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Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
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Topic: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator (Read 413 times)
KentuckyTJ
SPONSOR
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 8651
Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
on:
November 27, 2011, 07:51:00 PM »
Sorry for the blurry cell phone pic.
As some of you know, I have often admitted to being sharpening challenged. Until a few years ago I could never get a broadhead "Hair popping" sharp as you often hear. I just realized something from talking to a compound friend of mine tonight. After looking at the picts of my recent doe kill he said "How come all that hair is on the ground around the arrow mine never do that". I was telling him I've only noticed that on my deer hit in the past couple years when it hit me. At about that time is when I started getting my heads "hair popping" sharp. I suppose all the deer I had shot prior to that with dull heads the blades would simply push the hair aside as the broadhead entered and exited the deer instead of grabbing and cutting it.
This is a simple thing if you think about it but if you aren't noticing lots of hair you may want to explore options in getting your heads sharper. This may be my imagination but I really think that is what is happening here.
You guys that have always gotten your heads super sharp may have never experienced no hair at the shot site but believe me with a dull head there is none to very little. Do you guys think there is something to this or am I off base?
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owlbait
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 4774
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #1 on:
November 27, 2011, 07:54:00 PM »
I think you are spot on TJ. I would like to put your idea to the test but I have had 1 shot in the last 3 years, but I think my heads are sharper now than ever. Maybe I can report back late in December.
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Advice from The Buck:"Only little girls shoot spikers!"
Overspined
TG HALL OF FAME
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 3049
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #2 on:
November 27, 2011, 08:02:00 PM »
More profuse blood trails too. I use grizzly heads. I used to file sharpen them, poor blood trails. Now they are stone ground and leather stropped, PROFUSE and short trails now. I have found deer I had no business tracking because they just bleed more. I keep a little diamond sharpener in my pack now for touch ups in the field. Hair popping is a must for me.
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Shawn Leonard
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 7837
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #3 on:
November 27, 2011, 08:10:00 PM »
Agreed, shaving sharp cuts more of everything, including hair going in and out! Shawn
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Shawn
TxAg
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 2910
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #4 on:
November 27, 2011, 08:20:00 PM »
I think a lot of it also depends on where the deer is hit. Whenever I see hair, it's always white hair....never brown hair. I know the white stands out better, but I always look closely and it's always just white hair.
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Dirtybird
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 2095
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #5 on:
November 27, 2011, 08:35:00 PM »
So Tom are you going to share your secrets to sharpening those VPA's?
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KentuckyTJ
SPONSOR
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 8651
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #6 on:
November 27, 2011, 08:40:00 PM »
The way I found to overcome my sharpening challenge is to find an easier head to sharpen. The VPA's are so easy to sharpen a cave man could do it.
Being three bladed keeping the same angle isn't an issue. I slide them across a big file lightly a few times then take them to a couple stones and finally strop them on cardboard. Easy as that and they are scary sharp.
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Tree Rat
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 195
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #7 on:
November 27, 2011, 08:46:00 PM »
That's kind of funny. I've always used impact hair as part of the initial decision to trail or wait.
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Not all Squirrels are nuts....
Soilarch
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 591
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #8 on:
November 28, 2011, 12:17:00 AM »
I flip-flop between whether I prefer a polished edge or a "toothy" edge. With either edge, they need to be able to take hair cleaning off your arm in my opinion.
Brown hair will cut also. It's sure harder to find though. One of the last deer I stuck with a compound was a high and back hit. I've never looked harder for a trail. Got poison ivy in January if that tells you anything. All I found was a single tuff of brown hair...in bean stubble at that.
You can worry about the type of edge, and point, and testing methods tills you're comatose. If you've got a bald spot on your arm, go hunting.
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Micah 6:8
Tajue17
Contributing Member
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 2834
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #9 on:
November 28, 2011, 06:03:00 AM »
Polished edge for me! but I think the true secret to a very sharp edge,,,, well not a secret but some skip this step is stroping the edge..
seriously,,, take some buck skin, old suede or even the back side of a leather belt thats been sanded and glue a long strip to flat stick like a flat wooden ruler about 10" long and using that like a file on your finished edge will turn an edge from okay sharp to seriously scary sharp in 10 passes.
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COOCH
Moderator
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 756
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #10 on:
November 28, 2011, 07:00:00 AM »
You are spot on in your observation TJ,Once I was able to get my broadheads scary hair popping scarp there is always hair at the hit site.The bloodtrails have also been more profuse.
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Jeff Couture
Stumpkiller
TG HALL OF FAME
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Posts: 3879
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #11 on:
November 28, 2011, 08:50:00 AM »
Good observation. Also that it can give you good information about the hit location.
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Charlie P. }}===]> A.B.C.C.
Bear Kodiak & K. Hunter, D. Palmer Hunter, Ben Pearson Hunter, Wing Presentation II & 4 Red Wing Hunters (LH & 3 RH), Browning Explorer, Cobra II & Wasp, Martin/Howatt Dream Catcher, Root Warrior, Shakespeare Necedah.
Bullfrog
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 90
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #12 on:
November 28, 2011, 09:26:00 AM »
After being a sharp NUT for many years. I now kind of prefer a happy medium. I used to strop for about 10 minutes to a POLISHED edge. I came to the conclusion that the edge was TOO fragile. I like to file to a fairly smooth edge and then run over a medium diamond steel. The edge will bald my hand but is a little more durable IMO. Probably way over thinking it but oh well. I am shooting razorcaps that are stainless. Another thought is that carbon heads with a VERY honed edge will oxidize over easier. Thoughts???? BILL
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Bill Carlsen
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 3928
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #13 on:
November 28, 2011, 09:27:00 AM »
You are right about the hair but that will only get you so far. Blood trails like this tell me what I need to know about my heads being sharp. There was a great deal of hair with this one. Normally I don't focus much on hair at the site of the hit as I already know where that is. But, you are 100% correct. If your heads aren't cutting hair they could be sharper and, by definition, deadlier.
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Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #14 on:
November 28, 2011, 01:41:00 PM »
Bill,
NOW...that's a blood trail!
Bob
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Shawn Leonard
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 7837
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #15 on:
November 28, 2011, 06:07:00 PM »
Dirtybird the VPA's can be just touched with a jewel stick to get them crazy sharp. Shawn
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Shawn
Terry Lightle
TG HALL OF FAME
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 2785
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #16 on:
November 28, 2011, 06:28:00 PM »
Tom you hit the nail on the head.I use a file then go to ceramic sticks to get em popping hair.
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Compton Traditional Bowhunters Life Member
glass76
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 944
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #17 on:
November 28, 2011, 07:03:00 PM »
Tom, that's a pretty picture.
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Guru
Trad Bowhunter
Posts: 11447
Re: Broadhead Sharpness Indicator
«
Reply #18 on:
November 28, 2011, 07:19:00 PM »
TJ, Yes I do agree with the hair at impact theory.
But I also believe the size of the head, angle of hit, and amount of blades has a lot to do with it as well.
The sharpest two blade ever won't show much cut hair if it hits "with the grain" of the hair.
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Curt } >>--->
"I love you Daddy".......My son Cade while stump shooting 3/19/06
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