How many of you guys file only to sharpen? I usually file diamond stick and then ceramic them. But noticed if I finish with real light pressure with just the file. They feel just about as sharp and will still cut arm hair? What's your method? Bill
Bill, I do the same as you, file, diamond stick, and ceramic. Don't know if the last two steps are necessary, but it doesn't take much to do it.
Course diamond then light pressure on fine diamond stone and if really ambitious hard Arkansas stone.
I went thru the same steps as you and started using only a file with light pressure to finish. Works great if you have a good file. I've had excellent results using only a file on VPAs.
I also finish with ceramic after the file. That being said I think they would be just fine after the file.
File then ceramic for me.
Large Mill Bastard File, Course then Fine Diamond stone,
Finish on leather. Works on any three blade, quick, easy and
Scary sharp as the boys say now days.
RW
QuoteOriginally posted by R. W. Mackey:
Large Mill Bastard File, Course then Fine Diamond stone,
Finish on leather. Works on any three blade, quick, easy and
Scary sharp as the boys say now days.
That's my routine too... Snuffers, Woodsmans, Razorcaps, or the VPAs... Works for all of em...
I've tried so many methods, but very light strokes on a good file followed by cardboard or leather stropping gives me the best results.
File then leather works for me.
Yep, file, then leather on the Woodsmans Elites and Snuffers -- will shave hair... suppose the VPA's would be the same.
Jewelstik PM123..3 sided...course, medium & fine
Quartz rod to glass finish
Strop
I find the VPA to be almost hunting sharp out of the box so I touch them very lightly with on a flat DMT diamond medium-fine stone and last a leather strop,they became very easy scaring sharp. I found them so easy to touch that they are my first choice bhs on my travels.
Out of the package...just a jewel stick...
after thru a critter.....sometimes just a the jewel stick again, but sometimes a few strokes with a file first.
But if it hits the dirt after a shot and especially if a rock is contacted....it's gonna take some work with a file first to get the edge/edges back true...then hit with jewel stick.
QuoteOriginally posted by Friend:
Jewelstik PM123..3 sided...course, medium & fine
Quartz rod to glass finish
Strop
I have one of those 3 sided jewel sticks also and love it. On any 3 blade head I first start with a file, then finish with progressively finer strokes with the Jewelstik. One sharp, the Jewelstik is all you need for touch ups.
File, steel, and then leather. Very sharp! Everything I've hit with them has died within sight of my treestand!
As y'all all do but I was sharpening up some woods and the other day and after the file they were scary sharp and would have had no qualms about using them as such with just a file. But I like to finish em with a fine diamond and use a jewel stick as touch up still.
I use a file only, pushing the broadhead flat forward. I sometimes use a diamond hone after, but I don't really find a difference. Using only the weight of the broad head and gliding it across the file gets them hair popping.
For you Jewelstick guys. Do you use the stick like a file or hold it and push or pull the BH? Bill
File then jewel stick then leather. I hold the arrow and move the jewel stick
I have a GATCO knife sharpening kit with Diamond "files" in it. Coarse, Medium, Fine, the ceramic super fine... I hold the broadhead mounted to an arrow pointing away from me. I then work the "files" from back to front in one smooth long stroke. Depending on original condition or existing sharpness, I'll do 10 strokes, rotate then 10 strokes rotate then 10 strokes.... Then I go 9 strokes, 8,7,6,5,4,3,2, then one stroke rotate, etc. For several lighter strokes. They'll shave with coarse "file" all the way on down as far as you wish to take'em to Super fine or stropping.... Works great!
I start with a very coarse file.
Then coarse stone.
then med/fine stone
then strop on cardboard.
I wouldn't be afraid to hunt with em right off the file though.
...but with the way I normally do it your eyes may bleed if ya look at em too hard.
Fine file and light strokes back to point, rotating with each stroke. I often use a ceramic or strop after that but it really doesn't seem needed.
For those of you that strop them, what way do you run them down the strop material??
Course stone through a count of 7 on down
Fine stone through a count of 7 on down
Leather- through 7 on down..
Works for me... lighten the pressure as you get closer to 1
diamond stone , course to fine with less pressure at each step then strop with leather and polish . this get them shaving sharp for me
I run them backwards across the ridges of cardboard.
Strop needs to go away from the edge.
I just lay the jewel stick flat across two edges and push the jewel stick, 6 strokes then flip - repeat. VPAs are a good head to work with.