Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Longbowcrowder66 on July 06, 2018, 05:11:08 PM
-
Hey guys I was wondering if this sharpener works well on two blade heads like zwickey delta's? would like some feed back...to me it looks a little cheesey...I normally just use a bastard file.. Thanks
-
I hear they work well on concave edges like Simmons. I’m sure they would on Zwickeys but I use a stone
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
It does look cheesy, but YES it works! I sharpened both knives and broadheads with it.
Good luck, shoot straight and God bless,
Rodd
-
Works fantastic on Zwickey.
-
That little tool works great......just a few passes and then on to the strop for a few and good to go, shaving sharp!!!
-
Great product. A friend of mine had something similar 20 years ago and made me a believer then with 3-4 passes on a pocket knife that made it shaving sharp. I ha e two now.
-
Inexpensive and very well made. Does a hell of a job on broadheads regardless of blade profile. For Hill heads and Simmons it's the only way to go.
-
Looks cheesy but don't let that sway ya. The sucker is the cats meow for quick easy sharpening that a knucklehead couldn't screw up.
-
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
-
Works great on my Zwickeys and knives. Easy fit in the back quiver pouch.
Deno
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyPCO4yOTtE
-
works excellant on my Zwickies, Magnus and Bear heads.......easy and quick to touch up with.......a good friend gave me mine and it works better than great..... :thumbsup:
-
Thank you guys!! After reading all the in put and watching the video I will be ordering one for sure... I do really well with a file but I am having issues in my hand with old author...lol... Just wanted to try something that is a little easier and that works.. again thank you all.. God bless :bigsmyl:
-
Heck of a lot better than Rada knives.
-
It looks like all the other wheel sharpeners. I don't know why but it works where the others don't. >>>----> Ken
-
Go ahead and just order 2-3 while your at it, I stick them everywhere.
-
the RADA solved my problems, and you'd be hard pressed to find a worse sharpener than me before that. works great on broad heads and all my knives.
-
RADA is the only way to go.
I can't tell you the number of sharpeners I have bought--they are all in the trash now. RADA is simple to use, and gets my treesharks shaving sharp.
Josh
-
I hate to be a contrarian but since broadhead sharpening is my business (as well as being a knife maker) and collector of knife and broadhead sharpeners and the owner of magnified imagery tools, I can tell you there is a good reason NONE (ZERO) knife and broadhead and razor blade manufacturers sharpen the blades they make in the direction a Rada or other "V" shaped sharpeners do. All knife and broadhead and razor blade makers sharpen/hone perpendicular to the cutting edge, not parallel to the cutting edge.
If you looked (under magnification) at the edge produced by a Rada or any of the other "v" shaped "drag through" sharpeners, you would understand what they very rough and jagged edge looks like vs a correctly honed and razor sharp edge.
I understand the appeal of the rada type sharpeners (especially on concave heads like Simons sharks, etc) because they require no skill to use and they are fast but the edge they produce has little longevity and is as jagged as the top of a tuna can (which is why you feel and hear the "chattering" as you drag your blade through the rada.
The jagged edge produced by a Rada “V” drag through sharpener edge (parallel to the cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/kW4URwL.jpg)
A honed edge (perpendicular to cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/4mUVeHx.jpg)
-
While I'm sure your post and information is well intended I fail to get your point. I sure wouldn't want to push the edge of a tuna can lid across my throat. :thumbsup:
-
The animals I kill just hate the edges I put on my broadheads with pull through sharpeners. I use the RADA as well as a neat little G5 sharpener. They work just fine for my purposes.
-
I hate to be a contrarian but since broadhead sharpening is my business (as well as being a knife maker) and collector of knife and broadhead sharpeners and the owner of magnified imagery tools, I can tell you there is a good reason NONE (ZERO) knife and broadhead and razor blade manufacturers sharpen the blades they make in the direction a Rada or other "V" shaped sharpeners do. All knife and broadhead and razor blade makers sharpen/hone perpendicular to the cutting edge, not parallel to the cutting edge.
If you looked (under magnification) at the edge produced by a Rada or any of the other "v" shaped "drag through" sharpeners, you would understand what they very rough and jagged edge looks like vs a correctly honed and razor sharp edge.
I understand the appeal of the rada type sharpeners (especially on concave heads like Simons sharks, etc) because they require no skill to use and they are fast but the edge they produce has little longevity and is as jagged as the top of a tuna can (which is why you feel and hear the "chattering" as you drag your blade through the rada.
