Do you sharpen your broadheads

[Five Seasons]

I've always shot mechanicals and plan to do so again this year, but have been doing a lot of research on high foc arrows and cut on contact heads. I don't think they're as necessary for us whitetail hunters, but the idea of blowing through a shoulder is intriguing. 

Anyhow, in my research i see a lot of recommendations out there to sharpen your heads even from the factory. Some of the jigs are pretty cheap at ~$30 and others up close to $100. 

Anyone sharpen their factory heads? 

[GreeneHunter]

Nope ...

[Fletch]

Absolutely. I have never found one that I could not make sharper than it came outa the box. I shoot mechanicals now but have shot 5-6 different brands over the years and will always sharpen. If it can't shave hair off my arm it needs sharpened.

 

 

[Nomad]

I only use cut on contact and touch them up by hand . 
A few times  one of my arrows will blow through a deer, and it doesn’t run off  , might jump,run a step or two and stop,look around ect ,before it falls over .

One ten pt many years ago rear quartering, ran 200 yards and fell ,I got up to it arrow was sticking out, and I couldn’t pull,It out ! Turns out it went through rib cage  ,came out low chest by front leg , then through the front leg bone ,the BH was sticking out the other side of the leg bone . Probably could have reused  that Mangus two blade . In fact if you aren’t good at reshaping them they will for free . 

Edited September 23, 2022 by Nomad

[SpacemanSpiff]

I buy the replacement blades for my G5s. 

[ridgerunner88]

I bought a jig and some diamond plates a few weeks ago and have messed around a little bit... still cant get the correct angle so the one broadhead I have messed with isnt any sharper than when I started lol... I am sure I will figure it out sooner or later.. im not concerned out of the box but want to learn so I can sharpen my used broadheads 

 

I use 150g magnus stinger buzzcuts

Edited September 23, 2022 by ridgerunner88

[Nomad]

1 minute ago, ridgerunner88 said:

I bought a jig and some diamond plates a few weeks ago and have messed around a little bit... still cant get the correct angle so the one broadhead I have messed with isnt any sharper than when I started lol... I am sure I will figure it out sooner or later.. im not concerned out of the box but want to learn so I can sharpen my used broadheads 

Use a Shapie to blacken the bevel ,then you can see where you’re hitting it . A problem with jigs is if your edge bevel isn’t the same angle as the jig settings , in which case a complete reprofile would be necessary .

Which is why I use free hand most times , fine stone very light strokes ,like just resting the BH or knife on the stone , it’s own weight no added pressure , for a touch up . I clean my ceramic stones with cleanser first they work much better clean .

I just checked mine the other day , a couple could use some work. Taking them in and out of the quiver ,they sometimes hit the plastic,and over time that adds up I guess 

[ridgerunner88]

6 minutes ago, Nomad said:

Use a Shapie to blacken the bevel ,then you can see where you’re hitting it . A problem with jigs is if your edge bevel isn’t the same angle as the jig settings , in which case a complete reprofile would be necessary .

Which is why I use free hand most times , fine stone very light strokes ,like just resting the BH or knife on the stone , it’s own weight no added pressure , for a touch up . I clean my ceramic stones with cleanser first they work much better clean .

I just checked mine the other day , a couple could use some work. Taking them in and out of the quiver ,they sometimes hit the plastic,and over time that adds up I guess 

Thanks for the advice.. I'll give free hand a go and see what happens. 

[crappyice]

Nap thunderheads replacements are cheap enough and sharp enough and never failed...I have failed them however!


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[Kmartinson]

G5 montec blades really strong, these pyramid shaped broadheads come fairly sharp but easy to touch up on a wet stone.

[LET EM GROW]

My sharpening kit from stay sharp just arrived a few days ago. Only reason i ordered it was these broadheads are single beveled. and must be held at the right angle. Im sure a better knife sharpener can do it with different tools but i cant lol. 

Stay sharp holder and 3 different grit diamond plates about 6" squares. 

Edited September 23, 2022 by LET EM GROW

[moog5050]

By hand with recurve and mechanicals out of box for compound.   

[ridgerunner88]

12 minutes ago, LET EM GROW said:

My sharpening kit from stay sharp just arrived a few days ago. Only reason i ordered it was these broadheads are single beveled. and must be held at the right angle. Im sure a better knife sharpener can do it with different tools but i cant lol. 

Stay sharp holder and 3 different grit diamond plates about 6' squares. 

that's a big ass diamond plate my friend

[Jeremy K]

No,they're smoked after they hit a deer.

[LET EM GROW]

26 minutes ago, ridgerunner88 said:

that's a big ass diamond plate my friend

fixed** lol 

[BowmanMike]

I went to single bevels a few years back and I sharpen them until they are scary sharp. I have a jig I bought a long time ago for my kitchen knives,it has a 20° and a 25° option. The 25 is close enough for my cutthroat broadheads. 

I have a couple of different diamond stones and in the end the heads get stopped on some leather. A super sharp head cuts a lot better than a so so edge that tends to push vessels out of the way. 

It is a learning curve but what isn't? 

[dbHunterNY]

i sharpen everything that i take out of the box/package; fixed, mechanicals, cut on contact, replacement blades, etc. more often it's just stropping on leather with micro polish. definitely makes them sharper which only helps them cut what you stick. i've made different jigs/wedges but it's easier just to get stay sharp ones i've figure out (one of the only things i've learned from ranch fairy folks). 1000/6000 grit double sided wetstone and leather strop with ?2 micron? purple polish. pretty much what i've settled on that works pretty good. if i chip an edge pretty bad i try to replace the blade if i can. single piece cut on contact heads i'll then take a smith hand held diamond plate tool to knock things down more because i'm doing all sides regardless if not all are chipped. otherwise i 1000 grit wetstone takes too long. 

[Five Seasons]

2 hours ago, Jeremy K said:

No,they're smoked after they hit a deer.

I wouldn't reuse or resharpen used heads either. This was more about going the extra mile above and beyond factory sharp.

[UpStateRedNeck]

Yup .  Fixed blades, started last year.  Blew threw the scapula and poked out the other side on a 2 year old from about 22 yards.

[rob-c]

I suck at sharpening , but having said that I’m thinking about buying a stay sharp kit. The QAD exodus heads I’m shooting  now are very sharp out of the box though . 

[Hock3y24]

Hall I’ve put the same head through 6 or 7 deer. Magnus black hornets, stay sharp sharpening system. If they get damaged they send you a new head free. 
I sharpen them outa the box to a mirror finish.

Edited September 23, 2022 by Hock3y24

[YFKI1983]

I switched to single bevels last year and was looking for something to sharpen with but they are curved. Not sure what I can use. If anyone has any input, I'd appreciate it.

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[biggamefish]

On 9/23/2022 at 6:15 PM, YFKI1983 said:

I switched to single bevels last year and was looking for something to sharpen with but they are curved. Not sure what I can use. If anyone has any input, I'd appreciate it.

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Three sided jewel stick. I sharpen curved blades with it work really well.

[Jeremy K]

I only shoot swhackers now ,they're junk after they hit a deer but it's a small price to pay when the deer drops in sight.

[LET EM GROW]

On 9/23/2022 at 6:15 PM, YFKI1983 said:

I switched to single bevels last year and was looking for something to sharpen with but they are curved. Not sure what I can use. If anyone has any input, I'd appreciate it.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 

That's the reason i went with the samurai style.. straight blade for easier sharpening, otherwise i wanted to buy these heads. 

Youll have to do some serious handworking and get good with a stone by hand to keep and hold those edges.  Or youll need a stone that has the same angle you can run along that edge.