Sharpening Snuffers on a Bench Grinder?

[Seeking Trad Deer]

Read an article in PBS magazine a year or two ago on the merits of sharpening Woodsmen and Snuffer's on bench grinders.  Anybody do this method?  This will be my first year with three blade heads for hunting and it's time to get them hunting sharp.  Any input is appreciated          :p

[Shawn Leonard]

Just buy the kit from Kustom King, ya can get them wicked sharp in a minute! That is all I use now! Shawn

[doctorbrady]

I have a sharpening wheel on my grinder and didn't have much luck with my 3 blades.  I think that WW and snuffers are really easy to sharpen.  Just lay them flat on a good file and draw them toward you a few time.  Then put them on a diamond and do the same. Finish on a piece of leather (I use the back of my armguard), and they should be nasty sharp.

[bjk]

To easy to sharpen them with a stone or file, cermaic rod, then leather.  The grinder might be an easier way to go about the initial grind, but ruining the temper is also a much bigger concern.

Get the edges the same using a file or good, coarse stone, go to a finer stone or cermaic rod, then off to leather....real easy and the temper won't be in jeopardy.

Takes a few minutes initailly to get them going, after that, real easy.

[Randy Morin]

I've done it many many times.  Works good and very fast.  Dont let them get too hot.  Files work well also.  Very easy broadheads to sharpen.

[BobW]

Shawn (or others),

What 3R "kit"?  I see a Snuffer file block, is the angle the same for WW's?  If you are using a stone @ 180 degrees (flat)for final sharpening, why would you file at another angle?

BobW

[30coupe]

The grinder sounds like a recipe for disaster to me...too many things could happen and most of them are bad! As has been said, file+stone+leather=scary sharp.  

[BCD]

I tried sharpening a WW on the grinder once-following Gene's procedure from an e-mail. It didn't go well-I butchered the head and went back to my stones and strop.

BD

[Shawn Leonard]

Kustom King sells a Snuffer sharpening kit, files and leather strope block. Very simple as Brian said! Shawn

[Bowspirit]

Plus there's always Charlie Lamb's video method with the 12-inch file. Always works for me...

[bayoulongbowman]

with grinder they dont hold the edge as good! trust me..marco#78

[Molson]

Take Shawn's advice and get a Snuffer Tamer.  It works as well or better than any other method and it's pretty much foolproof.  If not the Snuffer Tamer, follow Charlie's method and use a flat file.

[fireman_3311]

For some strange reason, I'm having trouble gettin all 3 blades sharp on my snuffers, using the snuffer tamer files and leather block...What am I doing wrong???!!! I'm getting 2 sharp enuff to shave, but not all 3...

[ChuckC]

There are water wheel grinders made specifically for sharpening knives for less tha $50.  They are a bit finer grit, they are slower turning and they have water cooling.  They tend to take away the fear of burning the blades or removing metal too fast.  Works OK.  Plus, they give that slight concave edge.
ChuckC

[Molson]

Brad,  When you first get the Snuffers, take a flat file to each side for ten or so strokes of medium to light pressure.  That'll take the hard surface off each edge from the factory grind.  Now put the Snuffer Tamer to them and you won't have that problem anymore.

[Toxophilite]

Ditto on Chuck's point--Sears sells a small water wheel grinder for under $35 that makes sharpening snuffers, etc. a breeze.  Like other's said here, finish w/a ceramic and a strop.  "Scary" sharp!

[Gordy]

As someone else mentioned, too easy to do with other means.

I use a file, then black marker, then sand paper on a piece of glass.  Increase the grit as you go.
Like a hot knife through butter....on deer anyway. Hope to find out how they work on bear in a couple months  

[Plywood Bender-laptop]

I use a flat grind on my Woodsmans too.  But, I get them ready to sharpen by laying them flat on my belt sander with a very fine grit paper.  Don't le them get too hot.  

Once all the grind marks are going towards the tip, I start them on a course ceramic stick and then work them down to a fine ceramic stick.

On the heads I've got, I think the beltgrinder is almost a must because of the terrible machine marks left by the factory.  of course, i'm kind of anal when it comes to sharp things.

hopefully will see how hey perform on a bear in Sept.

Carl

[fireman_3311]

Molson...Thanks!!!

[Seeking Trad Deer]

I think that name needs some revision...Snuffer Tamer.  A Snuffer cannot be tamed