The jagged edge produced by a Rada “V” drag through sharpener edge (parallel to the cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/kW4URwL.jpg)
A honed edge (perpendicular to cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/4mUVeHx.jpg)
Sorry but, I knew you were peeing into the wind. I'm a woodcarver and I know exactly what a razor sharp edge will do. Most here haven't the foggiest idea what a real sharp edge can do cause they've never seen it. Not they're fault. Most don't have the time or ambition to learn. Have to say but I would rather see people go to the woods with a "Rada" edge than a dull one.
-
I tried a RADA, and while it was OK, it was not as sharp as I like my broadheads to be. I still have it, and if I was in a pinch with no other way, I would use it, but I have not been in that pinch yet!!!!
Bisch
-
Sorry but, I knew you were peeing into the wind. I'm a woodcarver and I know exactly what a razor sharp edge will do. Most here haven't the foggiest idea what a real sharp edge can do cause they've never seen it. Not they're fault. Most don't have the time or ambition to learn. Have to say but I would rather see people go to the woods with a "Rada" edge than a dull one.
Correct, if given the choice I think the list for hunting would be
A razors sharp edge
A rada edge
A dull edge
That said, shot placement trumps all of them so if you are always shooting them through the heart/lung combination, its a moot point but if your not in a perfect world and need to actually slice through that artery or major vein (after passing through a dirty hide) to end up with a kill rather than a wounding loss, I will opt for the razors edge every time and there are tools as easy to use as a Rada to produce that razor's edge so one does not have to spend a lot of time developing a skill set to get the much superior edge.
Yes, I knew (as you stated) I was peeing into the wind which is why I prefaced my first post with :
"I hate to be a contrarian but since broadhead sharpening is my business"
And I expected some push back. Im ok with that.
-
Great info!
-
Yup, "I want to kill 'em, not shave 'em".
I go so far as to put micro-serrations on my heads like Howard Hill Preferred...but now we've entered into the eternal "how sharp is sharp enough debate"
IMO Rada is a good tool for hunting broadheads. I prefer the file though.
My list for hunting would be:
A file edge
A Rada edge
a razor's edge
a dull edge
To each his own based on his experiences and preferences. Now my woodworking tools are another story...
-
For some that are sharpening skill deficient, a RADA will get the job done. I would advise to use a fine diamond hone and a leather strop to supplement the edge. Do not be surprised if you find that the RADA edge may degrade some if you use too much pressure with the fine diamond hone and leather strop. One odd thing that perhaps only is relevant to Bear razor heads and Zwickees and maybe Rib Tecs, it seems to me that when an arrow flies through a deer and into the dirt that the file sharpened heads maintain more of an edge than those having a shaving edge with the RADA hone and strop method, even though the RADA version shaves hair as smooth as a good razor before the shot. I still think the RADA is a very useful tool and gets a good enough job done.
-
I hate to be a contrarian but since broadhead sharpening is my business (as well as being a knife maker) and collector of knife and broadhead sharpeners and the owner of magnified imagery tools, I can tell you there is a good reason NONE (ZERO) knife and broadhead and razor blade manufacturers sharpen the blades they make in the direction a Rada or other "V" shaped sharpeners do. All knife and broadhead and razor blade makers sharpen/hone perpendicular to the cutting edge, not parallel to the cutting edge.
If you looked (under magnification) at the edge produced by a Rada or any of the other "v" shaped "drag through" sharpeners, you would understand what they very rough and jagged edge looks like vs a correctly honed and razor sharp edge.
I understand the appeal of the rada type sharpeners (especially on concave heads like Simons sharks, etc) because they require no skill to use and they are fast but the edge they produce has little longevity and is as jagged as the top of a tuna can (which is why you feel and hear the "chattering" as you drag your blade through the rada.
The jagged edge produced by a Rada “V” drag through sharpener edge (parallel to the cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/kW4URwL.jpg)
A honed edge (perpendicular to cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/4mUVeHx.jpg)
Ron,
To be clear...
We are hunters...not broadhead and/or razor blade manufacturers.
So far in this thread we all have heard a bit of collective and practical experience from hunters that have proven their equipment over many years of field use...lotsa critters down and in the freezer.
That is what its all about as far as I'm concerned. I have recently watched Charlie sharpen a broadhead in a video posted somewhere. When he was finished it shaved the hair off his arm. In our world, that is the standard. Its what we do...
