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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: sswv on October 11, 2009, 10:20:00 PM

Title: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: sswv on October 11, 2009, 10:20:00 PM
I have bow hunted for MANY years and have sharpened a load of broadheads but man do these Muzzy Phantoms have my number. They are not shaving sharp out of the pack and I'm just not use to hunting with a head that's not. They shoot great for me but what in the heck can I do to get them shaving sharp?? I've tried about every trick I know and I'm about ready to head out to the garage and fire up the 'ol bench grinder so any advice will be welcome.

thanks in advance
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: waknstak IL on October 12, 2009, 02:12:00 AM
I am severely sharpening challenged. I bought a KME sharpener and still couldn't get the phantoms to shave. I called Ron at KME and he told me that the phantom blades flex real easily and I was probably using too much pressure on them. He walked me through the process over the phone and within 3 minutes I was shaving my arm bald. Hope this helps.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: KentuckyTJ on October 12, 2009, 07:28:00 AM
Yep, I shot the Phantoms for a few years and the blades do bend when sharpening. They are actually the reason I bought my first KME. Very light pressure is the key for them.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Morning Star on October 12, 2009, 08:01:00 AM
Another vote for the KME.  I've never been one to trust factory edges, so I just reworked all my Phantom's.  Scary sharp is a good way to describe them.

I could tell it took a bit more work than say a magnus, must be a pretty stout stainless.  I'm betting they hold an edge better than most though.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: sswv on October 12, 2009, 10:21:00 AM
thanks for the advice gang!   :thumbsup:    I'll ease up on the pressure a bit and see what happens.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: mark land on October 12, 2009, 11:20:00 AM
Phantoms also have a steeper angle to them more like 30degrees then the standard 20 so you have to angle the blade edge in more to the sharpener.  They are a very hard SS and require a little more to get them sharper, unless you are just honing them.  Take a marker and touch up the edge and use your sharpener, you will be able to tell where you are taking material off and adjust your angle from there.  We worked with Klawhorn Industries to make us a Redi-Edge sharpener with the proper angle for use with our Phantoms and just a few light strokes and they are popping hairs.  It is a new product for us for 2010 but is available now.  Works great and I am definitely sharpening challenged.  Mark
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Biggie Hoffman on October 12, 2009, 11:49:00 AM
Yeah me too.  So far I've been able to touch mine up with just light strokes on a butchers steel. They sure get sharp!

Guess I'll have to get one of the new sharpeners in case I ever mmmmmmmiss and need more than a touch up  :-)
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Brian P. on October 12, 2009, 11:56:00 AM
I didnt have alot of luck trying to sharpen them either. They fly great though.

Just ordered my sharpener from Muzzy's website. Hopefully it will be the ticket to sharp heads.

BP
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: waknstak IL on October 12, 2009, 04:48:00 PM
Another suggestion Ron made was to drag them lightly backwards across some brown cardboard a couple times on each side. I am still amazed at the difference that little trick makes.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Longbowwally on October 12, 2009, 08:14:00 PM
Mark knows his stuff!
I too was not happy with the edge on these heads out of the package. I bought a KME to sharpen them and could not get the edge I wanted with that either, using the 'normal' 22 - 25 degree range settings. Then I used a magic marker on the edge and found that I had to set the KME at 30 degrees to get the edge I was looking for. I've killed one deer with them so far this season and am very impressed. Think I'll order one of those sharpeners Mark mentioned to speed up the sharpening process....
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Jeff Roberts on October 12, 2009, 08:24:00 PM
The new sharpner Muuzy has does the trick for me. You can also use it to sharpen the bleeder blades without removing them from the broadhead. I leave my heads in the arrow to sharpen. Just four or five strokes and mine were shaving.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Arrowslinger on October 12, 2009, 08:47:00 PM
I agree, the sharpener Mark's talking about works great.  Makes quick work on those heads.  I hope to run some through something at Blackbeard in a couple of weeks.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: sswv on October 13, 2009, 10:05:00 AM
thanks again for the advice. I did the marker trick and picked the angle up a bit and it's working a lot better now. still not as easy as the others I use but with effort they'll shave.

