I read alot threads on here from time to time about sharpening BH. I recently discovered Alaska Bowhunting Supply has come out with a neat system to sharpen any 2 blade head, hunting and fishing knives, etc in mere seconds. I gave it whirl and found the results.....well...you be the judge.....for demostration i used a Single bevel Nanook head from Alaska Bowhunting Supply.
Heres my setup..a cheap 6" grinder (3400 rpm) bought seperately from any big box store and Griz Stic Razor Sharpening wheels. 1 wheel is 240 grit and other wheel is paper.
(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i150/jmb1221/sharpgrinder.jpg)
For example since this head comes razor sharp from ABS, lets say i need to establish a new bevel. I'll lay the bevel for a flat grind on the 240grit wheel and make LIGHTLY 2-3 passes. This should produce a micro micro burr
Flat grind ( wheel and blade have same angle)
(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i150/jmb1221/sharpgritbevel.jpg)
I'll make sure the the 240 grit wheel grinded the bevel flat all the way to very end on the single bevel shoulder. NOTE here...i'm not making a new bevel angle here, i'm just going with the angle already on the head...very little material is removed..Then I'll take BH and make several LIGHT passes into the bevel on the paper wheel.FLAT GRIND also although the pic doesn't show it too well. IMportant Note here...do not ever put enough pressure on the head into the wheel or you could change the temper..you'll know this if your haed changes color...stop and back off pressure.
(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i150/jmb1221/sharppaper.jpg)
This shows a Light Burr from bevel side bent over to flat side. I drug this head across leather to show burr folded over to flat side of BH. Now your in business
(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i150/jmb1221/sharppowdercatch.jpg)
I then take BH over to leather strop treated with sharpening paste and powder and lightly strop on the FLAT edge FLAT to flip burr back over to Bevel side. Important point here..When stropping on flat side ,BH must be flat to leather. If BH is rasied to any angle then you'lll have a Double bevel..which is not a bad thing but this is about a single bevel.
(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i150/jmb1221/sharpflatleather.jpg)
Note ,I LIGHTLEY (weight of BH only) drag the BH down the side of this leather not across.See the burr flipping back up?
After about 10 or so light strokes, the micro burr is getting smaller and smaller and will mostly flip off. I take the BH and turn bevel into leather and light drag BH several times on Bevel side to remove all micro micro filings or burrs..
(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i150/jmb1221/Sharpbevelleather.jpg)
Then I'll move over to cardboard and LIGHTLY LIGHTLY ( only weight of BH) drag BH 4-5 times across the cardboard (pic not shown) against face of bevel and then drag down cardboard on Flat side (pic shown). Do not drag the FLAT side of BH across the cardboard because the angle of ferel will produce a shoulder and you will have a double bevel...this is about single bevel.
(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i150/jmb1221/sharpflatcardboard.jpg)
The test......Face Shaving sharp. we see alot of guys shave hair on their arms and if your any good, you'll know there's a trick to doing this will a moderately sharp head....but to shave your face.........It has got to be Sticky Polished RAZOR Sharp.
(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i150/jmb1221/sharpface.jpg)
In closing ,Normally to touch up heads to get back to RAZOR sharp, I'll hit it with just a couple of passes with the GrizStic Paper wheel then Strop on Card board.....30 seconds!!!!! To put an new bevel on a single bevel, i go through the above steps. I can touch up a dull SliverFlame in 45 seconds to back to factory sharpness...if you have SF, you know thats pretty good.
I really like this system the guys at Alaska Bowhunting Supply has marketed. You can sharpen DOUBLE BEVEL heads just as easy as single bevel.. and Hunting knives.....ohh man you can get them sharp. This system is so simple to use. It works great on all single blade heads of various makes and metals. Learning curve on this is so steep. it's just a neat neat product.It comes with great instructions and you can retreat the 240 wheel with grit supplied countless times,.Believe me you will love this product because makes sharpening FUN. Hope this helps a few of ya'll...pm me any questions thanks
I have been using a simular setup with paper and felt wheels the last 3 years on my Simmons heads.Sure speeds things up a lot.Regular heads like the stos and others only take a minuite or so to do.
That could not be your whiskers Joey. :) You're waaay too young for them to be that gray! :D
I don't think that grinder would fit in my pack. ;)
I wouldn't have any problems using something like that for sharpening heads at home, but it's a good idea to be able to touch up heads in the field with a minimum of equipment (file, stone, crock stick etc.).
