The recent post on sharpening your broadheads to the next level got me experimenting with some of my broadheads. I normally just use a file on my Zwicks, flipping the burr and using lighter and lighter strokes until the burr can't be felt. This has worked very well for me and is easy to do even in the field. I have also stropping a few of the broadheads on cardboard after filing and it seems to "refine" the edge some. I also tried using the shank of a Craftsman screwdriver like a butchers steel and burnished the edge of another file sharpened broadhead. That really refined the edge. It also seemed to me that the burnished edge held up better after shooting into a foam broadhead target than the non-burnished broadheads. Am I "on" to something here? Is this really a more durable, "sharper" edge? Does anybody else burnish the edge of their file sharpened broadheads? Thank you in advance for your feedback.
I use some jeweler's rouge on leather scraps for sharpening my swivel knife... I tried stropping my broadheads on this and I think I got a sharper head than by file alone. And I hate sharpening things.
Haven't tried that before, but will give it a shot. You might be on to something.
I have heard of using a car window edge for fine edge polishing. I am going to try that. Where are you guys getting jeweler's rouge?
Jake
I use a ceramic crock stick after filing ,3 or 4 light passes.
If you do chose to burnish on steel make sure that it is very smooth or it can mess up a carefully honed edge.
If you do chose to burnish on steel make sure that it is very smooth or it can mess up a carefully honed edge.
I was having a hard time getting my new Grizzly three blades scarey sharp. So I hit them a couple of times with a fine diamond round steel and then burnished them with a slick steel screwdriver shaft. They came out scapel sharp in no time at all.
God bless, Steve
I do something similar. I use a chainsaw raker file to file then use the smooth edge of the raker file to "steel" the broadhead. It is fast and I only have to carry one tool. Gets them shaving sharp very quickly and easily.
Ive no idea what burnishing is but I do use a ceramic V type stick sharpener to polish knife blades to a keen edge. Burrs and wire edges dont hold up on knives but a good file edge on a broadhead is quite jagged compared to a knife edge. That fine jagged edge is wickedly sharp for one fast pass through a deer or elk's vital organs.
I always use a butchers steel on my knifes and broadheads and use
steel wool on the steel.
I use the back of the blade on my knife as a steel for stroping.
Man the car window works awesome on knives. I have not tried it on a broadhead yet but I do not see why it wouldn't work just as well.
You can get jeweler's rouge at Tandy leather... maybe some art & crafts stores too.
I go from file to stropping on leather with jewelers rouge.
Tuffhead Broadheads sells an EXCELLENT system for this.
Interesting to see this thread. For over almost 15 years I've required nothing more than a broadhead file sold by Kustom King. I taught myself the technique to get a blade 95% sharp using the file sides, followed by another 3% using the file edges as a steel. The remaining 2% sharp I don't care about honestly, but I have on occasion used cardboard, leather and Masonite as a final strop.
As for glass, you don't need a car window. A tumbler, drinking glass or ceramic coffee mug rim works perfectly fine as long as it has a radius. The trick is to start light and go lighter on pressure until you are almost not even touching the rim on the last 2 alternating strokes. All this work is doing is aligning the fine finished bead or edge and trueing it. Done correctly it's a good adjunct to final finishing and razor-quality sharpness.
QuoteOriginally posted by Roger Norris:
I go from file to stropping on leather with jewelers rouge.
Tuffhead Broadheads sells an EXCELLENT system for this.
Exactly. After I tried your's in Wyoming last year, I bought the same setup from Tuffhead when we got home. I was able to get my broadheads amazingly sharp, but the leather strop and jewler's rouge made them unbelievable.
KD - I have been using coffee mugs, plates, the coils on an electric stove, etc.. for years to get a nice final edge on things or to touch them up if needed.
I actually forgot to bring my little diamond touch up sharpener this spring on my bear hunt in Manitoba and after a first night sitting in the rain I wanted a little insurance on my Woodsmans. A few swipes on my coffee mug an whola - razor sharp again.