I am new to traditional hunting and just got my 125 grain WW elite BHs in the mail today. They feel "pretty" sharp out of the package. My question is out of a scale from 1-10 what do you guys score the WWs on the "sharp scale" when they first come out of the package?....1 being dull and 10 being ready for the hunt.
Thanks,
Mike
Not sure about yours but mine need some honing and stropping. In my opinion most broadheads need to be sharpened out of the package. There are a few that really are sharp when new. I like my heads to shave hair with no drag and very little effort.
They are about a 5 out of the package, in my opinion. I would not hunt with them out of the package. The Elites are really simple to get shaving sharp.
The Woodsman Elite at least has true edges out of the package but they should get a little time on the stones before hunting in my opinion. The original Wensel Woodsman was a great head too but you needed to put some time in with a file to get the edges true, then sharpen on stones.
I have NEVER had a broadhead that was "hunt ready" right out of the package! Plus, you need to mount them on some arrows and shoot them to make sure they fly right.... so you'll have to sharpen them anyways.
On a scale of 1-10...figure 12!
To mis-quote Sharpster from KME, "Nobody's broad heads can ever be sharp enough!"
Magnus stingers are ready to hunt out of the package. At least the ones I have purchased were shaving sharp out of the box.
Agreed on the stingers.
I could never get them as sharp as they were initially.
My German Kinetics are ready to hunt out of the package. I have never seen a sharper BH out of the package. They should be that sharp, though, for what they cost! That being said, most have to be touched up and a few are not even close out of the box.
Like Doc Nock said above, When you sharpen, you should get them as sharp as possible!
Bisch
WW are not hunting ready. They are however very easy to get sharp with a file and jewelstik. Light strokes are the key and they need to be razor sharp.
I believe the term is "scary sharp". Like Doc says 12 out of 10, or some version thereof...
QuoteOriginally posted by Blaino:
I have NEVER had a broadhead that was "hunt ready" right out of the package! Plus, you need to mount them on some arrows and shoot them to make sure they fly right.... so you'll have to sharpen them anyways.
Exactly what I was going to say :thumbsup:
Tracy
Another way to look at is even if a broadhead is scary sharp right out of the package, you are going to shoot it first before your go hunting just to make sure the arrow/broadhead combination flies true...so you have to sharpen them anyway.
Out of the package sharpness is really irrelevant, what counts is how easy it is to get it back to "scary" sharp after you test shoot it. Good straight and true edges out of the package makes this easier and is one flaw of the original Wensel Woodsmans in my opinion. That flaw has been corrected with the Woodsman Elite...but you still have to sharpen them.
Just saw Blaino beat me too it...lol... :thumbsup:
The Aboyer Brown Bears from A&H are the only hunt ready BH in my experience-that is not to say there aren't others, just relating what I have found. My test is shaving dry arm hair.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I figured that it would be ideal for them to be sharper, I just needed idea of where they are now compared to where the need to be for opening day. Thanks again!
Sharpen them as much as you possibly can, then sharpen them more. Buy the Trad Gang DVD, it has some good bits on sharpening methods for different styles of heads.
If they will shave hair easily they are useable. Still, if you can get them even sharper, then do so, because it really is true that there is no such thing as too sharp. I can't get them much better than cutting hair, and I've been playing this game since about 1970.
QuoteOriginally posted by DaveT1963:
Magnus stingers are ready to hunt out of the package. At least the ones I have purchased were shaving sharp out of the box.
X2!
I was told years ago a broadhead is sharp enough if it will cut a rubber band held between thumb and finger. It imitates an artery.
I shoot stingers, sharp out of the package.( still have to check sharpness0
I also shoot 2 blade Eskimos, they need to be sharpened, I use file and then stone. Haven't failed me yet.
Bottom line is, as sharp as you can get them.
They can never be too sharp but they can certainly be too dull. Make them too sharp!
I agree with Hopewell Tom...scary sharp. I'm not sure about the elites, but the original WW that i have took awhile to get shaving sharp, be patient and enjoy the process. By the time season rolls around here in Michigan my arms will be bald from testing out the sharpness. :)
I don't know about the deer, but if someone was shooting at me with them, I would want sharper than they can get sharp!! X3 on scary sharp
After any broadhead rides around in a quiver and gets exposed to humidity, etc. out of the package sharp doesn't really mean much to me.
Rob
I get stingers and buzz cuts a lot sharper out of the package just by stropping them with a stick that has rough and smooth leather glued to each side... the stinger broadhead is already sharp maybe hunt ready but after stropping the edge it gets that sticky feel on the edge and you know its sharp.
I am gonna throw a mixer in here. Learn to sharpen blades, then do the very best you can. A relatively sharp piece, including a piece of paper, traveling 150 - 200 fps thru any part of your body is gonna cut the heck out of you. Sure, sharper is better, but sharp enough is good too.
ChuckC
They need to be so sharp that you are afraid to be in the same room with them.
No matter how sharp the WW might be out of the package (not sharp enough by the way) you are going to have to learn how to sharpen a traditional BH, so take it on and embrace it. You should not be intimidated in any way, it is a lot of fun and very rewarding. Tons of posts here Re: sharpening, do a search.
Good luck -
Kris
Both Abowyers and Tuffheads are REALLY sharp out of the package. With that said, I still work them over with a strop before they go with me to the woods.
Another way to ask the question is,,,,"How dull do they need to be to still get the job done"? For me it's razor sharp or it's not sharp enough.