Trad Gang

As the title implies, tell me about your broadhead tips that have bent or broken.  

Did it happen as a result of hitting bone, a rock on a pass through, or just plain dumb luck?

Did you recover the animal, and how was the damage and blood trail?

Have you noticed a substantial difference between a needle point and a tanto tip?

I'm interested in hearing some first hand accounts so please share.

Yes, I have noticed a difference between the Tanto tip, or chisle tip, and the regular tapered, or needle-nosed tip. On bone, the Tanto tip is far superior.

During my testing, I found that .040" thick blades didn't hold up to 30º impact angles, and bent. Broadheads like the Bear Razorhead and Magnus Stinger not only bent about 10º on impact at 30º with an elk scapula, but also blew up the shaft, so there was near zero penetration.

I only shoot .070" or .080" thick blades, like the German Kinetics Silver Flame or the SteelForce Phatheads.

I got a pass through at 25 yds on a cow elk with a 210-gr Silver Flame last year and couldn't be more pleased with the Broadhead performance. She dropped in sight of the treestand.

The only tips I have bent were on snuffers. The first was a bad shot on a jumpy deer that hit bone. Took a finishing shot after a very long track job. First shot hit bone and curled. The second shot passed thru and curled. Few days later I took a quarted away shot on a doe that hit the opposite side shoulder. Blood trail could be seen from space. Tip was curled and a bit bent. I like a slight tanto on my broadheads now. I've shot a bunch of squirrels straight down out of a stand and haven't bent a tanto.

I used to bend razorheads until I put a tanto on them. I shot a buck @ 27 yards, blew through him and hit a T post behind him with a tanto tip razorhead 2 years ago. You couldn't tell anything was different after I washed the blood off.

Only broadhead I have broken was a magnus stinger which I stuck in my fence(missed a coon). It was fine until I tried to pull it out of the fence using a Leatherman tool, then I ended up torquing the blade and snapping it.

I haven't had any damage from animals.  Granted, our Arkansas whitetails bear little resemblance to water buffalo or elephant.  I have bent a couple when I dead center a rock in practice.  Zero damage from animals though with Bears, Eclipses, and Ace Standards.

I've never bent the tip of a STOS broadhead. It's the strongest broadhead I've ever bowhunted with.

I'm trying a Muzzy broadhead this year.

After my 160grain Snuffer took the head off a grouse, it kept going for some reason into a vertical slab of basalt just behind the bird. At 10 feet it was going pretty fast and I had to re-sharpen the point... a lot. It was pretty messed up.

(shot out of a Howatt Hunter, 60#'s @ 30"

Joshua

I would but I can't since I have never bent one. I shoot Magnus I's, Zwickeys, and have never had one bend on an animal or in practice. And I just started putting the tanto tip on them a couple year ago. So the needle tip has worked for me for 30 years.

Get some Stos broadheads and you won't have to worry about the tip bending.

I have mostly shot Zwickeys for the past 50 plus years.  I don't shoot rocks etc. and the largest game I've every shot was a 290 pound mulie---although lots of smaller sized deer.  Never bent a single tip.  Shot a few Bear heads back in the late 50's and early 60's--never bent them either.

My primary bow is a 57# BW MAII built in 1992---zips an arrow right along.  In years past i have used mostly 60-65 pound bows but at age 70, I am lightening up a little, but still particular about what I shoot.

Joe

Yes sir I've bent a few bear razorheads on critters thats all I've ever used and I still shoot them today.
Yes again mostly I've had them bend and or break on bone with a shot that may have NOT been the best shot to take(I was a young bowhunting fool at the time and did'nt know any better).I know now if I get good shot placement with a razorhead things just work out much better for me bd

hey may we show pics of some that have and some that have not ? bd

I recall bending the tip of a Zwickey Eskimo when it connected with a rock, but I have confidence in the head if I could only hit where I want.

i shoot zwickey and magnus primarily.  never bent a tip or broken one on deer/hogs/or elk.  but have broke a couple when i hit rocks.

QuoteOriginally posted by the real bowdoc:
hey may we show pics of some that have and some that have not ? bd

Please do.

I'm finding this thread interesting. Personally, I've bent a Magnus 1, but I can easily get them sharp so it's a trade off I'm willing to take. The Stingers seem to be a bit stronger up front, but sometimes the back end near the vent will break.

ok here is a have..if the pic is to much for anyone I'll be happy to remove it but please remember its all part of the game of archery  bd     (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/latuque055-1.jpg)    (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/latuque057-1.jpg)

In the '60's we used to chisel the points on our bear Razorheads,like Fred recommended.Somewhere along the way,I stopped doing that as it became impossible to spin the arrow on the tip to check for broadhead alignment,which I liked to do after any shot at game.

Later,using 125 gr Magnus heads,I took a quartering shot on an antelope,the tip curled,causing the broadshead to skip across the ribs,under the shoulder instead of through them.Penetration was horrible,out of a 50# bow.


I was very lucky and this was the only place where antelope went on the entire ranch,that had some stalking cover.I was able to get a second arrow in it,about an hour later.I'm convinced that animal would have survived that shot but that incident has stuck with me and will forever.A situation like that could have gone a hundred different ways,most,not good.

These days,I either use heads with tanto tips or I would apply it myself.I kick myself for not having done it on the Magnus.looking through my stuff,I found a couple more that curled like that but not on game.The tanto tip would have stopped that.