Those buffing wheels sure work nice though. I remember several years ago looking at one of Rick Stillman's broadheads after he told me how he uses a buffing wheel. Those heads were insanely sharp.
it's me Bill......my bones feel it also....
i usually carry more than one arrow in the field so i do not need to touch up in field after a miss or kill. ;) Unless i ran up on a bunch of Talibans....now i may need to resharpen on the spot.
This tutorial was also to show the "burr" and it's importance. I discovered that learning how to sharpen a butcher's knife with a screwdriver
So HOW do you maintain a constant, consistent, angle while running the bh over the wheel(s) over multiple passes without a guide?
I would think this is a critical factor in obtaining a razor edge as it is regardless of the sharpening tool.
If the feild a crock stick is all I need to retouch a broadhead after a kill.I seldom do it however because we can't shoot but two deer a day and I carry 3 arrows with me. ;)
The wheels are great for getting a dozen ready before the season..
Erikt..angle is determine by the height of BH above the grinder axle when it touches the wheel. The higher you touch the wheel above the axle, the steeper the shoulder angle. vice versa.....thats the beauty of this system. No matter the angle of the head your trying to match, just predetermine it by holding it against the wheel before you turn it on....after about 2 heads you'll eyeball it. this system has been around a long time with woodworkers....ABS didn't invent the wheel..no pun intended!
joebuck, after a miss??? what do ya mean ??LOL
What's the matter Joebuck , those expensive heads your always pushing don't sharpen themselves ? :biglaugh:
QuoteOriginally posted by hogdancer:
What's the matter Joebuck , those expensive heads your always pushing don't sharpen themselves ? :biglaugh:
:biglaugh: It is just because after paying so much for the broadheads he can no longer pay for razors too.
Dunn knives also sells that same set-up. I have been using one for years. Ed
Been using the same setup for years and HIGHLY recommend them to anyone, even those not sharpening challenged. Only takes a minute to get almost anything (no 3 blades) shaving sharp. When I bought mine yeas back the guy selling them also gave me enough grit to refinish the wheel about 3 times, which I just did this evening. Only problem I ever had was an idiot friend of mine tried to use it when I was in the kitchen and turned the blade into the wheel, ended up stabbing himself in the leg when the blade bit the wheel and threw the blade back.
I have the same setup I bought from a local woodworking tool store. It is awesome and puts my silverflames back to factory sharpness. It is great.
Bisch
With practice it is amazing how consistent you can be. If only there some thing like that for 3 blades ONLY SAFE. For two blades it is a great set up.
Hogdancer, Joey is out water skiing this weekend. He told me he sharpened the fin on his custom slolam ski and he's gonna show those boys really how to "cut" a wake! This guy has more gadgets for a traditional bowhunter than anybody I ever met! He said he's gonna be back in time to take you hog huntin on Sunday and see if you can kill 3 this time with one shot. I've seen you and you probably can.
Only question I have is what kinda boat is pullin him? A Battleship?
nice pictures, these wheels have been around a while. all a guy really needs is a good file and some grizzleys.
Thanks for the nice pics. :goldtooth:
Tinkerbell, I'm thinkin he ain't really shavin with that head-Photoshop is really popular nowadays. Who's gonna take his pic while he's doing that without laughing?
Joe...thanks for taking the time.
BTW..in case you forgot..You live and hunt on the best whitetail growing land IN the land.
Boy do I miss the Big Mississippi.
Richie
I didn't read the whole thread so sorry if this has been covered. I'd turn the grinder around to it's spinning away from me when viewed from the top. For the guys who haven't sharpened on a grinder like this be careful the edges of the blade don't dig into the wheel....dangerous stuff.
the chef
Joey is the best "sharpener" I've ever seen. He sure can put an edge on things, unlike Marty who thinks if you draw a file across a 3 blade two or 3 times, it's ready to hunt with.
For my Snuffers, I use a Tormek grinding wheel similar to yours, joebuck, but it's a wet grinder and the wheel is wider, and has a leather wheel on the other side. You can lay the Snuffer on the wheel in just about any position, but I prefer having the shaft in line with the wheel so that it's grinding almost lengthwise down the head. Moving the head back and forth gets all of the cutting surfaces done, and no problem with the angle. It automatically does a 30 degree, which I like. I rotate the head as I go, using gradually less and less pressure, which takes care of most of the burr. The leather gets the rest and puts the final edge on.