thanks again  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: joebuck on October 13, 2009, 02:19:00 PM
send to me...seriously...i'll put them on my Alaska Bowhunting Supply Griz Wheel.. Muzzy steel is very high quality for BH and will get Razor Sticky sharp
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: bama on October 13, 2009, 05:14:00 PM
Every one of them I have bought shaves right our of the box and is easy to resharpen on my KME broadhead sharpener.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: sswv on October 14, 2009, 11:31:00 AM
thanks for the offer Joe and for all the advice gang. I have'em all shaving sharp now but it sure wasn't easy. I think that sharpener Mark spoke of is the way to go. gonna have to get one soon.

best afield to all  :archer:
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Biggie Hoffman on October 14, 2009, 11:39:00 AM
I just got my sharpener....it's the ticket.
Doesn't take much and light strokes are the key.
I just cut myself  :-)
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: billy shipp on October 14, 2009, 12:17:00 PM
I ordered the sharpner yesterday. I have a few heads that need more than touching up. I have the KME sharpener, and it works great, but the Phantom bleeders are a pain to remove, so maybe this sharpener will solve that problem.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Bill Turner on October 14, 2009, 02:55:00 PM
Glad to hear someone else has a problem removing the Phantom bleeders. I'd be surprised if someone has not suffered a serious cut trying to remove them. An accident waiting to happen.   :banghead:
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Biggie Hoffman on October 14, 2009, 03:47:00 PM
I had a little trouble at 1st but now I slip them right in and out. I just sharpened some with the new sharpener on the head. Tricky but it works.
There was a video on here somewhere....????
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: billy shipp on October 14, 2009, 04:00:00 PM
Biggie,

I need to see that video. It is a major rasslin match for me to get the bleeders out. I can, and do get them out, but it's not my favorite past time....there has to be a trick to it that I haven't learned yet. Someone said they used the sharpner on the bleeders without removing them....have you tried that? Sounds great if it works.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: Biggie Hoffman on October 14, 2009, 04:12:00 PM
Yeah I just said I did  :-)  Worked fine.

Do a search and find the video. I know I saw it on here somewhere.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: billy shipp on October 14, 2009, 05:26:00 PM
The video is on the Muzzy website. Click on HELP, then click on Technical Support.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: billy shipp on October 14, 2009, 06:17:00 PM
OK....so I'm a total idiot !!!!!!!!

I'm sitting here watching the video, I have 2 Phantom heads, following instructions, and still can't remove the bleeder from either head without using pliers.

I'll wait on the sharpener and do it the easy way.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: xtrema312 on October 14, 2009, 08:12:00 PM
I will have to check out that video.  I just screw one half way into a shaft and use needle nose pliers to work them out and back in.  I don't find it that hard to do.  They are a little tight so I use the pliers so I don't get cut, but it works fine.  I don't see any down side to the pliers.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: xtrema312 on October 14, 2009, 09:18:00 PM
I am trying to get to that video on the Muzzy site.  I can't seem to make any headway on the site.  Anyone have a link to it?
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: billy shipp on October 14, 2009, 09:30:00 PM
www.muzzy.com.....click (//http://)  on HELP, then click on Technical Support.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: mark land on October 15, 2009, 11:58:00 AM
Make sure your pop up blockers are turned off to get the Technical Support page to open up for ya!
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: xtrema312 on October 15, 2009, 02:12:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by mark land:
Make sure your pop up blockers are turned off to get the Technical Support page to open up for ya!
That could be my problem.  I will try that.  :thumbsup:  

I took my bleeders out to tune the light heads to one of my bows.  Today I put them back in to tune them to a different bow.  It was easy to put them in if you put them in with your fingers from the insert side to get them started.  Then when you have them started, use the other hand to pull them the rest of the way in and set them.  It was much easier to do them that way.  It was also a lot easier to take them back out.  You have to change which fingers you use as you work them in or out.  If you try to just grab them from one side and work them in or out it is difficult.  I will check out the video and see if there is even a better way.
Title: Re: Phantom sharpening question
Post by: xtrema312 on October 15, 2009, 03:12:00 PM
Well I still couldn't get the help video to launch from the main page.  I had to launch one of the commercials first.  Then I got to a page with all the videos and it had the instruction videos.  I was able to view it then.

He sure handles those blades a lot less carefully than I do.  I don't know about that pushing down with both hands.  I think I like my method of changing sides to work them in better.

I am going to go practic a little to see what works best.