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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Gen273 on March 19, 2012, 12:22:00 AM

Title: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Gen273 on March 19, 2012, 12:22:00 AM
What is the best Sharpening system to get a 3 blade Woodsmen elite or a 3-blade VPA scary sharp?

Tell me how you guys do it
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: SilentT on March 19, 2012, 12:26:00 AM
I would love to hear this as well.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: americanhunter7 on March 19, 2012, 12:32:00 AM
You might try watching these...And I'm sure Ron from KME or some of the other sharpening Guru's will be along soon.

Here ya go for a start.

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000096
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: JamesKerr on March 19, 2012, 12:36:00 AM
Try looking on 3Rivers website and watch how Dale Karch sharpens a 3 blade. This is how I do it and is the best way for me.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Pete W on March 19, 2012, 01:55:00 AM
A couple licks with a Fine flat file is all I use. I keep a 6" file with the tang cut off in my pack for a quick toutch up in the woods.
Pete
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Dave Pagel on March 19, 2012, 06:51:00 AM
The KME alumina ceramic stones are great for three blades.  I can get a new VPA ready to hunt in about 5 minutes.  Three passthroughs on whitetails last year.  Love em!

D.P.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Three Finger on March 19, 2012, 07:01:00 AM
VPA has some great youtube videos on sharpening their broadheads.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Friend on March 19, 2012, 08:12:00 AM
A three-side Jewelstik, or similar, may not be the best system out there but is simple, quick and quite effective.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Easykeeper on March 19, 2012, 08:23:00 AM
I have three stones, coarse, medium, fine.  All have a nice flat surface.  I haven't needed to true up the grind on the Woodsman Elites like the original Woodsman heads.

Light strokes with oil on the stone, pushing point forward.  Work the same number of strokes per side, three sides per head.  Start coarse, work through to the fine.  Very little pressure as you are finishing up on the fine stone.  If you really want to go nuts take a piece of leather and some stropping compound after the stones.  Draw the head backwards for this step.  I usually skip it since they are very sharp coming off the fine stone.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Breakfast Boy on March 19, 2012, 08:25:00 AM
It doesn't take much to sharpen our 3 blades and it's quite simple.  I personally just use a small broadhead file (bought it from 3 Rivers probably ten years ago, but I think they still carry it).  I hold the broadhead on an arrow or broadhead holder in my left hand and run the file across two blades at once.  Watch this video by 3 Rivers and at .54 into the video is where Dale begins sharpening with a small 6" file like I do.  You can strop it on an old leather belt, a really fine stone or what I use, a piece of cardboard.  Works great on VPA 3 blades...

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edE8wr5Ov-E  


From our experience and people we've talked to, most guys are using way too much pressure when trying to sharpen VPA or Woodsman Elite heads.  It doesn't take much pressure and you'll have them popping hair.  Let me know if you have any questions.


-Jameson (VPA Sales team) midwestbowhunter@gmail.com
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Terry Green on March 19, 2012, 08:29:00 AM
If you will do a search, and look in the how too forum ....you will find lots of ways.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Blaino on March 19, 2012, 08:55:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by Breakfast Boy:
 From our experience and people we've talked to, most guys are using way too much pressure when trying to sharpen VPA or Woodsman Elite heads.  It doesn't take much pressure and you'll have them popping hair.  Let me know if you have any questions.


-Jameson (VPA Sales team) midwestbowhunter@gmail.com
x2.... Another member here (robtatoo) said to think of sharpening more as "polishing".... that has made a huge difference for me.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Gen273 on March 19, 2012, 09:25:00 AM
Thanks for all the info!!! I will watch the videos and look at the "How to" I did not know that was here.....Man, I love Tradgang!!!!
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Breakfast Boy on March 19, 2012, 10:02:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by Gen273:
Thanks for all the info!!! I will watch the videos and look at the "How to" I did not know that was here.....Man, I love Tradgang!!!!
:thumbsup:
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Bladepeek on March 19, 2012, 11:26:00 AM
I use a very dilute Simple Green/water mix on my wet/dry paper when rubbing out my knife blades. I have a spray bottle (once held window cleaner. Same thing works great on 3-blades. I have a 12 x 12 piece of glass I use for flat surfaces. Start out with 220 grit wet/dry and work my way finer as the burr forms, using the same steps Easykeeper outlined above. I usually quit at 600 grit and it's sharp enough to shave. Some days,depending on how anal I'm feeling I've gone up to 2000 grit. Edge like a mirror. Cost is probably the same as a good stone amortized over 10 years, but initial start-up cost is CHEAP.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: WRV on March 19, 2012, 12:21:00 PM
Very easy to sharpen using the above info!
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: screamin on March 20, 2012, 01:07:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by Friend:
A three-side Jewelstik, or similar, may not be the best out there but is simple, quick and quite effective.
+1 Easiest way there is by far imo.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: alligatordond on March 20, 2012, 10:18:00 AM
I reset the bevels on a mill bastard file, 2 blades at once. It may sound crazy but this seems to get the heads to "fit" my file for easy sharpening later. Doesnt take long. Once set, I use light pressure on the file then finish the heads on cardboard, which works better than leather for me.
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Zradix on March 20, 2012, 10:43:00 AM
email sent
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: Zradix on March 20, 2012, 10:55:00 AM
THANK YOU RON!!!   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    


(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/1-1.jpg)
  (http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/2-1.jpg)
  (http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/3.jpg)
  (http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/4.jpg)
  (http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/Zradix/5.jpg)
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: snakebit40 on March 20, 2012, 10:58:00 AM
What I did last year was bought the KME knife sharpening stones. They are 4 inches long and 1 inch wide, I just used them like I would a file and progressed through them. I got my Woodsman shaving sharp!
Title: Re: Sharpening a 3 Blade Woodsmen elite or VPA?
Post by: BRONZ on March 20, 2012, 11:11:00 AM
I've had the best luck with a simple flat file and finish off on a stone.