If your desire is to share with the "Gang", post some pics of your hunting success... :archer:
-
Love the Rada......
-
I use the rada also on tigersharks and treesharks. I clean them up a little w a leather chunk but it's probably unnecessary.
Tim B
-
Would I like to have a honed, mirror-edge finish on all by broadheads? Sure I would, but while I am not a professional at sharpening anything, I am not completely inept, either. It just takes significantly more time. And that is time I usually don't have, due to the myriad other commitments of work, family, home care, etc. I have to portion my time to get it all in. If I'm spending a disproportionate amount of time sharpening, what else isn't getting done? Practice? Work? Family?
My edges are not prize winners, but they are more than sufficient, more than lethal and, certainly aren't unfair or unethical to the game I'm pursuing. If the Rada or any other tool allows me maintain that balance, I'll use it.
-
RGKulas... I totally understand what you are saying and with a lot of time to prep my broadheads for the upcoming season mine are usually finely honed. I'm a huge fan of the KME system.
All I was saying was that the edge produced by the RADA is certainly more than adequate when it comes to taking big game. If I should take a shot and somehow mmmmiss my target I have a phobia about returning a dull arrow to my quiver... even though there are others in the line up that are well honed.
If it would come down to some kind of firefight with a critter that just won't quit I want every arrow in the quiver to be ready to do it's best. The RADA in my pack gives me that with confidence. I should add that after using it I will give the edge a couple of light strokes on a ceramic "crock stick" that I keep in my kit for that purpose.
Sure hope I didn't sound like too much of a smart ass. Though with me a little bit of that is inevitable. :wavey:
-
An admin told me not to reply to this post any more or I would discuss the matter with you further. Sorry.
-
Seems like when an administrator gives an opinion, you're not allowed to question it.
-
If your desire is to share with the "Gang", post some pics of your hunting success... :archer:
Seems to me he offered an opinion on a sharpener that the OP was asking for opinions on. Just because other posters disagree doesn't mean he should keep it to himself, polite disagreement is good and worth being shared too
-
If your desire is to share with the "Gang", post some pics of your hunting success... :archer:
Seems to me he offered an opinion on a sharpener that the OP was asking for opinions on. Just because other posters disagree doesn't mean he should keep it to himself, polite disagreement is good and worth being shared too
Broadhead sharpening is what I do. Ive created an entire company based on it. He asked for pics of my hunting success over the last 42 years, I replied mentioning the numerous deer, bear (some taken with my own homemade broadheads from a 48 pound homemade longbow) and hogs and 1,700 Lb water buffalo and and 1,000 Lb Vancouver bull but my post was pulled and a PM sent to drop it and move along. Knowing what I know, I cannot offer praise for a Rada sharpener and that seems to be the goal here.
-
I have rada sharpener in all of my back packs and for my needs it is really effective for field/hunting camp sharpening my Magnus or zwickey deltas. I can get the BH to shave my arm. I found it less effective on hard steel and prefer soft wheel guided sharpening like the razor sharp edgemaking system for that type of broadhead.
-
This argument will probably last forever. Various degrees of sharpness have been described, and people have talked about their many successes with each of them. Obviously, several types of cutting edges are effective, so it still comes down to whichever sharpening method a given hunter prefers. Basically, if an arrows makes a clean kill it is sharp enough. To you, it may not be the preferred edge, but, nonetheless, it is sharp enough.
-
people who just can't stop being argumentative over things that clearly need no arguing about don't seem to last long on trad gang, specially when they don't listen to directions given by their host.
-
(In my best Trump voice) "Tremendous, tremendous sharpener, it's really great." All jokes aside the RADA is incredible, unbeatable at that price.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
-
the rada and others like it have been around forever and are clearly viable assets for most bowhunters. there are a lotta good ways to skin a cat (or kill a critter), and for most of us the rada and the kme are good tools to have in the pack and in the workshop.
-
If your desire is to share with the "Gang", post some pics of your hunting success... :archer:
Seems to me he offered an opinion on a sharpener that the OP was asking for opinions on. Just because other posters disagree doesn't mean he should keep it to himself, polite disagreement is good and worth being shared too
Totally agree
Honestly not seeing what all the fuss is about :dunno:
-
If your desire is to share with the "Gang", post some pics of your hunting success... :archer:
Seems to me he offered an opinion on a sharpener that the OP was asking for opinions on. Just because other posters disagree doesn't mean he should keep it to himself, polite disagreement is good and worth being shared too
Totally agree
Honestly not seeing what all the fuss is about :dunno:
you haven't seen what happened outside of this thread.
disagreeing is not only perfectly fine, it's good and healthy.
saying that your way is better than mine and my way is wrong is, well, being argumentative and stupid.
and when yer host tells you to please be cool and you fail to listen, yer out.