I had a Bear Razorhead's bleeder blade twist and mangle the slot in the head.They were supposed to break away and allow the head to penetrate.I have never had on sheer off.I can't remember what was shot with that head. (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a140/jbrandenburg/P1010712.jpg)

the pics show heads used 4 weeks ago on black bear the upper pics are from a spine shot and oh yeah down she went right there game over.The head worked great but you can see that one has danced the dance.....because it was packing a 780 arrow shaft.I was thinking something like for every action there is a reaction and the reaction blew that ferrule apart.Direct contact with solid bone well you get the idea.And no thats not my broadhead.
This pic is my broadhead used on a black bear hit in the kill zone.Right side with its right front leg reaching as far forward as possible when shot.I'am not saying anything bad about anyone's broadheads no way.I really like them all but I beleave more in shot placement with a sharp broadhead bd    (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/thisone.jpg)   (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/razorhead005-1.jpg)   (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/raz2.jpg)

That's something.I was just editing my post to add the Razorhead picture,as you posted yours BD.

holy smokes those are all great looking broadhead pics.I love to see the one's that were doing their jobs getting used out in the forest rather then collecting rust in some storage box you gotta love em bd

I have fairly recently had the front part of some broadheads break completely off at the front of the ferrule and on a line perpendicular to the ferrule/shaft. I contacted the manufacturer and he will be determining the cause and will hopefully fix the problem. Because he is a TradGang member, is a super guy, is going to try to fix things up, and has taken ownership of the problem, I am not going to mention the brand of the broadhead or show pictures that would identify it, even though the pictures are pretty dramatic. The design is a good one, but it seems that the heat treatment (by a contractor, not the manufacturer) may have caused the problem. I was unhappy about the situation, but penetration was still surprisingly pretty good and did not result in the loss of any animals -- although the animals could have easily been lost under slightly different circumstances. If anyone thinks I am talking about the ABS Ashby broadheads, I'm not. They are excellent, although very expensive. The ones that broke were expensive too, but not as much as the Ashbys. The new 2 blade VPA heads and the new Tuffheads both look good, and I am eager to try some of each of them. Their designs, like the design of the Ashbys, does not appear to lend themselves to the kind of failure I have described, but I will know more later after some torture testing.

I have also had failures with the old Bear Razorheads, which I quit using as a result, and also quit shooting the replaceable blade broadheads when I started seeing some failures in them too. I like heavy, thick bladed broadheads for bigger game. Just about any decent broadhead of any design is adequate for the average deer. I shoot lighter poundage bows, lighter arrows and lighter broadheads when I am hunting deer and smaller animals. When I have heavy poundage bows, heavy arrows and heavy game, I want a super strong, heavy broadhead that won't fail me. With some animals, a broadhead failure could get me or someone else killed, and that would be REALLY bad!!      Cost of the broadhead is not a major consideration when lives are at stake or where the cost of the hunt dwarfs the equipment costs.

Allan

Last years buck, Stinger 125 gr. Don't know if the tip is bent cause can't pull it out with a pliers. Broke th furrel trying to pull the arrow out. 4th deer with stingers, I won't be switching. Broke a rib before hitting the leg bone. Magnus would replace the head but I won't send it in. It did it's job!!
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w31/clwalkerpic/IMG_0378.jpg)
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w31/clwalkerpic/IMG_0872.jpg)

wow

Shoot Magnus Mag I, Ribtek, Ace, STOS and have not had any bending problems.  Ribtek is by far the toughest head I have ever shoot.Magnus and ACE are close behind.    :thumbsup:    :archer2:

Use the "search" and look up "single bevel experiment" posted (June 2008).  Starting on page 3,"Kingwouldbe" posted many pictures of all different kinds of broadheads that were bent, broken and busted.  That was an eye-opener for sure.    :eek:

I have had tips bend only when I shot the head with the original needle tip. I modify all my heads to tanto tips and never have one bend. My latest broadhead the woodsman elite 175 grain comes with a chisel tip and it will not bend.

I have been shooting Bear Razorheads for years and bent plenty, I practice with broadheads year round so they get alot of abuse.

I ordered a 6 pack of Stricklands Helix 155 grain heads this spring which are .072" thick and have been shooting the heck out of em all summer into all sorts of stuff, they fly like darts and are super tough when comparing them to the Bears, just one look at them and you can see they are not going to break or bend, I am sold on them and will be using them this fall...look out critters!  :)

Curled the tip of a Zwicky Eskimo over when I hit the shoulder of a nice buck.  Penetration was barely the length of the broadhead.  Saw the deer 15 minutes later standing in the field feeding. Not sure what happened???

anybody else?

This is a very informative thread!  I hope there will be more posts and pictures in it.

It does not matter how great all our equipment is unless the sharp thing on the end on the arrow can do its job.  For there will be times in the real world of bowhunting which will require the broadhead to do its job under less than perfect circumstances; and to me that is what Separates a great broadhead from just a good one.

Great luck w/Bear 125gr w/o bleeders for decades. Through bone a number of times. Wrinkled one once on a rock. Straightened it & shot it again. Switched to heavier Ace 160gr (battleaxes). Way stout.

I believe it has more to do with the Rockwell hardness when the metal is tempered as to it's thickness. If it is tempered properly you shouldn't be able to bend it. I have on several different heads put them in my vice and tried to bend them with a vice grip, if they bend their to soft and usually will not sharpen as well either.

(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/broadheadinspine.jpg)

100 grns. I hit bone on an average whitetail buck at very close range, maybe five to ten feet, as he ran by me. I took one step and and was able to pick up my arrow.  (http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd43/MnFn/09misc.jpg)