Broadhead sharpness and bloodtrails

[the longbowkid]

you should have your broadheads either razor sharp or sharp with a burred edge, wich acts like serration.

[SuperK]

One other point that I think needs consideration and that is how hard is the metal in the broadhead you are using.  If you are using a broadhead that is "soft" (on the R hardness scale) then it won't hold that fine,honed edge going thru the hair, hide and ribs.  The edge you worked so long to get will "roll over" before getting to the "goodies".  That is one reason why I think most "old timers" prefered a filed edge.  Look at some of the broadheads they were using.  I don't know what the hardness is of a Bear Razorhead (greenie) is, but I'll bet ya' (if I was a betting man) it ain't as hard as a Zwickey Eskimo.  Just put a new file to both of 'em and see for yourself.  I ain't knocking the old Bear Razorhead.  I love 'em and the last deer I killed this year was with one; but I'm not going to spend hours honing one 'cause it ain't going to hold that edge.  You'll be better with a filed edge, IMO.
 Try this for yourself.  Get a sample of different broadheads (soft and hard) and sharpen them both ways (filed,carbide etc. and honed-as-sharp-and-as-polished-as-you-can-get-them).  Now go out and shoot them into foam broadhead targets, cardboard targets, 3-d targets, etc, and see which ones are sharper.  I think you will find that ones with the harder metal will be sharper than the softer metal broadheads..NO MATTER WHAT EDGE YOU STARTED WITH! I was going to use some new/old stock MA-3 broadheads this year.  Man they flew great, mounted straight and was so easy to sharpen.  However, I think they got dull just breathing on 'em.  Shoot them one time into a foam broadhead target and if you rubbed them on your finger you might get a blister but you weren't about to get cut.
  Try the same thing with a old beat-up, paint burnt off Zwickey Eskimo that you have and you better be close to a hospital.  Just something else to throw into the mix!    

[LongBow'erman]

Originally posted by Ralph Renfro:
I'm all for sharpness, the sharper the better, but.....I think shot placement and penetration is the key factors in how much blood is on the ground.  Now I do think the sharper head will result is better penetration but if the shot is at the top of the kill zone, most of the blood will be in the critter in front of the diaphram. If the shot is in the lower third of the kill zone, the blood will exit much sooner and therefore you'll have plenty of blood on the ground. I would never argue with the importance of a razor sharp broadhead, but I really feel that blood on the ground in more determined by shot placement. JMHO

My thoughts exactly.

[Robhood23]

I had some steelforce broadheads that were sharper than all get out, left poor blood trails though! My 2 blade zwicky's leave great blood trails and I know they are not as sharp as those steel for were! It remains a mystery!

[RC]

I like the filed edge myself.Never a problem with blood on the ground and the head is usually purty sharp afterward. I`m no doctor but I believe a finely honed edge could dull going in even more so on a rib and not be as "keen" as it started out where a file sharpend edge thats a little rough will hold the edge longer. No scientific proof only redneck logic but I do know it works for me.RC

[pdk25]

[onewhohasfun]

Would any one use a knife with just a filed edge? Try cutting thru a sternum with one and let me know how its working for you. And the difference is?

[James on laptop]

Well I just get the sharp as I can.    Never seen any difference between a smooth polished edge or a file sharpeded one.Once they cut a rubber band easy and pop a few hairs they will do any job I need to use them for.I don't care how sharp one remains after it cuts the first 12" because it is just going to be sticking in the dirt after that.  :D

[bowmaster12]

i know alot of old timmer that use to take the broadheads out of the package and would rub them on the cement alittle to jagger the tip thier thinking was tha ta jagged edge would tear instead of getting a clean cut that falls right back togeather the tear causing more damage this said a duller head will penetrate  less  

[Frisky]

I'm with the Dr. on this one. I file sharpen my heads and then use a butcher's steel followed by light stropping. It works.

Joe

[KSdan]

Just about anything sharp works. . . I always thought my Magnus that shaved hair off my arms, cut through bone, and always had fine blood trails were just fine (and I still think they are). . .

BUT, HONESTLY- if you have never used a head as sharp as the Silver Flames, Ron's KME sharpened heads, (new heads coming out from ABowyer) etc. then it may seem all the same to you.  I posted a topic a couple years ago on this very issue.  I have been bow hunting for 35 years, and I am telling you- once I shot some deer with those Silver Flames (not promoting the head as much as the hardness of the metal and SCARY sharpness!) I realized that there is an entirely higher level of scary sharp!!    

The cutting, blood, lack of clotting, and minimal response by deer was absolutely amazing to me.  You literally only lightly touch these blades and they cut your finger.  To see a deer on the ground dead within seconds while blood just continues to pour out the wound is amazing. . . and has/will continue to happen many times over if I have any say!

I am trying to learn how to sharpen all my heads to that sharpness now.  KME is helping.

[Ray Hammond]

That's what I like, KSdan.

Many years ago I spent about 10 minutes talking with Ed Ashby and he handed me an auto body rasp to change the angle on my grizzlies.

I use a 14 inch Nicholson flat bastard mill file after the angle is changed, then switch to a 6 inch grobet for the last, light strokes, then strop on leather glued to a board to remove the burr.

In all, about 5 minutes per head after the angle has been changed the first time.

My heads are the sharpest thing 99% of the people who come to Hog Heaven have ever felt- no exception. They are deadly on game.

[Jake]

KS Dan and Super K make a lot of sense in regards to my thinking.  Until a person uses a truly sharp broadhead  they only have their own experiences to go with what works for them.  Today's broaheads are made from a superior steel and we have found that a certain Rockwell hardness will hold a better edge.  Softer steels will sharpen much easier but are they more durable.  A true honed edge will outperform and outlast anything else...IMO  How many would "file" sharpen a knife to butcher with?  Isn't a broadhead a "knife" on the end of your arrow?  Lots to debate but I believe it comes down to peoples acceptance to what is good enough.  There really is no right or wrong answer so if we are all happy with what we are using then let just GO HUNTING!

[unregistered]

I am a meat cutter by trade and while no doctor I would like to add. First off when I attended my meat cutting course our instructor taught us how to use his wheel grinder to sharpen our knives. Using this method I was able to get my knifes so sharp that the mere wieght of the blade on my leg would shave the hair right off. However another student in my course was never quite able to figure the system out, and as a result his blades rarely shaved hair. During our course we were required to "stick" live animals. These included Pigs, Cattle and Lamb. We each would have a set day when we would be the "sticker". I can say that without a doubt, the shaving edge caused more bleeding for a far longer period. When I stuck my critter the blood would gush out and when we pumped their legs after, very little blood remained to be drained. When my classmate stuck his he did not get quite the same amount of gushing, and pumping the legs always resulted in large spurts of blood. I believe this was due to his duller cuts clotting at a faster rate than mine before the animal died of blood loss. We each stuck our animals in the same spot with the same model of blade and our animals were often of same body size. We killed over 100 animals in our course and the results were always the same.

[Richie Nell]

Justin,
Great info.  

Case closed, IMO.

[Roy Steele]

Once had these yokells 3 in all told me that they did'nt need to sharpen their broadheads.Every time they shot into the foam practing the foam sharpen their broadheads.