Sharp enough to shave the ugly off Cletus's face!

Message

Buford · #1 Post by **Buford** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 6:51 pm

*Split from another thread

Buford the Great wrote:Jeff,
Thanks for posting an interesting read.

One point came to mind when reading it that I have never heard thoughts on before.....
How do you sharpen a broadhead properly? I don't own any, just curious.

cheers
buford

So how do you sharpen your broadheads properly so they have a razor edge? any special techniques or tools?

cheers
Buford

hubris · #2 Post by **hubris** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 8:31 pm

Buford... I'm DEFINITELY no expert on this... but... I use a small metal file that fits nicely into my backpack pocket along with my other emergency arrow making/fletching gear.

I put the arrow shaft onto something sturdy (like my leg or a log) with the broadhead extending out over the edge and tilt it slightly.

Holding it firm, I then get the file and give it a couple really hard goes... on one side of the broadhead. I then flip it, and give a single, firm, but not as hard as the first, going on the same blade edge. I try to make both filings at about 30-45 degrees.

I then feel it... and so long as it's really sharp... I then give one final file - very gently just to take the burrs off.

This seems to work for me. They're not as sharp as Adam the Punisher's broadheads (which I think he uses to shave his head these days?!), but they work for me.

I learnt this from watching others, and experimenting a little

#3 Post by **Stickbow Hunter** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 9:36 pm

Buford,

I like to have my broadheads so that they shave. I don't use a file in the way Hubris does as I am left handed and have trouble. Laugh if you want but the fact is files bite/file better right handed - something to do with how the grooves are cut into the file.

I still carry the scar and my finger is a little numb where I slipped using a file and drove my finger on the end of a broadhed back around 1989. It went in about middle depth wise at the end of my finger and right up under the nail and nearly come out the side. Wasn't pleasant I can tell you.

I tend to use a bog file and diamond steel now days.

Go to the www.ribtek.com site and Col explains how to sharpen a broadhead as well as he has photos and diagrams.

Jeff

Hood · #4 Post by **Hood** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 10:52 pm

Jeff

You sound about as clumsey as I.

I have a nice scar and numbness to the tip of the middle finger after a dissagrement with a rather sharp filleting knife and I came off second best with 2cm of the tip of my finger hanging by about 5mm of flesh and not much else. It was 160km an hour drive to the nearest hospital 64km away with mum freaking and me loosing blood at a great rate, getting pale and green around the gills and about to pass out and dad driving like of Peter Brock. Now I have another war scar to count and everynow and then if I hit the tip in the right (wrong) spot I get a shot of pain and tingling up the arm.

Oh the joy of sharp objects in the wrong hands

Mick

hubris · #5 Post by **hubris** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:51 am

Oooooouch!

#6 Post by **Stickbow Hunter** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 12:25 pm

Mick,

Yes mate sharp things can do a lot of damage. I guess that's why we should be careful!!!

Jeff

Buford · #7 Post by **Buford** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 12:37 pm

yeah i know that feeling!

once took a nice gash out of my leg at work when I dropped my Victronox boning knife. went straight through my heavy polyester strides! Remember thinking at the time. "Mmmm, probably shouldn't have done that!"

yes sir, that puppy is sharp!

buford

Hood · #8 Post by **Hood** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 1:48 pm

Jeff/Buford

I guess that's why we should be careful!!!

Should be and doing are two different things ya know!

once took a nice gash out of my leg at work when I dropped my Victronox boning knife

Your just lucky it was your leg and not the thrid leg

mick

Buford · #9 Post by **Buford** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 5:28 pm

Your just lucky it was your leg and not the thrid leg

brings tears to me eyes jus thinnin about it!!

Jeff/ all
I just tried to look at Col's site and it appears to be having some trouble. It loads fine but the menu options arn't functioning/ loading.
Its mentioned that he is away hunting till mid October so maybe I try after that?

buford

erron · #10 Post by **erron** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 5:42 pm

Well, if you do a search on Ozbow on this subject you'll find a thread that explains why I'm no expert on this too, hey Jeff?

Anyway, our resident knife expert Jason Cutter has just emailed me his latest monthly bulletin, so will post it now. In it he mentions a liftout on sharpening that he includes with all his knives, will ask him about that...

BTW, check out the links to images of his knives in that post, really beautiful stuff!

Erron