Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Deeter on September 22, 2013, 09:02:00 AM
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Ok may be you guys can give me a tip. This will be my first season shooting trad. I have some old bear razorheads. I can not get an edge on them for nothing. I have tried a file, and several other sharpeners. I have about a week and half till the season begins. Please help!!! Also are the bleeder blades for the razor head worth it or should I just stick to 2 blade?
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If you can't get them sharp with a file,you might have to give a lansky or something similar a try. This will allow you to get the same angle and hold it. Just mark the edge with a marker and you can tell what angle is already there.
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Rada
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Using any system, what you are doing is cutting both edges down until you reach the actual edge. This causes formation of a bur or slender thread of metal along the edge.
Some things that tend to go wrong, that you can adjust and correct are: (everybody please add more)
too much pressure. You need pressure from the very start, but as you get closer to right, you need to back WAY off, and I mean way. This is for many reasons, such as bending or deforming the metal along the edge, also, more pressure makes it more difficult to hand hold an angle (see next).
Inconsistent angle. This is where the jigs come in great. If you can't hand file a fairly systematic angle, you will have a hard time getting that edge right.
Not going far enough. You need to actually get to the edge and get the edge done. Many times we THINK we are going far enough, but never actually got there. If you can see any shiny line when you look at the actual edge, there is too much metal there.
Work out the roughness. A file can get em sharp, and some folks (Fred Bear, Howie Hill, and others) never went beyond the file. But for me, progressively finer materials help get them sharper.
Polish. Find a way to strop or polish the edge. Cardboard, ceramic stick, whatever. Polish the edge when finished. At home, I use a cloth wheel on my bench grinder and oh what a difference it makes.
more ?
Chuckc
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I've been trying to sharpen different broadheads for the past couple years, but I couldn't get them razor sharp like I wanted. I could get them really really close, but just not quite there. I just bought a Smith's knife sharpener from Lowe's for $40. Doesn't have all the different angles some of the other brands have, but it does have a 20 and 25 degree angle and 25 degrees is what a lot of broadheads are set at. This thing made a world of difference! Also, as Chuck mentions, I polished the edge using an old leather belt, but cardboard works too from what I've heard, and that really made it razor sharp! That $40 was definitely well spent!
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its not something everyone does naturally...I have been a carpenter for 40 plus years...and sharpening stuff is just SOP...
maybe find a friend that has the "knack"...Im sure it will be pretty obvious after a bit...
a 4" mill file is good for starters...then a stone and a strap of leather...the old FB's are really pretty easy to sharpen once you get the hang of it...good luck...t
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Recently I bought a Gatgo sharpening kit along with the ceramic finishing stone. I've never been able to sharpen broad heads or knives so that they could shave hair off your arm. With this kit, I can. I would highly recommend this system if you are having trouble with resharpening.
Here is a helpful link.
http ://www.magnusbroadheads.com/instructional/
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if you want to use a sharpening system the KME is a great one that many many people love.
If you want to see how i do mine by hand here is a video that i posted on here a while ago might help you out.
Both are great options and there are many more great options out there. Using a sharpening systen like KME makes it really simple. Learning to do them by hand is rewarding and also great for in field touch ups etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUWepNQNapE