HOW TO: Sharpen a Tusker broadhead

[mrjsl]

I ordered some Tusker Delta heads and some Tusker Concorde, both in 250 gr screw in. I shot the Tusker Delta's quite a bit, and they shoot well out of my bow. I only shot the Concorde a couple of times, but it does seem to drill into the target with it's single bevel edge. I have also been shooting VPA terminators and they really shoot well. The Tuskers group right with them.

I figure since the Tusker looks pretty solid and shoots so well, I will sharpen them up and hunt with them too. I like a 2 blade broadhead when shooting out of a treestand.

Sharpening the VPA's was not much of a chore. I consider myself able to sharpen anything. I own a gazillion slipjoint knives, so I have plenty of sharpening stuff.

SO, I turned to the Tuskers, and these things are about as sharp as a ball bearing. When I looked at them with a loupe, I can see the grind doesn't even go all the way to the edge, or even close.

I started with the delta's since they are double bevel just like a case pocketknife, and a couple of days later I have one that will shave, and two that are less than a day away from shaving. I also have one of the concordes where it will shave if you scrape real hard.

Here's a step by step helpful guide for those of you that are struggling with Tusker sharpening.


1: grab a junk arrow - a tough one like a 2219 and cut it to about 8 or 9 inches long. Insert both ends.

2: screw dull broadhead into your little arrow handle. Now you have a knife, more or less.

3: bypass all your little broadhead sharpening files and go straight out to the shop. Clamp arrow in vise with broadhead cocked at appropriate angle.

4: get the big flat b a stard file you use to sharpen lawnmower blades, chalk it, and grind on bevel about an hour. Repeat for all four sides.

5: Get beer, change t-shirt because you sweated through it. At this point you may have reached the point where both bevels actually meet on each cutting edge. If not, continue grinding away till they appear to meet.

6:watch this video:  

7: Go to kitchen sink. Wet down a DMT diasharp plate (coarse). Now that the song from the video is stuck in your head forever, grab your little arrow handle, lay blade on stone, and start singing song. Pull to you on one syllable, push away on next. Do this up till the word DUCK, then flip broadhead and start over. Repeat for all bevels.

8: After a few hundred verses of the song, you should have a passable edge. From this point you can move on to conventional sharpening methods, finer stone, etc. until you get it to shave. It will get as sharp as a Case stockman will almost, but you've got to be dedicated.

Don't forget to go to physical therapy for your carpal tunnel syndrome afterwards.

[nc recurveman]

I had great look with a lansky sharpener with tuskers. as hard headed as I am I followed the directions and it worked find.

[Mudd]

Originally posted by nc recurveman:
I had great luck with a lansky sharpener with tuskers. as hard headed as I am I followed the directions and it worked find. [/QUOTE

I may have some coming my way soon and if I can't sharpen them maybe I'll send them your way to get an edge on for me...lol

God bless,Mudd

[mrjsl]

I have a lansky too, with the diamond stones, but it would have took longer. They just don't remove the metal fast enough.

I do like they heads, they seem to be made well, other than the fact the grind leaves them less sharp than a credit card. At least they are straight along the edges which you cannot say for Zwickeys. I have some Zwickey you cannot lay flat on a stone because they are not straight.

[Smallwood]

http://www.bowhuntingaustralia.com/sharpening_broardheads.html

"The factory grind I have put on each head is only intended to save you a little time by removing some of the material, it is not intended to be ready for use out of the packet or even at the correct angle for you to sharpen. By only removing some of the material with the factory grind, I am allowing you to sharpening your broadhead to your personal angle and taste."

[mrjsl]

Originally posted by Smallwood:
 http://www.bowhuntingaustralia.com/sharpening_broardheads.html  

This method would have took so long, some people would have passed away before the bevels ever met.

I saw that before. It probably works fine once you have a primary grind set, but the extreme difficulty is that there is no primary grind to speak of.

The Tusker Dalai Lama would not have sharpened mine in 4 minutes using any method.

[Rank Bull]

Just getting over sudden onset TCTS (Tusker Carpel Tunnel Syndrome) myself. I think I wore out 3 basterd files trying to get one sharp using chalk and everything. I think all the dust from grinding down the basterd files may have given me a touch of the black lung.

 I have the single bevel 190 grain concords.

I finally found a method that works pretty good. I went to the braveheart archery website and they have a tutorial on how to set a small second bevel using a carbide sharpener. First I set the second bevel and then I use my KME sharpener on the factory bevel.

[mrjsl]

IMO, it would be an easy job with a belt grinder or even a wet wheel, but I don't have either one. I really need a belt grinder.

When they get sharp, they are very sharp. I assume they will hold an edge since they take longer to bevel than case CV steel.

[mrjsl]

Originally posted by Rank Bull:
...using a carbide sharpener.

I may be snobby and/or hard headed, but I will not use one of those. I won't hunt with a head that is not as sharp as my pocketknife, and in my experience the pull through type sharpeners won't get it there. They leave divots in the edge, at least the ones I have tried.

[Rank Bull]

Originally posted by mrjsl:
 

Originally posted by Rank Bull:
...using a carbide sharpener.

I may be snobby and/or hard headed, but I will not use one of those. I won't hunt with a head that is not as sharp as my pocketknife, and in my experience the pull through type sharpeners won't get it there. They leave divots in the edge, at least the ones I have tried. [/b]

I know what you mean and you are right, but they do remove metal pretty good. I mean you can feel it shaving metal off. I do have to clean the edge up with my KME to get them nice, smooth, and sharp.

[mrjsl]

I just went outside and shot two of the tusker Deltas in the same spot. About tore up a brand new arrow.    :D

I like 'em

[wislnwings]

I've been struggling with the same thing.  I like the heads but I took them out to the grinder to get them started.  Out of the package the grinds did not come close to meeting.  After fixing that problem on the grinder they sharpened just fine and fly well.  Hopefully I'll be introducing one of them to a hog shortly.

[Bill Tell]

Gowd that is a awful link but sure made me laugh.

[straitera]

Much obliged for the heads up. I'm a Tusker fan yet had concern for sharpening them to shaving sharp. BTW, I sharpen surgical instruments for a living.

Too much has been written & talked to death herein about sharpening. You made an excellent point of restoring a new straight edge from what may come from the factory. Point is, the edge should be as straight & level as possible (not curvy like an "s").. This will allow the burr to fashion all along the edge as straight as you can get it. Then use your deburring technique (mine is cotton wheel w/polish) to effectively remove the burr to a razor edge.

Joe Skipp, Koger, KME, & Alaska Bowhunting are folks I know who definitely KNOW what they are doing. More than one technique may work for you. If it shaves, you're doing it right.

[Kenneth]

I have some of the older Aztecs that came without any grind at all.  It did take a lot of file work and stone work to get them sharp but they hold an edge very well and are some very tough heads.  I'm gonna order some Delta's sometime too.

[mrjsl]

The Tusker Deltas that I have seem to shoot straight to where I look better than field points do, and I like that a lot.

[SlowBowinMO]

The Tuskers are a personal favorite of mine, they do require some initial sharpening work for sure.  The Tuskers of just a few years ago had no factory grind at all, since then we've seen gradual and steady improvement so it's good to see them moving in the right direction.

I put them on a shaft used for sharpening, clamp into a vise and set the initial bevel with a file.  Using a good file the first setting takes me about 10-15 minutes.  Once set your at touch up stage for the rest of the life of the head.  

With the high (over 50 hrc) hardness and good cold spring steel, they take a wicked edge and they hold it.  

As mentioned above, the Delta's also fly better for me than any other large 2 blade I've tried, I'm not sure why but it's been my experience, and others have told me the same thing.         mrjsl is finding the same too.

I consider Tuskers the Army Jeep of broadheads.  Rugged and simple, priced right and they simply get the job done and done well.  They take some initial work which is part of the appeal for me, I like investing in my equipment a bit, it gives it a more personal feel.

Good hunting all!

Tim

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Love my tuskers! Blood, sweat and all. LOL

[J-dog]

If I cant get that song outta my head I will blame you forever! LLamas????????????????????????????????

[Doc Nock]

Hey, Tim...didn't I see a post that you are selling KME single bevel sharpened (final sharpened) Tusker's in stock?

when you two (ron and tim) pair up...look out! Good service on both ends and quality work and quality cust. service!