat to learn new stuff and keep striving!  

[Bonebuster]

Sharp is cool. That kind of sharp is REALLY cool.

I recently got some Abowyer "Boneheads", and played around with their hard steel,...until I finally got them sharp.(left bevel)

I now realize how soft the steel in a Zwickey is when compared against something harder. I have heard the Abowyer steel is very comparable to a Grizzly, and I can see that the edge is MUCH more
durable.

After several shots into foam, the Abowyer heads still shaved hair. My Deltas did not.

There is sharp, and then there is cool sharp!

[drewsbow]

I put a grizzly el grande through a deer yesterday that Ron sharpened for me and it will still shave hair . If you are sharpening challenged send your heads to Ron at KME and get the best edge ever        
Did I mention the bow was 42# @ 28 pulled to 30 1/2 "  

[vermonster13]

Without video the pic only proves someone has split ends.    :p

[Hattrick]

I believe hair popping sharp is were its at, but shot placement is were the better blood trails come from....

[Sharpster]

Bonebuster and Vermonster, Thank you both, I wanted this to be just a fun, "try this" type of thread.

Vermonster, the "split end" is just a shadow of the end of the hair. It's the little curls to the left of the dime that were shaved. Even though the blade was probably sharp enough, I sure don't have a steady enough hand to split it lengthwise!  :p  

Drew, Congratulations!!! Where are the pics and story???...    

Ron

[robtattoo]

I can certainly get one sharp enough to vertically slit a human hair, I just need someone with hair to practice on!  

[hunt it]

Funny Rob,why don't you practice on that stuff on ya chin. That way we can see what ya looked like before you joined the witness protection plan!  

[drewsbow]

Ron , over on the NYs southern zone hunters  thread :0)

[WidowEater]

If you can do it, so can anyone else....as long as they have a KME sharpener like I do, right Ron?

[Steertalker]

Man!!  It's hard enough to get a regular BH that sharp, much less a grizzly!!  Wish I could figure out how to do it myself  :confused:

Brett

[Sharpster]

No WidowEater,

Long before there was a "KME", people have been able to achieve this level of sharpness.

Some can even do it free-hand.  

Ron

[Clay Hayes]

I have a permenate bald spot on my left arm from testing knives and broadheads!

A neat tip for touching up a semi sharp blade is to use the top edge of a truck window.  it acts as a fine stone and, if you can sharpen freehand, you can get a great edge with it.  I use mine all the time.

ch

[joebuck]

Challenging Ron!.....Now thats impressive.....I have to get out my reading glasses and a Silver Flame and try that. That takes a steady hand and one scapel razor sharp head!!!!

[BobCo 1965]

Ron,

I'm sure you as well as others would agree that the hardest part of sharpening a Grizzly is getting the initial angle correct. Even with starting off on a belt sander and moving to a file this often takes a good 45-60 miinutes for me. Often times I think that it just maybe worth getting those new $30-35 dollar heads that are pre-sharpened. After getting the angle correct the rest is easy.

How long does it take to set the correct angle on the KME with a grizzly and how is it done?

[Sharpster]

Bobco,

PM sent.

Ron