After years of looking at it in a few sponsors catalogs, i finally broke down and ordered one! My ?'s are...Is it as foolproof as it looks, a simple file looks simple to me too, but i cannot hand sharpen like some folks? Any tricks to using it besides keeping the files clean? Can it be used by itself to get a broadhead hunting sharp by varying pressure, or do i still need to strop?
To have the best out of that I use the complete system:file,light strokes angling the point from left to right,then I use the diamond block,and the medium stones,then fine and for last the leather strop.It takes time but I have the best edge I have ever had with any other sharping system.
all i do to get my heads and knives :scared: sharp is use a steel and strop but ya must steel them the same amount of times on one side then the other then strop them the same. any how works for me. :thumbsup:
They work extremely well, but if you are sharpening triple laminated heads like Zwickeys, Magnus, etc., you need to remove the excess steel from the front 1/3 of the head while still keeping the appropriate bevel before putting them on the stones. Otherwise, the thicker front part (point) of the head will not be sharpened at the same rate as the rest of the blade. You can do that with a hand file or the Tru-angle block with two files. Follow the progression that Felix suggests, and you'll do fine.
I may be using the STOS for elk this season, and its a tri lam head as well as the afformentioned! I understand what everyone is saying bout giving more love to the beefy tip, but couldnt the head just be pushed through with more weight to the tip and leave the tail of the head off the files to start the process, and then just gradually work my way back?
I use one to establish the angles and then hand file for touch-ups. I also knock the tip off a bit (they're calling that a "tanto" now) Recommend you start flat and keep it flat to establish just one angle from tip-to-tail.
Rub it with chalk before use and it will keep the filings from clogging up.
Take a look at the paper wheel sharpening system. The bestest, fastest, easiest, way to sharpen any 2 blade or knife. Scalpel edge in two minutes. Threw all my other sharpening stuff in the trash.
Yes, Mn. That's the way to do it if you're using the files on the V-block to take off the extra material/thickness at the front of the head. Will likely still need to touch up the very tip with a hand file. Because the files on the block have a space between them, they don't cut all the way to the point of the broadhead.