anyone have any experiences with these heads? I just ordered some 200 grain 2 blades to try out they should be here today or tomorrow. just wondering who shoots them and if you like them.
thanks
kyle
I lovem. They sharpen easily with a file.
Yes I shoot them and I love them.
Love them too....they fly great and I use a KME sharpener with sandpaper over glass to get them razor sharp. Very well built broad heads. Nice design.
They do fly good. I've got the 175 gr version and keep em sharp with a fine Norton oil stone. Tough construction.
Excellent...have used the 250's backed with a 100 gn insert...will be utilizing them again.
''I use a KME sharpener with sandpaper over glass to get them razor sharp."
Chuck, do you mind explaining what you mean by that?
Do you not use the stone at all what grit sandpaper or are you just saying you wrap the glass with sandpaper?
I also have been playing with VPA two blades and three blades really like the way their constructed and the way they fly, I have not got them what I consider hunting sharp yet ....
''I use a KME sharpener with sandpaper over glass to get them razor sharp."
Chuck, do you mind explaining what you mean by that?
Do you not use the stone at all what grit sandpaper or are you just saying you wrap the glass with sandpaper?
I also have been playing with VPA two blades and three blades really like the way their constructed and the way they fly, I have not got them what I consider hunting sharp yet ....
I use the 175 grain 2 blade. Great head.
I'm using the 250gr and fly extremely well.
I also use the kme broadhead sharpener. But I use a wide wet stone that is 400 grit on one side and 800 grit on the other. After I can shave with it I use a peice of leather to strop it with. Then it's extremely sharp.
Texas King ... I always struggled with attaining super broadhead sharpness using stones (must be my lack of ability) ... I don't like files because I couldn't control metal removal etc as much as I would like .... so I use the KME sharpener on 2 blades which holds the broadhead at a precise and constant angle ..24 degrees and has a roller to move across a stone. then I take a flat piece of 8"x 10" picture frame glass and then starting with a coarse paper like 150 positioned squarely on the glass ....I first define the edge angle... 10 very light strokes per side ..then 9 per side ..then 8 to zero before moving up to the next grit ...say 320 ... initially, I use a magic marker to cover the edge so I can see how the edge is taking shape and where metal is being removed.... same thing 10-9-8-7 .. then on to 800...1200 ...1500 ...strop with cardboard box at the end and I am done. This works for me on VPA 150's and 200's perfectly. These broadheads are hard tool steel and it takes time. ..20 minutes per head.
Why would you need to use a KME to sharpen it? Do they not come crazy sharp out of the package?
QuoteOriginally posted by Sapcut:
Why would you need to use a KME to sharpen it? Do they not come crazy sharp out of the package?
What happens when you need to resharpen after a shot? Same thing with any head. Even tuffheads.
Once the edge is established and polished with fine grit then stropped, maintaining the edge is pretty easy and quick....in and out of the foam quiver will slightly dull the edge but that edge can quickly be brought back with a few strokes using the KME followed by stropping. As far as out of the package sharpness, VPAs are sharp but not crazy sharp in my opinion. Many will find the package sharpness to be acceptable but they can be sharpened to a higher level. It is economics...extreme sharpening to a very high standard takes time at the manufacturing end and the consumer will not pay another $20 when broadheads are already $40+ a pack ....and so they are sharp, (VPAs way sharper than most) but additional sharpening can significantly improve out of the package sharpness. VPAs are a terrific design, made out of hard steel, and once sharpened, tend to keep their edge nicely.
I'm obviously in the minority here, but I didn't feel VPA two blades are very sharp coming out of the package, and felt like they needed work. I'm sure it's because of the thickness of the steel, that it is deceiving.
I've practiced with them and they fly fantastic but I've never hunted with them .
At the risk of being off topic, does Chuck or someone else have suggestions on VPA three blades?
They do feel very sharp coming out of the package and I have worked them with a stone but don't feel like it's a very consistent edge afterward
Never cared for the blunt tip on the 2 blade, I want something sharp and cutting as soon as it arrives.
I love their 3 blade though!
You can make them a lot shaper than when they come out of the pack. Sharper is better. The KME works great.
I have a 1"x30" harbor freight belt sander with multiple grits and a leather belt for stopping. The exact angle isn't as precise as the KME but a human or animal can't detect it. I cut my sharpening time to 1 10th of the time. And stye are hair popping sharp.
The harbor freigth sander and belts are less costly than the kme.
I have both just in case!
Tedd
Been using the Grizzly two blades though. Less cost. I'll lose and damage a few shooting groundhogs..etc. Works good.
In theory, 2 blades l go through bone more effectively....Google Dr. Ed Ashby....so I am a 2 blade VPA fan....and sharpness can be somewhat subjective but what you are seeing out of the VPA package is a sharp edge but more of a secondary angle which quickly transitions to a primary angle which is the thickness you are perceiving. Precision sharpening will require a fixture of some type (KME for example) to achieve even consistency... Many knife sharpeners will work on 2 blade broad heads....most come with stones and clamps and you can control the degree setting but I never achieved the sharpness with those that I could with the KME....then again, we might be making this too hard because some folks do well freehand....but I was all over the place when I tried that in the early days and felt like I was screwing up my broad heads.
By the way, the tanto type tip on the VPA 2 blade is sharpened separately and is designed to go through bone and not develop tip curl. Nice design if you buy into that theory.
I have shot both the 3 blade and 2 blade VPA's. Both are great heads but do need sharpening. There was a thread on one of the other forums where the VPA rep explained that they could not sell these for the price they do if they had to finish off the heads to razor sharpness. I have taken deer and pigs with both. Both have been good I just like a two blade better on the end of my arrow.
I shoot 175, 200 and 250 so I guess I must like them...hard to find a better two blade
DDave