-
Opinions are like arm pits......everyone has a couple. Some like this tool, some don't, that's why there are many methods to get the same job done. I do know that the bear in my Avartar was killed with a rada sharpened head and he died in 10-12 seconds. Shot placement, sharp broadhead......maybe both.....??? Whatever works for you to have a fruitful hunt.......... :notworthy:
-
I use and sell the Rada,I like the rough wire edge that will shave,to each his own.If you do not like something so be it blood on the ground is blood on the ground and dead is dead however you get there.Just get there however you like best.
Terry
-
It is no secret, I like the the Tom Mussato edge. I use slightly different tools for the same affect. The RADA can give a nice base to start with, some light passes with a diamond hone will clean the edge up a little, then with a file that has the safety edge with the row of file teeth exposed, can give a nice clean zippered edge. A super light pass over the RADA will take off the loose stuff and leave the Mussato like cutting teeth in place. I find it very difficult to judge penetration and effectiveness on deer, between shaving sharp and serrated sharp, when the arrows fly through, blood comes out of the deer and the deer goes down in less than 100 yards. Perhaps the hardness of the metal would be a better gauge for choosing one sharpening system to another. I have had some 140 Hill heads that were so hard that a file would just get shiny when trying to sharpen them, I used a clamp and a Dremel tool on those and got a very pretty fish scale edge that would easily cut hair, I got a pass through with a 37 pound Hill on a big doe with those. Not preaching about bow weight, I tore a muscle working out and that is as heavy a bow as i could shoot that year.
-
After reading this post, I conducted a very simple test. I took a Zwickey Delta 2 edge broadhead and sharpened one edge with a file. It would cut hair but don't try to shave with it. It grabs so bad it will cut you quick! The other edge I sharpened on a Lansky (sp?) at 25 degrees. It will shave you cleanly without any problem. I then went outside and shot the broadhead into a foam broadhead target. After each shot I checked the edge. On the 10th shot, I shot low and hit a compressed hay bale. After this shot, the edge on the honed side had rolled over and was as sharp as a marble. The filed edge still had enough "bite" to catch on your thumbnail. Maybe the durability of the edge we use is what we need to focus on.
-
I've never been able to get a head as sharp with a RADA as I can with other methods. But it is pretty darn close. I have had a RADA 6 months or so. I'll pack it to Wyoming this fall. But prep the heads at home with another method most likely.
Last night I played around trying the RADA on a 3 blade VPA. I don't know if it's designed for that but it did work pretty good. I had it shaving then went for a little sharper and it got duller :dunno:. The VPA seems to yield a smoother edge when sharpened with a RADA then say a Zwickey.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ] [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Tedd
-
I actually taught my wife to sharpen kitchen knives with a RADA. Not that she actually does, but sho could :goldtooth: I keep a RADA in my archery box as I’m always using it. Still use my KME a lot as well.
-
On a convex Tree Shark I can get it sharper with a RADA. But i changed my mind on previous statement - I just sharpened a 3 blade VPA using file, 3 stages of diamond stones, leather strop. Took 5 minutes. It's far sharper than I can make it with a RADA.
Tedd
-
I can make a Grizzly shaving sharp pretty quick with a file, a diamond hone and a leather belt. If the RADA is held steady on something firm, I get a razor edge on the Grizzly using the RADA in place of the file. I do need to hold the head at the proper angle of course, but it it will work. I just used the RADA on my custom fishing knife, (made to bend just right when filleting a 13" smallmouth bass on a canoe paddle). About 6 light strokes at just the right fore/aft pitch and a few swipes on my old leather belt and it is a smooth hair cutting edge. I usually need to place the RADA on a firm surface to get the best out of it. I decided to turn mine into a pocket friendly model, so I ordered a new one. My plan is to cut off the angled base and make a short handle with a slit on the end to glue the RADA onto. Question: would it work better off to the side or inline?
