Take a piece of paper and stretch it tight, just printing or tablet paper. Now take a single blade head on a short piece of shaft and push it thru the paper. Now try a three blade broadhead and do the same thing and if both heads are sharp, tell me which goes thru the easiest. Now think of a low poundage bow which would be the best to use??
Nobody even tried it? No one has a opinion?
The 3 blade will win that contest and in real life and death give you a better blood trail too. No brainer
I hunt with three blade heads, but I use enough bow and 600 gr arrows to get full double-lung and out penetration.
I would use 3 blade heads, if I could get the darn things sharp! I am a bit sharpening challenged in general though :biglaugh:
This season i had mostly 2 blade heads on most my mid 40's poundage bows, and half of those were single bevel...
I have a lot of snuffers,, i used them for years but bought any deals that popped up along the way...
So while in the stand studying a 190 ribtek on the end of my arrow a voice came to me and said "you must only shoot big snuffers starting next opening day"
I will be shooting bows from 43# to 55# and im shooting the original snuffers from everything including my 44# selfbow,,,,,, I'm officially back to hunting alone again after a friend moved so next season im not praying and hoping for a good blood trail anymore even with 1 entrance hole i will have plenty of
blood and i know from using these heads before whatever gets shot ain't going far..
As far as sharpening,, don't sharpen like a two blade and expect a two blade edge... its a steeper bevel once it easily slices through rubber bands use it...
I have to say I switch to VPA 175's and sharpen them on "Stay Sharp" Radiused sharping tool. Made a real difference!
Quote from: Ruttinghard on January 12, 2026, 07:44:55 AMI would use 3 blade heads, if I could get the darn things sharp! I am a bit sharpening challenged in general though :biglaugh:
I thought I was as well. Switched my sharpening method for my VPA 3 blade heads.
Grabbed a 6" pvc pipe & a bunch of different grit sandpaper & a piece of leather.
The 6" pvc pipe puts a steeper blade angle vs laying flat & sharpening that way. Makes my VPA's FEEL significantly sharper!
"Grabbed a 6" pvc pipe & a bunch of different grit sandpaper & a piece of leather"
I never heard of that and Im a plumber! I can't wait to try that,,,, I wonder if you could wet sand the final edge even if its oil and it gives it that polished scalpel wickedness.
Quote from: Tajue17 on January 12, 2026, 08:49:55 PM"Grabbed a 6" pvc pipe & a bunch of different grit sandpaper & a piece of leather"
I never heard of that and Im a plumber! I can't wait to try that,,,, I wonder if you could wet sand the final edge even if its oil and it gives it that polished scalpel wickedness.
My final step was leather over the pvc with some polishing compound-mirror edge
Learned from a PBS member
Bevel smedule. If you have to have a single blade broadthead, to get through an animal, you need more equipment, geez, people. Go back to your slingshot.
This debate has been going on since the first caveman knapped a 3 blade head.
Life's too short to carry one style in your quiver. I like a single bevel if in a tree and think I might hit spine, and 3 blade VPA's for general do it most just fine...and anything Magnus serrated on weekends. I spined a deer once before; straight down with an 80's Wasp Cam-lock 3 blade with a "pointy" tip, lol. All of 1 1/2" penetration, good thing it clipped an artery and the arrow popped out. I'm in the 40 to 45# club, and want to shoot the same bows I practice with in the summer and shoot well with layers on too.
:campfire:
I shoot three blade heads cause I like the blood they leave on the ground. Plus, I shoot footed, tapered arrows and the horsepower to put them on the ground on other side.
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
To quote the late John Schulz, when ask how he sharpened his broadheads, he said; "with a file, I want to kill it not shave it".
If you are challenged and can't get it sharp, then start with a quality 10" single cut bastard file, then lay the point straight into the file and push lightly, rotating the blade to get a flat bevel on each side. Do the same with with a two blade, three blade, and single cut two blade including the flat side. When you are satisfied you maintained the manufacturer's original bevel and all imperfections along the blade are gone and you are ready for the second step with a small 6 or 8 inch SC file. This time while holding the head on a short piece of shaft, point the two blade flat across the file and the sweep the blade slowly into the file. Never push the file into the blade, because you won't keep it flat and you'll end up rounding the bevel. With a 3 blade, point the blade to one side, or the other 11:00 or 01:00 on each side. If you are doing it correctly, you will have a head that will slice paper.
The last two steps depend on whether you want a serrated blade, like a fluted obsidian arrowhead, or sharks tooth. Using the shorter file, push or pull the leading edge of the file from the center of the broadhead and perpendicular to flat blade and edge. Two to three times on each side will provide an edge that will cut through rather than push aside muscle, tissue and blood veins. Next, use a diamond sharpener to touch up a blade. There are a variety of pen style blade and fish hook sharpeners, the one I like is flat on one side, 1/2 rounded and pointed one end. It has a groove for fish hooks. You can use it to touch up broadheads, using the same stroke from the center of the blade out over the flat surface. Again, never into the blade. See the link below for one. Good luck and hunt sharp.
https://www.bing.com/shop/productpage?q=Tsuchbis+Fishing+Hook+Sharpener%2c+Double+Tip+Fishing+Grindings+Hook+Sharpener+Hook+Sharpener+Tool+Diamond+Fishhooks+Sharpener+For+Fishing+Hooks+And+Kn&filters=scenario%3a%2217%22+gType%3a%2212%22+gId%3a%22300975976457%22+gGlobalOfferIds%3a%22300975976457%22&productpage=true&pdppageoverlay=true&bgscenario=tlp&originQuery=pencil+style+stone+for+sharpening+blades+and+fish+hooks&overlayOfferIds=300975976457%2c263933392559%2c400446819595%2c323598072103%2c331385510846%2c372216726863%2c172678753478%2c304408823732%2c361628681740%2c337096840911&overlayId=300975976457&FORM=SHOPIC