My face is not an option- it hasn't felt a blade of any kind in several decades. Scraping the hair off your face is a perversion!! :)
:biglaugh:
Archie Bunker must have gone off, George has walked back over to his computer....The thread Hijacker is back ,George Stout!!!!!!......now george where is that thread you posted your distaste to hijackers?.....thats priceless......oh yea grinder was $38.
Now if I can just be the 1st guy to come up with a backpack size power inverter...........
That was a nice thing to say George, I wish Biggie was that nice to me! You hear him get on me? And it's not even my thread!
Thanks George, i should have used another head for demostration but those are the heads i hunt with. This thread topic is about a sharpening wheel one can put on their personal grinder at home and achieve the same results woodwooders and knifemakers have for years with a similiar system. It's disappointing to me that some people on here do not give me the same respect i give their threads. It's a neat product, i was merely trying to do a tutorial on how to use it. ABS is a sponsor on here and i thought maybe someone would benefit from it. It took me about 4 hours to put it together for the benefits of others i do not even know. But it has now become i guess material for guys like you and others...so flame away.....i'm a pretty big fellow with a good sense of humor...so continue on with your agenda....i'll take the high road though. :)
Who pays $129.95 for a grinder? Got mine for $10.00 at a garage sale and $20.00 for the wheels about 10 years ago. Never needed to resharpen them in the field anyways.
That's a good system. I bought one from Woodcraft about 3 years ago and it does a great job. I messed around and sharpened a knife for the head chef at a local restaurant. He showed it to all of his sous chefs and I ended up sharpening knives for all of them. A few of those knives were high dollar!
I got tired of resurfacing the grit wheel and went back to the medium wheel that came with my grinder. If you give it a heavy waxing, it will have nearly the same aggressiveness as the grit wheel.
QuoteOriginally posted by joebuck:
Thanks George, i should have used another head for demostration but those are the heads i hunt with. This thread topic is about a sharpening wheel one can put on their personal grinder at home and achieve the same results woodwooders and knifemakers have for years with a similiar system. It's disappointing to me that some people on here do not give me the same respect i give their threads. It's a neat product, i was merely trying to do a tutorial on how to use it. ABS is a sponsor on here and i thought maybe someone would benefit from it. It took me about 4 hours to put it together for the benefits of others i do not even know. But it has now become i guess material for guys like you and others...so flame away.....i'm a pretty big fellow with a good sense of humor...so continue on with your agenda....i'll take the high road though. :)
thanks for taking the time to put it together iv been looking for one of those wheels. :clapper:
always got to take everything you get on the internet forums with a pinch of salt, most is in good jest but its a pity to see some of the comments.
the only difficulty I have with this is in the field.
I often do go places where I need to use a file...if you hunt in the wet, if you hunt out west out of a tent camp, if you are in Africa you probably won't have this convenience available.
It's nice to be able to do it without the wheel in roughly the same amount of time and achieve the same results.
Maybe I should do a sharpening clinic at the camp- BROADHEAD SHARPENING CLINIC- 5 HOURS 500 DOLLARS AND WE'LL THROW IN A FREE HOG HUNT.
Hello Ray!...Lets state this again...this is NOT a field sharpener...most guys do not take their Lannsky,Gatco or KME in their day pack.....we're not talking about replacing field touch ups etc...those are all vital skills but........this a great system to get your hunting arrows RAZOR Razor Sticky sharp before and maintain through hunting season. Thats sharper than any file can do....As far as you getting yours sharp as sharp with a file....OK I'll gladly take that bet.........Bring your file to Nashville PBS and I'll have my wheel there...we'll let the bowhunters judge which is sharper, quicker and easier?? :) I want charge you $500 for the lesson either
I read somewhere using a grinder ur edge dont last as long, and using stone holds a edge longer. But I use WW and sliverflames...with no problems. good luck... :)
Impressive Joey!
Thanx for taking the time bud :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Very interesting JB. Thanks for the post.
Joe,
Where did you get your leather strop and sharpening paste.
Burnsie...handamerican.com sells the paste and liquid. It's 60,000 grit chromium oxide. i think he will sell the leather strop too but any vegetable tanned hide will work although his aren't vegetable. he can make you up a kit i think. There are certainly other pastes and powders to use but this is the one i like.
thanks guys for pat on the back..hope i helped someone
This is a very good sharpening system as I have seen a similar one in action. I make a few knives and do basically the same thing with my knife grinder.