-
I hate to be a contrarian but since broadhead sharpening is my business (as well as being a knife maker) and collector of knife and broadhead sharpeners and the owner of magnified imagery tools, I can tell you there is a good reason NONE (ZERO) knife and broadhead and razor blade manufacturers sharpen the blades they make in the direction a Rada or other "V" shaped sharpeners do. All knife and broadhead and razor blade makers sharpen/hone perpendicular to the cutting edge, not parallel to the cutting edge.
If you looked (under magnification) at the edge produced by a Rada or any of the other "v" shaped "drag through" sharpeners, you would understand what they very rough and jagged edge looks like vs a correctly honed and razor sharp edge.
I understand the appeal of the rada type sharpeners (especially on concave heads like Simons sharks, etc) because they require no skill to use and they are fast but the edge they produce has little longevity and is as jagged as the top of a tuna can (which is why you feel and hear the "chattering" as you drag your blade through the rada.
The jagged edge produced by a Rada “V” drag through sharpener edge (parallel to the cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/kW4URwL.jpg)
A honed edge (perpendicular to cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/4mUVeHx.jpg)
Hi, RGKulas,
I was wondering what you think of diamond stones vs "normal" stones? I mean, diamond ones are mach harder and require very light pressure, but I was wondering if you think they will do the job alright, as long as it's a parallel to the edge system, rather than a perpendicular to the edge one.
-
When I first got the Simmons broadhead I couldn’t get any of them sharp at all. I wouldn’t have considered myself sharpening illiterate, but I just couldn’t get the cpmcave head sharp until I let PDK25 at a
Hog hunt. Thanks to him teaching me the proper way to sharpen the head, I can get them sharp. In the video posted in the bow to on the first page, I did do it exactly like he taught, but it’s still efficient.
FWIW: I own the KME with all the necessary accessories for the Simmons but I couldn’t get them as sharp as I would like. I know the KME does a much better quality finish than the RADA, but it takes me longer to do 1 on the KME than it does to do 3/4 on the RADA. You can also use the RADA in the field easily.
-
Good luck hunting this upcoming season, with whatever you decide to use to sharpen your broadheads.
-
As an alternative to the Rada I have used The Block sharpener. The downside vs the rada is that you have to manually hold it on a tables edge. The plus side is it flat grinds the edge giving you a better substrate to hand sharpen if you want to go further.
-
It's kinda funny how many variations of this same type topic come up around here. Yet, the results are always about the same. This type product (RADA) gets arrows sharp enough to kill deer. Stones and a leather strop get arrows sharp enough to kill deer. Diamond sharpeners also get arrows sharp enough to kill deer. Still, the debate goes on, and every body continually insists that his chosen procedure is the pinnacle of technology. Does it really matter? If you stick a deer and he bleeds to death quickly, then, at that particular moment, whatever sharpening method used is the "perfect" solution.
-
It's kinda funny how many variations of this same type topic come up around here. Yet, the results are always about the same. This type product (RADA) gets arrows sharp enough to kill deer. Stones and a leather strop get arrows sharp enough to kill deer. Diamond sharpeners also get arrows sharp enough to kill deer. Still, the debate goes on, and every body continually insists that his chosen procedure is the pinnacle of technology. Does it really matter? If you stick a deer and he bleeds to death quickly, then, at that particular moment, whatever sharpening method used is the "perfect" solution.
Very true!
-
I hate to be a contrarian but since broadhead sharpening is my business (as well as being a knife maker) and collector of knife and broadhead sharpeners and the owner of magnified imagery tools, I can tell you there is a good reason NONE (ZERO) knife and broadhead and razor blade manufacturers sharpen the blades they make in the direction a Rada or other "V" shaped sharpeners do. All knife and broadhead and razor blade makers sharpen/hone perpendicular to the cutting edge, not parallel to the cutting edge.
If you looked (under magnification) at the edge produced by a Rada or any of the other "v" shaped "drag through" sharpeners, you would understand what they very rough and jagged edge looks like vs a correctly honed and razor sharp edge.
I understand the appeal of the rada type sharpeners (especially on concave heads like Simons sharks, etc) because they require no skill to use and they are fast but the edge they produce has little longevity and is as jagged as the top of a tuna can (which is why you feel and hear the "chattering" as you drag your blade through the rada.
The jagged edge produced by a Rada “V” drag through sharpener edge (parallel to the cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/kW4URwL.jpg)
A honed edge (perpendicular to cutting edge)
(https://i.imgur.com/4mUVeHx.jpg)
I wasn't happy with the rada either if anything I had to use a the simmons ceramic rods heavily after the rada to get the edge close to what I liked..