snuffer sharpening system

[Slickhead]

Anyone use this?
Two files on angled base.

Ive fought three heads and still cant get them as sharp as a 2 blade
Im wondering if changing angle makes a difference?

[mec lineman]

Use one 12" file flat on a table and push away from you.  take a magic marker first and mark the unsharpen bevels. that way you can see where you need to remove material. this is how I sharpen m woodsmans

[Michael Arnette]

When I was shooting them a few years ago, I had an XL 14" Mill file and would finish them up on a flat diamond file. Three rivers has a good tutorial on the woodsman that applies well to the snuffers.
I had good results...I got a pass through on the buck you see in my signature photo.

[lpcjon2]

Its all about pressure, as your strokes increase your pressure decreases. Very light strokes toward the end. And the 12 inch bastard file is a easy way to sharpen them.

[Mr. fingers]

If you do the flat file thing un like woodsmans you will be changing the angle so you may take off more metal than you need to. I have uses the angled blocks I have two one has files the other has leather and they work awesome. Shaving sharp with just a few strokes and with the leather strops you can get a very very keen edge.
If sniuffers are your head then then the system is well worth the money!
P.s I have tried the flat file on snuffers it did not work nearly as well as the blocks.
Good luck!

[tracker12]

Originally posted by mec lineman:
Use one 12" file flat on a table and push away from you.  take a magic marker first and mark the unsharpen bevels. that way you can see where you need to remove material. this is how I sharpen m woodsmans

X2 on what MEC said.  I mark, file, then use a diamond stone to finish it up.

[JamesKerr]

I sharpen all of my 3 blade heads on a 12 inch file and finish on a fine diamond stone

[fredhill]

Originally posted by Slickhead:
Anyone use this?
Two files on angled base.

Ive fought three heads and still cant get them as sharp as a 2 blade
Im wondering if changing angle makes a difference?

i used that tru-angle Snuffer Tamer back when i shot Snuffers. It changed the angle of the blade, made them steeper. Really sharpened them well. I still have the sharpener around here somewhere.

[JC]

I agree with flat file and diamond combo. While the angle of the edge from flat filing is steeper than a 2 blade and may not feel as sharp for that reason, the edge when done properly will still shave hide off if you accidentally press to hard while trying to shave hair. I know I certainly would never run my finger down the edge of my 3blades when done sharpening them, critters seem to hate it too.

I use a big Nicholson curved tooth file I got from Doug Campbell to do 80% of the work, then finish on a dmt dual blue/red bench stone. To me the keys are pulling backwards and using decreasing pressure as you go. I seem to be able to get them much sharper pulling backwards, but that is probably just me. I start off with pretty heavy pressure on the edges blackened with a sharpie and put a lot of pressure until that's gone. Then I use medium pressure until it feels sharp, then decreasing pressure on strokes until it feels sharper, then the last 10 or so strokes per blade are feather light. This brings up a nice wire edge. I then take the wire off with moderate pressure on the dmt blue, decreasing until finishing with the same feather strokes. I seldom even use the finer red side as I feel the tiny micro-serrations left by the slightly coarser blue grab and cut slippery veins and arteries better. I then finish on a flat piece of cardboard for 20 or so strokes per blade.

When I'm done, you can put two blades very lightly held between two fingers and a gentle push…no doubt it's sharp then. Lay the head flat on the side of your finger pointing straight out and gentle push again….it should stick immediately and the common sense warning bells will go off in your head right quick. In my experience, if those two feel tests are met, the head will kill with frightening efficiency.

[EHK]

Flat file here too and finish them up on a ceramic rod.  the funny thing is, I can't get a woodsman sharp to save my life.  My snuffers will shave hair though.

[Tajue17]

same here I use normal 8" file along with a strip of leather glued to a 10" piece of yard stick as a stiff strop.  I think snuffs are the easiest of all the 3-blades to sharpen but I think I learned on them 20yrs ago when that's all there was.

[NBK]

I used to sharpen snuffers by laying down a large file and pushing the head on it.  Now I hold the head and file across the top.
I mark the edges, and file each side to true up the angle.  When the marks are gone, I file a side until I raise a bur that I can feel and see.  I then go to another side and repeat for all three sides.  
I then lighten up my strokes on each side, maybe 10 strokes of medium pressure, to each side.
When I can no longer feel a bur I do a series of 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 very light strokes on each side, rotating each set.
I finish by pulling lightly 2-3 times on a steel and test by shaving hair off my arm.  
Maybe there is a way to get them sharper, but these seem pretty dang sharp to me!

[kagross]

years ago, they sold bastard files attached to an angled block of wood.  I can't seem to find them online today, but I think it would be great for snuffers and montecs, et al.  you could alway make yer own.  Others have mentioned using the edge of a table, and that'll work.  Toss in some DMT diamond stones in different grits, and you'll have a sharp head.

[Bobby Urban]

I don't like changing the angle of the bevel but it will make them feel sharper but not work any better IMO

If you want scary sharp Snuffs take a piece of PVC pipe and attach wet/dry paper to it with spray adhesive stepping down the grit to as low as you want.  This creates a hollow ground edge and is ridiculously sharp but IMO overkill.  

I am a file and diamond stone flat guy.

If you split the PVC and attach it to a board it makes the device easier to use - FYI

[SELFBOW19953]

What diameter PVC do you use, Bobby?

[Bill Carlsen]

Well over 30 years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Roger Rothhaarr at his home in Ohio. He showed me how to sharpen his big snuffers. First he used a large bastard file stroking from back to front, 2 blades at a time. He turned the head to two new blades after each stroke for a count of 30 which gave each blade 10 strokes per side. If the file is sharp there would be a burr the full length of each blade. Then he would use the back end of the file, which is usually sharper because it usually doesn't do much work. Using just the weight of the file he then stroked two blades in the same manner as the first step. He likened this part of the process to using a butchers steel. At this point he said the head was "hunting sharp" and there  was a much finer burr on the blades.. To get a shaving edge he then used a flat diamond stone and pulled two blades at a time from back to front using lighter and lighter strokes for another count of 30. Then he stropped them on a maple block or a piece of cardboard. I have used this method over the years on all my 3 blade heads but have modified it somewhat by using DMT stones and eventually evolved to using a Jewel stick on my Razorcaps. I have tried the Snuffer Tamer but found it to be less helpful and more time consuming than what Roger showed me. For the stropping process I use a ceramic rod and sometimes go from there to a leather strop. It's important to do two blades at a time, pull, don't push and at each stage of the process decrease the amount of pressure on the blade. Stopping I simply use the weight of the head and pull it across the ceramic rod and/or the leather strop which is glued to a maple block.

[Bobby Urban]

PVC size?  Whatever I had here laying around.  Large enough to get two blades at once on there easily and not need to take to much steel off??

Lay a head on it and see.  I gave my system away years ago and just use the flat system anymore.

[BowsnLabs]

I do what Bill describes on Woodsmans with great results.  Use very little pressure if any at all, start with file resting across two blades and stroke to the tip.  Once per side and rotate.  Finish with round ceramic stick...only a couple strokes per side.

[BuckeyeGuy]

bowhunterGA just posted a few great videos a month ago and showed his process for snuffers.  I tried it with the same sharpeners and got the same results.  Hair popping.

[Mike Bolin]

Only had one Snuffer fail on me......blades separated at the tip and busting ribs and clipping a leg bone on a whitetail. It was sharpened on a Snuffer tamer. Could be a coincedence, but the tamer does seem to me that it weakens the brzing points at the tip. I use a mill file and a diamond stone with great results. Good luck! Mike