Sharpening, a frustrated rant...

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I just do not get it. I have read every thread there is on the subject, watched every video that comes along, tried a sharpening dance     , you name it. I cannot get my broadheads as sharp as I want them. Generally, I can get them to shave a little bit of hair using a Lansky knife sharpener and/or a small diamond stone, but I am certainly not scared to feel the edge of the blade with my thumb.
I understand the concept behind sharpening, but when I do get a nice sharp edge, it vanishes in a few days, making me think I failed to remove the burr. When I try to break the burr off, it just dulls the whole edge again.     .

[blackpenny]

What kind of broad heads are you trying to sharpen? I have a KME you can borrow if you like and have stones. You don't really need the stones, some different grit sandpaper and a solid flat surface will suffice.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I have a mix of Simmons Sharks, and Snuffers. Thank you for the very generous offer, but I would like to figure out where I am going wrong so I can touch up blades any time I have the need.

[blackpenny]

Are you stropping with compound or using a buffing wheel to finish? Maybe you're switching stones and grit too soon before establishing a flat edge? Light passes, a lot of them work better than a few with lots of pressure.

[Bladepeek]

Malachi, yes it is possible to wear out a Lansky sharpener if it is diamond. I ruined several early on trying to put an initial edge on ATS-34 blades with too much pressure. You can't wear out the diamonds, but I found you can shave them off the base. If it is a stone, you can re-flatten it if dished too deeply using wet or dry paper on a smooth hard surface. If the surface is packed with metal fines and not cutting anymore, you can scour them out with scouring powder.

Think feather light touch once you approach sharp.

[Kingsnake]

Damn, I love a good rant!   Well done, Malachi!    

Actually, I do great at sharpening knives on my Lansky, but broadheads are still a mystery to me.  And, yes....I had an expert try to talk me through it on the phone.  He was very helpful, but I apparently was a poor student.

I guess my recent wheelie days had me trained to buy one-time-use blades that were incredibly sharp, but not very durable.  

If you get it figured out, please let me know!

Kingsnake

[Onehair]

Snuffers and Woodsmans will get popping sharp with just a file. 2 blades, you can't screw up the KME.
Do you use a leather strop? That's key for me and 2 blades/

[damascusdave]

I learned a trick today to tell when an edge is really sharp...my friend learned from his barber...simply touch the blade to your hair at a downward angle...sharp will catch...not sharp will slide off...just amazing to feel the difference

[Biathlonman]

Right there with you on two blades.  I've tried it all and get the best results with accusharp or wheelie sharpener, but like you I'm suspect of the edge.  Thinking of selling everything and investing a fortune in VPA 3 blades.  Even I can get them stupid sharp!

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

What bothers me is that I can get knives super sharp with nothing but a diamond stone. Switch to broadheads and it is a an instant catastrophe. I end up with sharp broadheads for hunting season but I seem to "luck" into the sharp edges. Anyways, the Simmons heads aren't conducive to slapping down on a diamond stone.

[The Night Stalker]

I had. Hard time with the simmons until I invested in the 3sided jewel stick and the broad head holder. There is a video and the first time I watched it  while sharpening, I got the simmon tiger shark scary sharp.

[TURKEYFOOTGIRL]

Go down and talk with Dave at Simmons sharks.  He is only a half hour south of you. He can certainly get you lined up with his heads. I work in Missoula everyday and can show you how I do mine if ya want.

[pdk25]

I see that you are drawing a whip at something like 66# @ 32".  I can promise you that with your setup and a RADA wheel, you will have no trouble penetrating and killing anything in N.A. with your simmons heads.  The advice to visit Dave is some good advice.  I have seen tons of threads of people going to the great lengths, with elaborate set ups to sharpen the Simmons heads, when it isn't necessary at all.  I say that having killed a 400 pound boar and a sow a little under 250# with a measly 53#@29" bow using Simmons heads sharpened with nothing but the RADA wheel.  Killed a bunch of other critters with it too. I am not trying to make light of your predicament, and I like a good rant as much as the next guy.  My next rant may be about how preoccupied we are with broadhead sharpness when I don't know of a single person who was unsuccessful because the broadhead wasn't sharp enough.

[pdk25]

[Sharpster]

Malachi,

I'm leaving for ETAR on Wednesday but if you get a chance, give me a call. If you can sharpen a knife, you can sharpen a BHD too. I'll help you get it done with your Lansky if they're ceramic stones. If they're diamond stones I don't see how you could ever get a Simmons sharp because only the corners of the stones would be touching the blade and there are no diamond particles on the edges of the hones.

Either way a Jewelstik is the real answer for Simmons. Snuffers are another animal entirely. Go with the coarsest stone you have for those. Like I said, give me a call if you can. Thanks,

Ron
800 561-4339

[joe skipp]

See...that's why I love the 'Ol Sharpster...Ronnie will ALWAYS be willing to help out anyone. He may not be as good looking as I am...   :rolleyes:  but
he's there when ya need him.    

[calgarychef]

Broad heads get sharp but not as sharp as your knife and that's a fact.  The angle of the edges just isn't low enough for the kind of edge you and I want.  I've done everything, have a KME, have used every conceivable sharpening method and none work as I want, some things you just gotta accept.

[Bladepeek]

I agree with calgarychef. If you did put as thin an edge on a broadhead as you normally do on a knife, it wouldn't last. Good knife blades are usually 57 - 61 RC for hardness, 57RC being about the lower end of what will hold an edge. Most broadheads are WAY softer for impact resistance and the edge would be much too fragile at the 17 degrees I put on my knives. That doesn't mean it can't be shaving sharp. Even an ax with a much thicker edge can be made shaving sharp, but again, a thin edge just won't last.

[Sharpster]

Originally posted by calgarychef:
Broad heads get sharp but not as sharp as your knife and that's a fact.  The angle of the edges just isn't low enough for the kind of edge you and I want.  I've done everything, have a KME, have used every conceivable sharpening method and none work as I want, some things you just gotta accept.

No offence intended Tracy... but that's just plain incorrect.


Ron

I was going to tell you to get in touch with Sharpster but he beat me to this thread!

Bisch