I do not carry anything to touch up heads in the field as I always have a few presharpened heads in my pack. Since I use carbons, I just screw a sharp head on if I dull one.
Dang Joey, If only you'd have posted this earlier than I wouldn't have had to go and get all my expensive knife makin' grinders! I agree those wheels can take a head to being scary sharp in minutes be it a Silver Flame or Magnus. I sharpen my Wensel Woodmans that way then wrap two in cloth and slide them into a 2 inch diameter piece of PVC tube. Easy and safe to take 10-12 heads on an out of state hunt in my duffel even when flying.
As to field sharpening if I get 10-12 shots and no tags filled than I guess I have a different problem than sharpening my broadheads :) Nice tutorial Joey. Thanks...Doc
Doc, I like that, if you miss that much sharpening is not your problem!
I shoot some silver flames sometimes and the day I feel like I have to "justify" it to a stumpshooter from Pa. Is when I give up hunting. I respect others choices in heads even if I don't like them myself ,I think more respect for others choices is in order for some folks.
Joey is a buddy and we give him trouble sometime but he knows his stuff! Thanks for your time joebuck!
Thanks Joey....although I sure have been in some hot and heavy action a few times and did have to sharpen heads in the field....and shot bloody arrows a 2nd time....they all were sharp when they left the house.
No doubt a quick or slow 'field job' will get the job done.....but I like to really take my time at the house and get them as sharp as I can from the get go.
Joe Coots told me about the paper wheel technique a couple of years ago, but I've never tried it. I didn't doubt him and I sure don't doubt you.....and thanks for sharing.
thanks for the info, first of all.
second, i'm adding the "don't try this at home" disclaimer to the face shaving :) most of us have probably never tried to use a straight razor. just looking out for all you beautiful tradgangers! and your future modeling careers.
It's important to remember...that what is most critical...is how sharp the BH is AFTER it goes through the fur/hide/skin/mud/dirt and then into the goodies.
If it is sharp when you pick it up on the off side then you have done a good job.
NEVER use this system to sharpen a 3 blade head. One of edges will catch the wheel and throw the head some place...hopefully not into you.
Bob
My Dad years ago had a buffing wheel on his bench grinder, and used it to sharpen his fillet knives. Unreal sharp! I do not remember which color rouge he used on the wheel, but I remember watching him as he would bump the wheel with the polishing rouge stick, and then go wo work on the knife.
I used a 1000/6000 grit japanese water stone on my broadheads last year with great results.
I guess some of us are always searching for that holy grail of sharp. Thanks for sharing this system.
A KME Sharpening System can fit in a day pack and get your knife and your broadheads face shaving sharp and beyond.
I do not carry anything in the field to sharpen with. Like Uncle Barry, I don't sharpen once deer season starts. I'm not taking a chance on a cut string finger!
I have two dozen arrows sharpened and ready by Aug. 15th if those don't last until I get back home,like Tippit said, sharpening is not my problem.
Just because you sharpen your heads at home there is no reason you can't still sharpen them in the feild if you need to touch one up.I carry enough arrows with me it seldom is an issue.I also use screw-in points so switching out the heads when I get back to the truck is the easiest way to handle it anyway. ;) When I shoot everthing in my quiver it is time to start dragging or go home and watch tv and think about if I even need to be hunting. :D
Re Bob@helleknife's comment about 3-blades: If the wheel is wide enough you can do it safely by not turning the head across the wheel, but any time you're working with a motorized device and sharp blades, caution is advised! My wheel is about a quarter inch wider than the 160 Snuffers I use most.
Joebuck, thanks for bringing the broadhead sharpness issue to the front. I've seen people abuse their heads and not keep them sharp enough, and these are the same people who lose their deer if they manage to hit one. I've quit hunting with a couple of "friends" over that issue.
Any sharpening system will work, once you take the time to learn how to use that system and master it. Some systems are easier to learn and master. Others are not. Also, what might be easy for me will not be easy for someone else. Im all for making it easy and saving time. Especially when it comes to setting a bevel on a 190 grizzly. I rarely sharpen a broadhead in the field, but im prepared for it. I just throw a file in my pack and Im ready to go. These wheels seem to be a good time saver to me and fairly easy to use. I just might give it a try. m2c
Oh, thanks Joebuck, I really appreciate you taking the time to show me.
Gilbert